Crete Escape: Gramvousa and Balos Boat Tour from Chania with Included Ticket
3.7
114 Ratings
Kissamos

Embark on a thrilling boat tour from Chania to Gramvousa and Balos. Explore the Venetian castle, swim in crystal-clear waters, and experience the beauty of the Balos lagoon.

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Balos Lagoon - Renowned for its stunningly clear waters, Balos Lagoon is celebrated as one of the world’s most breathtaking beaches and ranks among the top 10 beaches in Europe.
    This incredible destination is a must-see when visiting Chania. Join our team for an unforgettable experience.
  • Gramvousa Beach - Gramvousa Island, known for its…
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What's Included
  • Boat tickets to Gramvousa and Balos
  • Pick up/Drop off with A/C Luxurious Bus
  • 24/7 Superior Service
  • InBus Guiding + Pre-Recorded Instructions on boat
What's Not Included
  • Municipality fee (1 euro for adults, free for children)
  • Personal expenses, extra beverages or meals
  • Gratitude/Tips
Additional Information

Join us for an amazing day filled with sun, sea, and adventure! The journey begins at 08:00 AM from Chania Town, heading towards the port of Kissamos, where the boat trip starts. Enjoy a relaxing 1-hour ferry ride across the turquoise waters to the breathtaking island of Gramvousa. Here, you have two hours to explore the renowned Venetian fortress atop…

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Location
Balos Lagoon
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.7
(114 Ratings)
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1 star
Aniellos171
Oct 14, 2025
Nice holiday in Crete. - Beautiful day spent at the lagoon of Balos. Simply a spectacle of Nature recommend getting there by Sea it takes 60 minutes from Kissamos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
_k9436gh
Sep 12, 2025
Beautiful beaches, best in September! - We had an amazing experience thanks to a thoughtful guide and a very skilled driver. The water at both beaches is crystal clear and absolutely stunning. There is very little natural shade, but you can rent an umbrella directly on the boat for €7 per day. The boat itself is large and comfortable, equipped with everything you need: after-beach showers, a canteen, and plenty of space. Overall, a wonderful trip — I highly recommend it if you can avoid the high season!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luca_f
Sep 12, 2025
Good thing if you don't want trouble! - Well organized, mostly comfortable, They pick you up and take you back to the hotel, they buy tickets x You, They give you instructions x boarding then the rest of the day is autonomous, without a guide but would not serve.aboard all the instructions on schedules, stops and various blah are in all languages, including Italian. Food available at cheap prices, an espresso €1.5🤷🏻‍♂️... right stops really nice places both Balos and Gramosa, in short if you are not equipped with your own vehicles as a rental car, it is better to do it but only to “be comfortable” here, it costs but at least zero stress!
Review provided by Viator
Damien
Aug 6, 2025
Balos + Gramvoussa - Departure and pick-up from Chania by air-conditioned Bus, then towards the Port of Kissamos for departure by boat , about 1 h 15 to arrive at Balos, meals then music on the boat. Great with beautiful water the swimming was perfect in Balos then Gramvoussa Great day 😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Linda_a
Jul 28, 2025
Well Organized | Good Value for What It Is - I had to scramble to book this experience with less than 24 hours notice, when another provider on a different website (not Viator) cancelled at the last minute a trip that I had booked and paid for months in advance. That trip went to these same destinations on a small boat with a provided lunch -- and charged 4x as much. This experience is essentially the Chania-Kissamos RT transfer and includes the purchase of your RT ticket on a big ship (no guide or escort aside from port drop off/pick-up). They delivered what was promised; it was well organized and ran smoothly. I am grateful Viator and this provider came through...
Review provided by Viator
Elaine
Jun 17, 2025
Fab boat trip to avoid the crowds - After researching many boat trips we booked with Balos Star Cruises via Check Yeti- prompt booking response and questions answered. It's an early start from Kassimos port but you avoid the bigger ferrys and arrive at Balos while the beach is virtually empty. We had a smaller boat that could take upto 14 people but here was only 6 on our day trip so plenty of room to stretch out - everything was just perfect - Captain and crew were great fun - lunch was lovely and provided in a cool bag and you could bring your own food and drink on board if you wanted. We even stopped off at an extra island so we could jump off the boat and go snorkeling - def recommend this trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roving62768412101
Sep 27, 2024
Value for money - Great trip. It was very well organised. All schedule was clearly communicated so everybody knew what to expect. We had sufficient time in Balos and Gramvousa. It was a lot of people on the boat, but everybody could find space to seat and enjoy the views. Food and drinks are accesible on the boat and prices are not that expensive. Departure times of the boat were displayed everytime we were leaving the boat so everybody knew exactly what time it departures. There was a bridge from boat to the beaches so there was no need to swim... Overall it was great experience and as I have mentioned all schedule was displayed and communicated in the bus so there was no suprises. Driver and tour quide took great care of us so the whole journey was comfortable and with no stress at all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L7235cnchiaram
Sep 26, 2024
Nice experience - Great tour We went to the port of Kissamos very punctual we boarded them There is everything to eat and if you want there is also a photo service where at the end you leave the photo and personalized key chains and magnets
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Norbertsh344zr
Aug 23, 2024
Very much dimensions , little class . - Extreme mass tourism. Everyone wants to see, of course, but hardly enjoyable with the crowds, unless you go there very early but then by car. Departure boats (many boats) only around 11 am return around 6 pm .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rablert
Sep 10, 2024
Balos is not what it is said to be! - We booked through io tours, but were dissapointed with the trip. The boat we were on took 1000 people and several other smaller ones arrived while we were at Balos. If the beach is ideal when quiet, it certainly isn't with 1000+ people arriving at a time. The bus trip back from the ferry was chaotic taking over 2 hours from landing with the ferry and the tour guide leaving the bus part way back with no briefing on what was to happen. One trip and one company to avoid.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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