Boats from Kissamos port
Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos trips all start at one harbour on the west coast of Crete. Four of them matter: a ferry that goes to Balos and nothing else, a ferry that adds Gramvousa island and its castle, a sailing catamaran for the evening, and a 4x4 that crosses the peninsula by land. They cost between $40 and $112 per person. Here is what each price covers, how long you get on the sand, and which one to book.
Quick answer
The short answer. If you book one Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos boat, make it the two-stop ferry at $45: about an hour at sea, the castle and shipwreck on Gramvousa and a swim at Balos, with 8,781 reviews behind it. Want Balos alone, with about 3 hours on the beach? The $40 ferry does that. For a slower evening with snacks, drinks and a swim off the boat, take the sailing catamaran at $112.
Every trip, current fare
Every Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos departure on one screen, plus our top pick, which buses you to the same port. All prices are per person.
| Boat | Price | Stops | Length | Time at Balos | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balos-only ferry | $40 | Balos | 5 hours | About 3 hours, per the listing | 4.2 · 1,528 |
| Two-stop ferry | $45 | Gramvousa and Balos; the order depends on the route | 7 hours | Not stated; reviewers report 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours | 4.1 · 8,781 |
| 4x4 over the peninsula | $55 | Photo stops, then the path down to the lagoon | 6 hours | Not stated; the path takes 20–25 minutes down, 30–35 up | 4.9 · 844 |
| Our top pick: bus from Rethymno, then the boat | $62 | Gramvousa and Balos | 1 day | 3 hours, per the listing | 4.5 · 425 |
| Sunset catamaran | $112 | Balos, then the sunset at sea | 4.5 hours | Not stated; you swim from the boat | 4.7 · 153 |
Crete Greece Balos Lagoon beach
A small step up in price, and the difference is Gramvousa island.
Both ferries leave Kissamos port and sell the same thing at heart: a seat on a big boat and time in the shallow water of the Balos beach Crete lagoon. The Kissamos boat to Balos beach takes about an hour; Ola from the United Kingdom timed hers at «anywhere between 45min and 1h15min depending on the wind». On board you can buy food and drinks, by card only on both ferries.
The Balos-only ferry, $40. The listing promises a cruise «with destination only Balos» and 3 hours on the beach: the simplest Balos beach boat trip from the port. Andrew from Canada: «Three hours at the beach was plenty of time.» Zeljana from Serbia found it «a bit short of a stay for such a beautiful beach».
The two-stop ferry, $45. Another $5 buys Gramvousa island: a short hike to a Venetian castle, a shipwreck on the beach, and a cave the listing calls an ancient shipyard. You also get the Balos beach and lagoon, though for less time. Joana from Portugal had about 1.5 hours on Gramvousa and 2 hours at Balos; Michal from Slovakia had 1 hour and 10 minutes at the lagoon. The order of the two stops depends on the route on the day.
Crete Balos Lagoon turquoise water beach
Four frames from the Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos routes: a ferry at the jetty, yachts in the bay and an evening on the catamaran.
A two-deck ferry with its ramp lowered onto a concrete jetty: how you step ashore on the two-stop Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos route.
Sailing boats spread across the bay below the headland. The sunset catamaran lies off the beach in water like this before the sail home.
Cured meats and cheese laid out next to the helm. The sunset catamaran lists snacks and unlimited drinks in its price.
The sun drops behind a small islet while the rigging frames the view. The listing ends the trip at sea for the sunset.
The evening option
Fewer hours on the sand, more on the water, with food and drinks included.
The third boat from the port is a different kind of day. A modern sailing catamaran takes about 1.5 hours to reach Balos, lies off the beach, and you swim in from the deck: the listing is clear that going ashore is by swimming only. Snacks and unlimited drinks are in the $112 price, along with a stand-up paddleboard and snorkelling gear. Then you sail home for the sunset.
Reviewers rate it 4.7 from 153 reviews. Lorenzo from Italy mentions «a delicious sunset aperitif», and Bettina from Germany writes that «watching the sunset from the catamaran was breathtaking». Matei from the Netherlands is honest that «most time is spent on the boat», so book it for the sail and the evening on the Balos beach Crete turquoise lagoon, not for a long day on the sand. One practical step: at booking, the listing asks for passport details for the port authority.
Before you board
Two minutes of reading saves a surprise at the gangway of any Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos boat.
The ferry listings mention a one-euro fee for passengers aged 13 and over. The day trip from Rethymno lists it as extra.
Food, drinks and anything else you buy on board either ferry is paid by card.
On the two-stop ferry the order of Balos and Gramvousa depends on the route. Jina from Germany went to Balos first.
Sarah from the United Kingdom: «No shade on the beach so take an umbrella.» For the castle steps on Gramvousa, one reviewer advises shoes better than flip flops.
The sunset catamaran asks for them when you book, for the port authority. Have them ready.
By land from the same port
A 4x4 over the hills, or a bus from Rethymno to the same boats.
Not every Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos trip goes by sea. The 4x4 safari at $55 drives over the Gramvousa peninsula with photo stops, then you walk down to the Balos beach turquoise lagoon: about 20–25 minutes down and 30–35 minutes back up. It leaves at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 and takes 12 people at most. Its score is the highest on this page, 4.9 from 844 reviews. Laura from the United Kingdom calls it a drive on a «road you wouldn’t want to drive yourself».
Staying further east? Our top pick, the day trip from Rethymno at $62, buses you to Kissamos port for the boat, with 1.5 hours on Gramvousa and 3 hours at Balos, rated 4.5 from 425 reviews. Its title mentions a boat ticket but its description says you pay for the cruise there, so check whether the boat ticket is included in the option you choose.
Across the whole site, trips start from $55 per person. That is the bus day out of Chania with the boat tickets arranged by the group leader; the two ferries on this page cost less because they are the boat alone, from the port.
Coming from Chania and want the bus and the boat in one booking?
Balos trips from Chania→How to choose
Answer them in order, and the right Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos trip picks itself.
The most: the $40 Balos-only ferry, about 3 hours there. Less time, two places: the two-stop ferry.
Then the $45 ferry: the castle hike, the shipwreck and the cave, and Balos.
The sunset catamaran at $112: snacks, drinks, a swim from the boat and the sail home at dusk.
The 4x4 at $55 stops at viewpoints, then you walk down. Allow 30–35 minutes for the climb back.
Our verdict
Book the two-stop ferry. For a first boat trip to Balos beach, it covers the most for $45 per person: Gramvousa, the castle, the shipwreck and a swim at the lagoon, in about 7 hours. It has more reviews than any other Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos trip, 8,781, at 4.1.
Here for the beach alone? The $40 ferry gives about 3 hours on the sand. Here for the atmosphere? The sunset catamaran at $112 is the Balos boat tour for an evening you remember.
Book direct
The two ferries by number of reviews, the sunset catamaran, and the 4x4 from the same port. All four are priced per person.
★ 4.1 · 8,781 reviews
★ 4.2 · 1,528 reviews
★ 4.7 · 153 reviews
★ 4.9 · 844 reviews
Common questions
About an hour by ferry; one reviewer timed it at 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. The sailing catamaran takes about 1.5 hours. The whole day is 5 hours on the Balos-only ferry, 7 hours with Gramvousa and 4.5 hours on the catamaran.
About 3 hours on the Balos-only ferry, per its listing. The two-stop ferry does not state a time; reviewers report between 1 hour 10 minutes and 2 hours at Balos, with about 1.5 hours on Gramvousa.
Yes. The listings mention a one-euro municipal fee for passengers aged 13 and over. Bring a card for the ferry as well: purchases on board are card only.
No. Of the Balos beach and lagoon Kissamos boats, the $40 ferry goes to Balos only. The $45 ferry stops at both, in an order that depends on the route. The sunset catamaran sails to Balos.
No. The listing says going ashore is by swimming only. The catamaran carries a stand-up paddleboard and snorkelling gear, and snacks and unlimited drinks are included.
The boats skip the hillside path; Sarah from the United Kingdom found the boat the easiest way to reach the beach. The 4x4 at $55 adds viewpoints from above, then a path of 20 to 25 minutes down and 30 to 35 back up. It is rated 4.9 from 844 reviews.
Go deeper
Balos Lagoon in western Crete: the three ways to reach it — boat from Kissamos, 4x4 and the footpath, or a private boat — and what each one costs.
Balos trips from ChaniaDay trips to Balos Lagoon from Chania and Rethymno: pickup points, how long the day takes and what the price covers.
Balos viewpoint by 4x4Reaching the Balos viewpoint by 4x4: the off-road route, the walk down and back, and private tours that skip the hike.
Rethymno: Gramvousa & Balos Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Ticket
★ 4.5 · 425 reviews · 1 day