Balos and Gramvousa: Boat from Kissamos, Jeep Track or Catamaran – Which Way Suits Whom
Updated October 8, 2026 · 6 min read
The short answer: the boat from Kissamos is the classic way to Balos and the one almost everybody books, but it is a crowd, and it is not the only way. A jeep gets you to the lagoon by land, on a six-hour tour instead of seven, a catamaran trades the crowd for a smaller boat, and a rental car works if you are happy to drive the last stretch on gravel. Which one fits depends on how much you value time on the beach, how you feel about a full boat, and whether you want to drive at all.
One thing to settle first, because it trips people up: nothing sails from Chania. The harbour for Balos is Kissamos, about an hour west of the city by road. If a tour starts in Chania, it is a coach to Kissamos plus the boat.
The classic: the cruise from Kissamos Port
The most-reviewed tour around Chania is the boat cruise from Kissamos Port to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa: seven hours, €40 per person, 4.1 stars from 8,775 reviews. You sail to Gramvousa island, where the programme includes a walk up to the Venetian fortress, then on to Balos for a swim.
That 4.1 is the lowest rating of the six options below, and it is worth reading as information rather than as a verdict. The tour has more than two and a half times the reviews of the next boat option, so it also collects the most complaints about a busy deck and a busy beach. If those matter to you, one of the alternatives is the better buy.
With pickup from Chania
If you do not want to drive to Kissamos, the pickup versions put you on a coach first. The Balos and Gramvousa trip from Chania and Rethymno, with pickup and boat ticket costs €42 per person and runs 9 to 12 hours, with 4.3 stars from 3,117 reviews. It is the one we would point most people towards: the price is only €2 above the bare boat cruise and the coach, the long driving day and the boat ticket are all handled.
Read the title before comparing prices. The Gramvousa and Balos trip from the Rethymno area is €19.25, which looks like a bargain until you see “boat ticket extra” in its title: you pay for the coach here and the boat separately. The trip from Chania with the boat ticket included is €49 for 10 to 12 hours, 4.4 stars from 947 reviews. Once you add the boat ticket to the €19.25 option, the gap to the other two shrinks; the booking page shows what the ticket costs.
The jeep: Balos by land
The 4x4 jeep safari to Balos Lagoon from Kissamos is €49 per person for 6 hours, with 4.9 stars from 844 reviews, the highest rating of the options here. You ride in a 4x4 with a driver along the rough track that leads to the lagoon. The title says Balos; check the booking page for whether Gramvousa is part of the programme, because the boat is what takes people there.
It suits you if the boat day sounds too long, or if you simply want to skip the crowd on deck. It is a bumpy ride, so think twice with a bad back.
The catamaran: fewer people, later in the day
The catamaran sunset cruise to Balos with sushi and drinks from Kissamos is €92.50, runs 3.5 to 5.5 hours and has 4.7 stars from 104 reviews. It costs more than twice the classic boat, and the reviews are only a fraction, so treat the rating with a little more caution. What you are buying is the catamaran and the evening light, not more time at Balos.
Driving yourself
You can drive to the lagoon: according to travel guides, the last stretch from Kaliviani is around 9 km of unpaved track, 30 to 40 minutes at crawling speed, followed by a rocky walk down to the beach that guides put at roughly 20 minutes each way with no shade. Take proper shoes. Two cautions. Many rental contracts exclude damage on unpaved roads, so read yours before you take the track, and the excess you would owe is for you to check with the provider.
If you want to compare cars first, compare rental cars for Chania before you decide. If the gravel puts you off, the boat or the jeep take it out of your hands.
The honest part: wind decides
All of these depend on the sea. The cruise needs calm enough water, and sailings can be cancelled at short notice because of wind. Check the cancellation and rebooking terms on the booking page for the exact tour, and do not put the Balos day on the last day of your holiday.
Be realistic about the beach too. Balos is one of the most photographed places on Crete and, in high summer, among the busiest. If you can pick the time, early or late in the season is far kinder than mid-July.
Which one, for whom
| Way | Time | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat cruise from Kissamos | 7 hours | €40 | 4.1 (8,775) | those already in Kissamos or driving there |
| Coach and boat, pickup included | 9–12 hours | €42 | 4.3 (3,117) | most people who do not want to drive |
| Coach and boat, ticket included | 10–12 hours | €49 | 4.4 (947) | the same idea, rated a little higher |
| Coach and boat, ticket extra | 10–12 hours | €19.25 | 4.3 (618) | those who add the boat ticket themselves |
| 4x4 jeep safari from Kissamos | 6 hours | €49 | 4.9 (844) | people who dislike boats and crowds |
| Catamaran sunset cruise | 3.5–5.5 hours | €92.50 | 4.7 (104) | couples, evening light |
For most visitors staying in Chania, the pickup version is the sensible default. Everything else is a choice about crowd, time or comfort. All the Balos tours are on the Balos and Gramvousa tours page; for more ways to spend a day on the water, see the boat trips from Chania.
