This process has been going on for the last 540 million years. There is a lot of advice saying dont drive unless you are in a 4wd and if you do wish to drive a hire car there check that your insurance will cover you as most hire car companies do not cover you on dirt roads. The Crete pink beaches are the result of a very unusual natural phenomenon. Required fields are marked *. Balos Beach: Our most recommended tours and activities. In summer, the temperature in Crete is very high. Organized trip to Crete: a circuit to discover the island differently! The road toBalosBeach is a narrow dirt road that is meant to be used by four-wheel drive vehicles only. Its rare to see waves on the beachside, and impossible in the lagoon. Reaching Balos beach requires an act of pilgrimage, as be fitting for such a spectacular landscape. Balos Beach is located in the western part of Crete. I've been traveling around this amazing continent for over 30 years, capturing its beauty and history with my camera and pen. Travel to Other Islands: Crete is well connected to other Greek islands. Day trip to Elafonisi Beach from Rethymnon.Day trip to Elafonisi Beach from Heraklion. You can book tour packages from Rethymno including bus transport and the boat cruise to Gramvousa and the Bay of Balos. If youre traveling with kids, driving is a good option still but keep in mind the steep descent to the beach and the hike back to the parking area later in the day. If you like to be active, you can walk to the beach of Balos from the parking lot. You can visit the small chapel of Saint George located in Tigani. Balos beach is an ideal place for sunbathing, but beware of sunburn on the spot: the sun of Balos Beach is unforgiving. Take a day trip from Kissamos port to the uninhabited island of Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon on a round-trip cruise. I visited each destination showcased on this website and I am here to help you make the most out of your holiday. There is also the bonus of a stop-over on the island of Imeri Gramvousa, where the ferry stops a few minutes walk from Gramvousa Beach, one of thebest beaches in Crete. Make a photo-stop above Balos Lagoon. Day tours to Elafonissi depart from Chania, Rethymno and most resorts on the north Crete coast, even as far east as Heraklion. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. A Guide to Balos Beach, Crete for 2022 - Greece Travel Ideas If youve come to Balos Beach seeking grand and luxury facilities to make your trip worthwhile, just stop for a second and take a good look around you. Recommended tours to Balos Beach From Chania: Gramvousa Island and Balos Bay Full-Day TourFrom Rethymno: Gramvousa Island and Balos BayFrom Heraklion: Full-Day Gramvousa and Balos Tour(please note the tours above dont include the boat tickets). A day trip or tour from Rethymno to Balos makes for a long day (13 hours or more), with an early start and late finish. If you get a whiff of wanderlust, there is also a walk in the opposite direction, along the E4 trail to the secluded paradise of Kedrodasos Beach, a series of coves with a large bay interspersed with groves of juniper trees. You can book a return boat ticket to Balos online or at the office on Kissamos Pier, or there is the possibility of a private boat to Balos, especially if youre travelling as a group. Click here for more information and to check the latest prices. Dont forget to prepare yourself for the occasion. This means that you will be safe from the big waves. If you have any questions, dont hesitate to ask me in the comment section below. These three beaches often have a fringe of pink sand along the shoreline, a sprinkling of magic stardust that draws visitors from around the world to the remote Crete west coast. The main Elafonissi beach on the mainland is by far the busiest of the Elafonissi beaches. Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. We were surprised to see that most of the vehicles using the road were small hire cars. Click here for more information and to check the latest prices. Indeed, the risk of dehydration remains high, especially if you travel in summer. Facilities at Balos Beach You will find a beach bar, shower, toilets and changing rooms during the season at Balos beach. Start your day at Elafonisi beach, with its shallow water and fine white sand. There is one detail that never deceives about the beauty of a landscape or a tourist destination: the number of times the place appears on Instagram! TheBalosferry runs for six months of the year, fromthe beginning of May to the end of October. An idyllic place with shallow waters, ideal for a small family excursion and a unique sea bath in the world. As with Elafonissi, Balos is one of the best beaches in Crete for families, with the shallow water of the lagoon the south side giving ideal conditions for paddling and splashing. The pink sand is a rare phenomenon, made up of millions of crushed sea shells, washed up in the shallow waters of the sea and lagoon. In addition to swimming, a must-do is to climb to the top of Gramvousa Fort and admire the horizon from this high point. When walking along the beach, I didnt really notice the pink tinge in the sand on the lagoon side. Rethymno is the third largest city in Crete, an hours drive east of Chania on the road to island capital Heraklion. The island of Crete is endowed with many astounding beaches, and the three pink beaches in Crete are among the most extraordinary of all. Travel addict, proud father and former journalist. If youre going to Crete, you have to add this beach on your itinerary. Balos Beach is one of the best beaches in Crete, and for that matter, Greece, the Mediterranean, Europe and the world. Balos Beach: the incredible pink lagoon of Crete! RT @ath_petr: Balos beach on the Gramvousa peninsula in Chania. Balos Beach Crete: Everything You Need to Know andoreia Click Here to Book Your Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa From Kissamos Port. Top 4 activities, 1. Sand has a pink color because of thousands of crushed shells. |. Thanks! This is where I found the Falassarna pink sand. 2022 Greece Travel Ideas. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited. Stunning Falassarna Beach also on the isolated Crete west coast is not widely known as one of one of the pink beaches in Crete. Boat cruises leave early in the morning from the port of Kissamos, which is around 3km from the small town of Kissamos. If youre on a tour to Elafonissi Beach, you dont get enough time to visit Kedrodasos as well, but if you are driving, youll have plenty of time to see them both. Along the way, youll come across the Agnio archaeological site. My guides are packed with off-the-beaten-path destinations, travel fails stories, and practical tips & tricks. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. Otherwise its a 90-minute drive from Chania, or 20 minutes from the nearest town, Kissamos, the departure point for our final Crete pink beach, Balos. See instead: The town of Kissamos is only 17 km from Balos. Food and drinks are available on the boat (a better option than the Beach Bar in Balos Beach). My work is regularly featured in worldwide media like The Guardian, BBC, and Conde Nast Traveler. And concerning Lagos Beach and its pink lagoon, each day has its own series of amateur photos, each one more beautiful than the other. Balos lagoon is formed between Cape Gramvousa and the small Cape Tigani and below the mountain range of Platiskinos. See Also:Things to Do In Rethymno Cretes Gorgeous Third City. One side faces the sea, and the other, quieter side faces the lagoon. See Also:30 of the Most Famous Landmarks in Greece. Its one of the best boat trips in Crete, takingyou around a rugged peninsulainto the open sea. A full-day boat trip to Paradise: Balos Beach and Gramvousa Island from Chania. Like Elafonissi, Balos Beach is located in a lagoon, though the setting of Balos is much more dramatic, with a steep rocky cape on one side of the beach and lagoon and a striking peak rising out of the sea on the other. A photo session with your feet in the pink sand 3. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. An isolatedpatch of paradise it was not. On excursion By car Hiking Sailing Where to sleep in Balos? Your email address will not be published. There are toilets only about 100m from the main beach. The 4-star Belmondo Hotel is fabulous, with some rooms with balcony overlooking the harbour. The other option you have is driving if so, be prepared for some slow, narrow and winding roads, especially in the later stages of the journey. Just take your camera. There is also a beach bar and snack barjust above the beach on the mainland side. The pink sand of Balos Beach, the incredible lagoon, with the pool like turquoise exotic and tropical water of the Mediterranean sea is located in. When Is The Best Time To Visit Balos Beach? You will find Elafonissi 75 km from Chania. We didnt opt to drive there, so didnt use the road, preferring theKissamostoBalosferry instead. Kissamosis also a good place to stay if youre visiting Balos. The ticket prices vary from 3 to 6. Therefore, driving on a dirt road with a rented car, the driver takes full responsibility for possible damage. From Heraklion: Full-Day Gramvousa and Balos Tour (the boat ticket is not included in the price). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Boat cruise tickets usually cost 25 per person. The beautiful trip offers the chance to spot dolphins. This is essential in order to avoid burns and tan lines during your walk to Balos Beach. Balos, but also Gramvousa, another tourist place of Crete with paradisiacal beaches, are located at the northwestern point of the island. Count on around two hours to get to Elafonissi from Chania. We looked extensively into car hire in Crete. Balos Beach Crete is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Check Chania Tour. You can park your car at the end of that road, and then its a walk to Balos beach. The second time was just below my knees, around half a metre deep. Below are the best options: If youre feeling like spending some money, private boats are more flexible options and take you to exactly where you want to go. Pink Balos Beach, Crete | A complete GUIDE - Daily Travel Pill Relax on the shore for 2 hours or explore your surroundings in one of the most beautiful, remote locations in Crete. Climbing to the top of the Tigani is another absolute must, giving panoramic views of this magical landscape but from a different angle. Balos is a lagoon as well, located in the northwest part of Crete, near the port town of Kissamos, in the Chania region. Dont forget to take along swimming goggles or a diving mask to watch the small local fish and the exceptional colours of the sand in the Balos lagoon. Balos pink beach was named one of the gems of the world by Business Insider. We rate Balos as the best beach in Greece because it ticks all the right boxes. Balos Beach Hotel is a popular option, with apartments overlooking Kissamos Bay and very close to the bumpy road to Balos. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. The shallow Balos beach lagoon lies between a rocky hill and dramatic peaks in the north-westernmost corner of the island of Crete. You can check this website for weather conditions and updates for your trip. @media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-la_crete_autrement_com-leader-3-0-asloaded{max-width:300px!important;max-height:250px!important;}}if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'la_crete_autrement_com-leader-3','ezslot_8',665,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-la_crete_autrement_com-leader-3-0'); Finally, always take a bottle of water with you when you go out. There are no shops or various cafes, no water sports and entertainment. I recommend booking a car throughDiscover Carswhere you can compare all rental car agencies prices, and you can cancel or modify your booking for free. Beyond the rocks at the boundaries of the lagoon, the water is deeper and colder, ideal for snorkeling. The Most Beautiful Beaches in Chania (West Crete) that You Cannot Miss! The Rethymno Tour is very similar to the one from Chania, except it visits first Balos Beach and then Gramvousa . Most car rental companies in Crete prohibit driving on a dirt road on a rented car, even on off-road vehicles. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Crete is a majestic, gorgeous island in the southernmost part of Greece and is the biggest island of Greeces thousand islands. The beach season on Crete island is one of the longest in Europe. When other animals feed on them or when they die, their shells calcify and are washed up on the sand, mixing with it and giving it pink pigmentation in multiple shades. You want to visit Balos Beach (sometimes also called Balos Lagoon) during your stay in Crete? Hi, I'm David, a Welsh photographer, writer, and historian who loves to explore Europe. Balos Beach is one of thebest beachesin Crete, and for that matter,Greece, the Mediterranean,Europe and the world. On the way to the top of Tigani, youll come across this quaint and humble little Orthodox Church. Balos Beach Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 6 Beaches in Chania (Crete) You Should Visit - Greece Travel Ideas Along with nearbyChania beachesatFalassarnaandElafonissi,its one of the highlights of any Crete holidays. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The sight of this vivid salmon-pink sand being washed in by pristine turquoise water is magical, well worth the trek to remote corners of Crete to see for yourself. Hi, I'm David, a Welsh photographer, writer, and historian who loves to explore Europe. If youre absolutely set on seeing one of the pink sand beaches in Crete, our tip would be to go to Elafonissi, as the pink sand seems to be in greater and more regular supply than at the other two beaches we describe.