Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon Day Trip from Rethymno

Balos Lagoon – Crete's famous turquoise lagoon

Balos Lagoon lies between the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula and the small Cape Tigani, at the north-western corner of Crete. The water inside is very shallow and calm, so it warms quickly and glows in bands of turquoise, emerald and deep blue. The sand is white with pink patches made of crushed shells, and the whole area is protected as a nature reserve for its dunes, rare plants and nesting birds.

Is Balos Lagoon worth visiting? For most visitors it is the highlight of a stay in western Crete, and arriving by boat avoids the long dirt road and the steep path from the car park. On this Balos Lagoon day trip from Rethymno you have about three hours to wade across to the sandbanks, swim and relax. There are no sunbed rows on the lagoon itself, so a towel and sun protection are essential, and a small eco fee is paid in cash at the port.

Gramvousa island and its Venetian fortress

Gramvousa (Imeri Gramvousa) is an uninhabited island just off the tip of the peninsula. On its summit the Venetians built a strong fortress in the late 16th century to guard the sea route around western Crete. In the 1820s the fortress became a refuge for Cretan rebels and, for a time, a notorious base for pirates, which is why locals still call it the pirate island.

The boat moors in a small bay with a sandy beach and the rusting hull of an old shipwreck nearby. From there a stony zigzag path climbs to the fortress gate in about 25 to 30 minutes; the effort is rewarded by a sweeping view over Balos Lagoon, the peninsula and the open sea. Your stop lasts about an hour and a half, enough time for the climb or a swim, but not both at a relaxed pace, so choose before you land.

Kissamos port and the Gramvousa peninsula by sea

Kissamos is a quiet harbour town on the wide bay of the same name, about two hours west of Rethymno by road. Its port at Kavonisi is the starting point for almost all boats to Balos, because the peninsula has no paved road. How to get to Balos Lagoon from Rethymno without a car? This combination of coach and boat is the simplest answer, with no parking and no driving on dirt tracks.

The crossing to Gramvousa takes about an hour. The boat follows the rugged west coast of the peninsula, where bare cliffs drop straight into the sea and the land is home only to goats and wild herbs. Food and drinks can be bought on board if you prefer not to carry a picnic, and you can sit on deck or in the shade for the views.

Rethymno to Kissamos – the coach journey

The day starts early with a pickup at set points near your hotel in the Rethymno area; guests staying in the old town meet at the Four Martyrs Square bus stop. The coach then follows the north coast road west past Chania towards Kissamos, a scenic drive with views of the White Mountains inland and the Cretan Sea on the right.

Because this is a shared day trip, the coach collects guests from several points and keeps to a fixed timetable, which keeps the trip simple and good value for one long day out. Please note that pickup from the Panormo and Lavris area is not part of this trip. The return follows the same road in the late afternoon, with drop-off at the same points in the evening.

Best time to visit Balos and Gramvousa

The boat trips usually run from late spring to October. The best time to visit Balos Lagoon is June and September, when the sea is warm and the lagoon is a little quieter than in the peak weeks of July and August. In midsummer the sun is strong and there is little natural shade, so a hat, sunscreen and water matter more than anything else.

The north-west tip of Crete is exposed to the meltemi, the strong summer north wind. On windy days the sea can be choppy, the captain may change the order of the stops and, in rare cases, the trip can be cancelled for safety. If you are prone to seasickness, sit in the middle of the boat and take a remedy before departure.