After we pick you up from various locations around Chania we will drive through West Crete until we reach the Kissamos port.
After approximately 1 hour, the boat arrives at the port of Gramvousa. On top of a steep rock on the highest point of the island, lays the Venetian castle built during the late 16th century.
You will have plenty of time to explore the island and swim in its coast before we board the boat that will take us to the Balos lagoon. Fantastic azure waters fill the lagoon creating an rare amalgamation of serenity and ild natural beauty.
At around 16:30 we will board the boat back to the port of Kissamos and eventually return by bus to the designated spots you were picked up from.
Posted By : Scarlett_J
Amazing day all together! Balos lagoon water was so warm, just like a bath. Gramvousa was incredible, water was turquoise blue and so clear, not forgetting the incredible history and shipwreck. Breathtaking experience.
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Posted On : 2024-06-18 12:55:31 
Posted By : 943theab
Amazing wiews and the best trip we’ve been to in Crete. Everything was great planed and the guide was good. But the only thing is that we had to ”swim” to Balos from the boat, and they said to leave our stuff behind. Me and my friends did not want to leave without all our belongings in a locker or something so we just stayed on the boat. So the fact that we did not know everything before hand is the only ”bad” thing, otherwise we loved it.
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Posted On : 2024-06-11 07:23:10 
Posted By : John_L
Apart from a number of pick up points, the journey to the boat was an interesting insight of the Island. Our guide Carolina was very informative. After boarding the boat (an old car ferry) which was very comfortable and offered food and drinks the entire trip, we sailed to the Pirate Island of Gramvousa. You are able to go onto the Island. It has a sandy beach with limited shade and view the old fortification there if you fancy the climb. Trainers or walking footwear needed. Balos lagoon is also nice. No shade. You need wet style footwear. In all the trip was excellent.
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Posted On : 2024-06-10 06:16:38
Posted By : Юлия Ю
Good time for the whole family
I liked the trip. The ship was big, there was enough space for everyone. The upper deck had both open benches and covered seating.
Since lunch on the ferry was not included in the price, we took a light snack with us - sandwiches and fruit. The bar has an abundance of cold and hot drinks.
Comfortable shoes are a must. It is better to take sneakers to climb to the fortress. For swimming - special slippers, without them there is a high risk of seriously injuring your feet. Landing in the Balos Lagoon was right in the water, 100 m from the shore; EVERYONE had to swim in swimsuits to get there; they took valuables (phones, money) with them. Therefore, it is better to have a waterproof bag (backpack). Other things can be left on board.
There were many families with children. It seemed to me that this was not the best solution, but people were happy.
The lagoon is beautiful, but quite dirty.
To get to the fortress we had to wait in line for about 15 minutes. The views from the top are very beautiful. The descent took a little longer, the steps are uneven, you have to be careful. There is almost no time left for the beach. You need to be on the boat 15 minutes before departure. Overall, I recommend it for beach lovers
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Posted On : 2024-06-07 08:19:20
Posted By : karinabjerg
Have visited Gramvousa and Balos several times. A beautiful place, which I personally think is one of the most beautiful in Crete and the beach absolutely beats the typical Elafonnisos Beach which is totally overrun.
You can both sail to Balos and you can drive the long trip there. The drive is hard, dusty and long, but immensely beautiful. Few car rental companies allow their cars to drive out there - remember that. You park at the top, walk a long way over the mountain and voila - comes the view that beats EVERYTHING.
The sailing trip is super delicious and relaxing - but book in advance. Then you avoid a very long queue.
There are tourists on Balos and Gramvousa - but not unrestrained - precisely because it is a bit difficult to get to, and the ferry leaves after a few hours again, and then most of them are gone again. Gramvousa is very beautiful and you can only get there by boat. None of the places are good for people with walking difficulties - not even the sailing trip, as it is a hassle to get ashore.
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Posted On : 2024-01-28 13:05:08
Posted By : serena c
I had high hopes for this tour, but I'm deeply disappointed with the services provided. I was promised a hotel pick-up that never happened. Despite rushing to the Sensal Hotel 10 minutes before the supposed pick-up time and skipping breakfast, I was left stranded on the street for 40 minutes, with no sign of the bus. This level of unprofessionalism was unprecedented in my travel experience.
To make matters worse, my drop-off point for the return trip was completely wrong, and this is inexcusable. I even asked the driver before boarding the bus, but it seems he didn't understand English. As a result, I was the last to be dropped off at 19:40, leaving me tired, stressed, and thoroughly unhappy with the entire ordeal.
This experience has left a lasting negative impression, overshadowing any beauty I may have experienced on the island. I hope the tour company takes this feedback seriously and improves its services for future customers.
In addition to the numerous issues I encountered during this tour, it's worth noting that I reached out to the tour company, but no one bothered to reply or offer an apology. The complete lack of response and accountability for these failures only adds to the overall disappointment of this experience. It's truly disheartening when a company fails to address its customers' concerns and provide the necessary support.
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Posted On : 2023-10-31 17:03:59
Posted By : Lilikl83
A rocky hill with a small beach of coarse sand you cannot go into the sea because there are rocks all along the shore. Wasted time.
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Posted On : 2023-10-19 11:35:04
Posted By : Keri_S
Honestly, the posting for this trip is a bit misleading. Don't expect a smaller boat or provided meals. We spent twice as much time traveling to Balos and Gramvousa in the bus and ferry than we did at the beaches. We maybe got 1.5 hours in Balos at 40ish minutes in Gramvousa. The crowd on the ferry that you travel with is huge, and we went in October! It took 15-20 minutes just to disembark and lay down your towel. We were late getting back to Chania and the bus made a ridiculous amount of stops for pickup.
I know it's a but pricy, but it's much more worth it to rent a boat from Chania and just spend some time at Balos before the ferry comes in.
I would not recommend this tour to anyone. The beaches were nice though.
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Posted On : 2023-10-07 03:27:15
Posted By : maru19602015
Balos Tour was amazing. The company communicated via WhatsApp the pickup location. Bus ride to The port where you get into a huge ferry and navigate to Balos and Gramvousa. This tour is worth every penny. Whole day tour. Just do it.
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Posted On : 2023-10-06 15:30:22
Posted By : Krisztina B
Logistics was easy, pick up point was communicated on time. Bus was clean with working AC. Bus takes you to the Kissamos Port and they hand out the ferry tickets on the way there. The only thing that wasn't mentioned in advance is the 1 euro tax fee per person that must be paid in cash. Make sure you have cash. There is an ATM on the way to the port in case you need to get cash.
Food on the ferry looks sad and a bit overpriced. I'd recommend visiting a bakery before getting on the bus in the morning.
The trip to Balos and Gramvousa is incredible.
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Posted On : 2023-09-23 13:47:09
