Balos Lagoon
White sand runs out between the Gramvousa peninsula and the small Tigani headland, closing off a lagoon only a few centimetres deep, with deeper water for swimming on the right-hand side of the bay. You arrive by day boat from Kissamos port or by a rough dirt road and a 35 to 40 minute path down from the car park.
WhatBeach, KissamosCrete
WhenMay to November20° in Nov
Getting there Boat Car On foot35 min walk-in
CostAccess fee for the protected areaSee official site
AccessNatura 2000 protected area (Gramvousa); the Municipality of Kissamos collects a use fee on site in the 2026 season.
- 16°J
- 15°F
- 16°M
- 16°A
- 19°M
- 22°J
- 25°J
- 25°A
- 25°S
- 23°O
- 20°N
- 18°D
Expect the sea at about 25 °C in July and 15 °C in February, going by the 1991 to 2020 averages. The swimming season runs from May to November.
Getting in
- Access
- By road, a few kilometres of rough dirt track end at a car park above the beach, then a path leads down to the sand in about 35 to 40 minutes, uphill on the way back. Boats from Kissamos port take about an hour. Inside the lagoon the water is only a few centimetres deep; it gets deeper on the right-hand side of the bay.
- Parking
- Rough car park above the beach at the end of several kilometres of poor dirt road
- Public transport
- KTEL Chania-Rethymno buses run to Kissamos Port, where the day boats to Gramvousa and Balos leave
Cost and facilities
- Entry
- Access fee for the protected areaSee official site
- Official site
- kissamos.gr
- Facilities
- Naturist area