Crete Escape: Gramvousa and Balos Boat Tour from Chania with Included Ticket

110 Ratings

Kissamos

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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

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Highlights

Balos Lagoon - Balos Lagoon, with its stunningly clear waters, is regarded as one of the most breathtaking beaches globally and ranks among the top 10 beaches in Europe.
A fantastic destination you simply cannot miss and a must-see when visiting Chania. Join our team for a unique experience.
Gramvousa Beach - Gramvousa Island, known for its…

What's Included

Pick up/Drop off with A/C Luxurious Bus
24/7 Superior Service
Boat tickets to Gramvousa and Balos
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…

Location

Balos Lagoon

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

3.7

(110 Ratings)

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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

Anto-jonny

Jul 21, 2024

Relax, crystal clear water, - We went hiking with our tour operator Alpitour. Nice hike, Laguna Balos is beautiful. We liked Gramvousa better. Beautiful water, the background interior very particular landscape, red mountains with an immensity of Aloe plants. There are strange rocks, biting..beautiful to look at. Remember to have the right shoes with you, otherwise it is almost impossible to swim. At the top there is a Venetian fortress. You can climb 400 steps, about 20 minutes. I did not go, preferred to enjoy warm and crystal clear water. However it is feasible, and the view definitely wonderful .. I highly recommend this excursion. From our Resort Aquila rethymno 1 hour, more or less bus and 1 hour Great Ferry. .Recommended to everyone because, in my opinion it is the most beautiful sea of Kreta.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Scarlett_j

Jun 18, 2024

Outstanding! - 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.

Review provided by Viator

I5958fgjennifers

Aug 7, 2024

Stunning beaches - It was a good experience. We went to sightsee and for the kids to snorkel. I was hesitant about the reviews about receiving pick up info, but ours was very straight forward. Told the day before as promised. Our guide was very informative and helpful. The ferry was busy and the only downside of the whole thing, which is not the fault of the organisers. It was more that the other people aboard don’t want to create space for others to sit down, which we found difficult with a family of four. Disembarking at Balos was slow but we didn’t need to wade through the sea as other reviews suggested. Maybe this is a new addition. Gramvoussa was easier to disembark due to more space once we’d docked. We took our own food but the ferry was well stocked. There’s no facilities or provisions other than on the ferry. Long day but glad we went.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

943theab

Jun 11, 2024

Great wiews but - 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.

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

Check Availability

From $75

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult