Day Cruise to Gramvousa & Balos
Overview
Find yourself on a bus tour towards the west edge of Crete, where your sailing trip begins to the “Pirates Island”, Gramvousa. Swim in the lagoon of Balos and enjoy a relaxing nevertheless unique experience of a natural beauty point of interest.
Inclusions
- Pickup and Drop off from hotels and designated meeting points
- Transport by air-conditioned coach or minivan
- Boat ticket
- Guide
- Municipality fee
- Entry/Admission - Kastelli Kissamos Old Port
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Kastelli Kissamos Old Port, Kissamos, Crete 734 00 Greece
Kissamos is a town on the west of Chania with a port and a fishing harbor. From Kissamos port we will be sailing towards Gramvousa and Balos. While on the boat trip, observe the geological phenomenon of the land elevation of Crete, where the island rises out of the sea in the west side of the island and at the same time sinking in the east.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Gramvousa, Gramvousa, Chania Prefecture, Crete
Gramvousa is an island located 20 km northwest of Kissamos and opposite the Cape of Gramvousa. On the island, at a height of 137m over the sea level, still stands a Venetian fortress built between 1579 and 1584, during the Venetian occupation of the island of Crete. The fortress was also used by pirates and a legend claims that there is a great treasure buried on the island. An old shipwreck near the beach has marked its initials as part of the landscape. The water is turquoise color and the seabed is ideal for snorkeling.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: Balos Lagoon, Kissamos, Crete 734 00 Greece
Between Gramvousa and the coast of Crete, the lagoon of Balos is formed. It has white sand and vivid blue and turquoise water. The sea is very shallow and warm. Due to millions of crushed shells, in many places, the sand has a lovely pinkish color. The lagoon and the wider area around it are both protected under Natura 2000 program, as rare species of flora and fauna are found there. Eleonora falcons, shags and cormorants nest in the caves of the area. Moreover, the area is a shelter for the protected monk seal and the sea turtle Caretta Caretta.
Duration: 3 hours
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Kastelli Kissamos Old Port, Kissamos, Crete 734 00 Greece
Kissamos is a town on the west of Chania with a port and a fishing harbor. From Kissamos port we will be sailing towards Gramvousa and Balos. While on the boat trip, observe the geological phenomenon of the land elevation of Crete, where the island rises out of the sea in the west side of the island and at the same time sinking in the east.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Gramvousa, Gramvousa, Chania Prefecture, Crete
Gramvousa is an island located 20 km northwest of Kissamos and opposite the Cape of Gramvousa. On the island, at a height of 137m over the sea level, still stands a Venetian fortress built between 1579 and 1584, during the Venetian occupation of the island of Crete. The fortress was also used by pirates and a legend claims that there is a great treasure buried on the island. An old shipwreck near the beach has marked its initials as part of the landscape. The water is turquoise color and the seabed is ideal for snorkeling.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: Balos Lagoon, Kissamos, Crete 734 00 Greece
Between Gramvousa and the coast of Crete, the lagoon of Balos is formed. It has white sand and vivid blue and turquoise water. The sea is very shallow and warm. Due to millions of crushed shells, in many places, the sand has a lovely pinkish color. The lagoon and the wider area around it are both protected under Natura 2000 program, as rare species of flora and fauna are found there. Eleonora falcons, shags and cormorants nest in the caves of the area. Moreover, the area is a shelter for the protected monk seal and the sea turtle Caretta Caretta.
Duration: 3 hours
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Face masks required for travelers in the bus You must fill out a travel information form
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
698earlinem
June 2022
The beach and island you get to spend time on during this tour were beautiful and amazing and are worth going to see! We enjoyed the sights and the water. Things to note: 1. If you are leaving from Heraklion, it is a 3 hour bus ride to get to the boat. 2. The boat is a ferry that carries 1,000+ ...
The beach and island you get to spend time on during this tour were beautiful and amazing and are worth going to see! We enjoyed the sights and the water. Things to note: 1. If you are leaving from Heraklion, it is a 3 hour bus ride to get to the boat. 2. The boat is a ferry that carries 1,000+ people. Seats can be hard to find. 3. There are two food lines/bars on the boat that are reasonably priced and there are clean, functional toilets. We thought this trip was completely worth it, but did not realize the bus portion of it was a thing. If you decide to go, make sure you are prepared for the ride. Elena was our guide and made the trip very smooth and pleasant!Loeki_B
September 2021
The excursion was amazing! Our guide Sergio and our driver avangelios are such nice people! I loved the balos beach more the the 2nd stop. Balos was so beautiful, like a paradise!! I suggest to wear real shoes or good sandals ( no flip flops) because you have to cross alot of rocks to get to both...
The excursion was amazing! Our guide Sergio and our driver avangelios are such nice people! I loved the balos beach more the the 2nd stop. Balos was so beautiful, like a paradise!! I suggest to wear real shoes or good sandals ( no flip flops) because you have to cross alot of rocks to get to both beaches. I am sure you wil live this trip!!Anzeigename
October 2019
Every day two large and one very large ships full of tourists (approx. 700 in total) leave from Kissamos port to a one day boat trip to Balos beach and Gramvousa island and back. To boats leave around 10:30 and on at 12:00 which spreads out the number of people. Nevertheless you share the beach w...
Every day two large and one very large ships full of tourists (approx. 700 in total) leave from Kissamos port to a one day boat trip to Balos beach and Gramvousa island and back. To boats leave around 10:30 and on at 12:00 which spreads out the number of people. Nevertheless you share the beach with hundrest of tourists. The beach is nice, the water super crystal cleare (both at Balos and on Gramvousa). The overall experience was OK - my kid liked it. Don't expect a romantic experience - it's mass tourism! Fun fact: People being late for the departure of the ship, waving and shouting - captain turned the ship to pick them up. The prices of the food and drinks on board are okay. At lunch there is one kind of hot meal available. 1/2 an hour before you return to the port of Kissamos there is "happy hour" with reduced prices on cocktails and beer. Recommendation: Try to get a ticket for one of the two smaller boats. Don'T forget to bring enough water, shade and sun screen. You can reach Balos beach also by car and walking - but: the road is not paved and you need to walk at least 1h to get from the end of the road down to the beach (and up again!)dumas92
August 2023
Gramvoussa est une île très sympa propice à la baignade. Balos est bien aïs gâchée par les sun beds à perte de vue. Trop de touristes.
Gramvoussa est une île très sympa propice à la baignade. Balos est bien aïs gâchée par les sun beds à perte de vue. Trop de touristes.NoemiPizz
May 2023
Esperienza magnifica, organizzazione perfetta. Certo le mete del tour sono molto turistiche ma l’essenza dei posti è speciale ed è possibile scorgerne la bellezza anche con centinaia di persone insieme a te. In particolare la guida era molto preparata, simpatica e gentile e anche l’autista molto ...
Esperienza magnifica, organizzazione perfetta. Certo le mete del tour sono molto turistiche ma l’essenza dei posti è speciale ed è possibile scorgerne la bellezza anche con centinaia di persone insieme a te. In particolare la guida era molto preparata, simpatica e gentile e anche l’autista molto bravo. Il viaggio è durato 3 ore ma è passato con leggerezza. ConsiglioSandra_R
June 2022
Unsere Reiseleiterin Elena war super und ein echtes Sprachtalent ( deutsch, englisch, französisch, tschechisch, polnisch und natürlich griechisch). Sie hat alles super erklärt, hat wertvolle Tipps geben und war immer da bei fragen - echt super. Die Abholung vom Hotel hat super funktioniert. Wir h...
Unsere Reiseleiterin Elena war super und ein echtes Sprachtalent ( deutsch, englisch, französisch, tschechisch, polnisch und natürlich griechisch). Sie hat alles super erklärt, hat wertvolle Tipps geben und war immer da bei fragen - echt super. Die Abholung vom Hotel hat super funktioniert. Wir haben einen Tag vorher eine Email erhalten um Abholung zu bestätigen.Ansonsten war der Ausflug eher durchschnittlich, obwohl wir in der Nebensaison waren, hat es nichts mit Paradies zu tun viel zu viele Leute auf einmal ( wir waren mit einer Fähre min. 300 Leute und zusätzlich noch kleine Fähre ca. 150 Leute + kleine Boote). Der Ort an sich ist sehr schön aber leider völlig überlaufen auf Gravouse ist schön (Festung toller Blick) im Wasser gibt es Seeigel (Badeschuhe sind empfehlenswert) wir haben’s auch ohne geschafft. Empfehle feste Schuhe/Sandalen oder Badeschuhe, da Es beim Ausstieg vom Boot sehr felsig ist und alle mit Flipflops Probleme hatten ( rutschig). Flipflops lieber zusätzlich mitnehmen! Nehmt euch auf jedenfall ausreichend Wasser, zu Essen und Sonnenschutz mit. Man kann sonst nur auf der Fähre etwas kaufen - ist lecker aber es gibt einen kleinen Preisaufschlag (Getränke ca. 3€, Sandwich ca 4€, warmes Essen ca. 9€…) Sonnenschirme konnte man auf dem Boot für 4€ den Tag ausleihen. (+ Kaution 5€). Es war ein langer Tag, da wir aus der Region Anissaras gekommen sind, wenn es okay ist, dass man sich den Ort mit mehreren 100 Menschen zu gleichen Zeit teilt, ist es okay und sehenswert. Nutzt auch die Chance Fotos von den Aussichtspunkt auf Balos zu machen, da hat man den Blick über die gesamte Bucht (Ca. 20 Minuten hoch). Auf gramvousa zu Festung bracht man ebenfalls ca 20-30 Minuten nach oben.