The Best Ways to Get to Balos Lagoon in Crete

Driving in Crete gives you total freedom, which was initially super appealing to our independence-loving family. We almost went this route until a local friend painted the real picture!

First things first – you’ll need to get your rental company‘s official approval. This isn’t your standard smooth Greek highway situation! We’re talking about a rough, unpaved dirt road for the final stretch that definitely wasn’t covered in our basic insurance plan.

Our rental guy actually laughed when we mentioned Balos and said, “You tourists always want to drive there!” before explaining why many companies restrict it and insisting we had to pay an extra car insurance.

The drive from Chania takes about 1.5 hours, but that last stretch feels much longer. A family we met attempted it in their tiny rental Fiat and described it as “the longest 8km of our lives.” The road hugs the mountainside with some pretty intimidating drops, loose gravel, and exactly zero guardrails!

Here’s the crucial bit that many blogs don’t emphasize enough – you MUST arrive early. And by early, I mean crack-of-dawn early. The small parking area fills up shockingly quickly, and by mid-morning, cars form this infamous single-file line down the mountain road. Some tourists told us they waited over an hour just to park!

Once parked (€1 parking fee), you’re facing that hike down to the beach. It’s about 30-40 minutes of descending a moderately steep path with some loose rocks. Going down isn’t bad – it’s the return journey that gets people! The trail offers zero shade, and in July, we measured the temperature at a toasty 35 °C/ 95°F.

The payoff is that magical moment when you round a corner and get your first panoramic view of the lagoon below. If you’re reasonably fit, comfortable with rough driving, and able to get a super early start, this option gives you the most scheduling flexibility without question.

The ferry option seems like the obvious choice at first glance – no hiking, no difficult driving, just hop on a boat and arrive at paradise! This is definitely the most popular way to reach Balos, but after witnessing the ferry arrival firsthand, I’m incredibly glad we didn’t choose this route.

Daily ferries depart from Kissamos port during the tourist season (May-October), with tickets costing around €25-30 per person. Most include a stop at Gramvousa Island with its Venetian fortress before heading to Balos. Sounds convenient, right? Well, there’s a reason locals call these “the cattle boats.”

These aren’t small, charming vessels – we’re talking massive ferries that pack in 500+ tourists at once! A family we met at our hotel described the boarding process as “organized chaos,” with everyone rushing to secure the best spots on deck. During peak season (July-August), you absolutely need to book tickets in advance or risk finding them sold out.

Here’s the kicker that shocked us – many of these ferries can’t actually dock directly at Balos! Depending on the tide and vessel size, passengers often have to wade through knee-deep water to reach the shore. Picture hundreds of people simultaneously splashing through water carrying coolers, beach bags, and camera equipment. One woman told us her phone got completely soaked despite her best efforts to keep everything dry.

Time at the actual lagoon is also quite limited. Most ferries allow just 2-3 hours at Balos before it’s time to board again. That might sound sufficient, but once you factor in finding a spot on the crowded beach and perhaps grabbing a snack, it goes by in a flash.

We witnessed a ferry arrival while we were already enjoying the peaceful morning at Balos, and it was like watching an invasion. The previously serene beach transformed in minutes as crowds poured in. That said, this option does work well for people with mobility issues who simply couldn’t manage the hike down.

If you’re staying in Chania and really want to avoid that long drive, there’s another option I discovered during my research – chartering a speed boat directly from Chania port! I’ll be honest, we didn’t go this route because of the price tag, but for certain travelers, it might be the perfect splurge.

From Chania to Balos Lagoon is about 30 nautical miles, which means a regular sailing boat would take forever (around 5 hours one way – yikes!). That’s why you’ll need a speed boat for this journey. The good news? The views along the coastline are absolutely stunning, with dramatic cliffs and hidden coves you’d never see from land.

I found a few companies offering this service, with prices hovering around €1000-1350 for a full-day private charter. One company that caught my eye was Notos Sailing, a family-owned operation with fantastic reviews. While we didn’t use them for Balos (it felt like too much boat time for our group), we did book a sunset sailing trip with them around Chania harbor, and it was absolutely magical!

The question of timing at Balos is trickier than you might think! When planning our trip, I naively thought “a couple hours should be plenty” – oh, how wrong I was. After experiencing it firsthand, I’d say two hours is the absolute minimum to appreciate this place, but you’ll want longer if possible.

We arrived around 4 pm and honestly weren’t ready to leave at 7pm – the place just has this magnetic pull! The first hour will likely disappear in a flash of awe and photography. I’m not even kidding – we spent at least 40 minutes just walking around in circles saying “look at THAT view” and “come see the water from THIS angle!”

Snorkeling at Balos is an experience in itself and deserves at least an hour of your time. But here’s something I’m happy I’d read about in a facebook chat – bring proper water shoes! Not just any flip-flops or sandals, but actual protective water shoes. The lagoon’s entry points can be surprisingly rocky and sharp in places. My husband discovered this the hard way, doing this awkward dance across painful pebbles while our kids laughed hysterically.

Another timing consideration is the tides, which dramatically affect the lagoon’s appearance. We lucked out by arriving during low tide, when the famous sandbar was fully visible, creating that iconic two-sided beach effect. By early afternoon, the rising water had submerged portions of it, creating a slightly different landscape.

If you’re planning a full day (which I highly recommend), the sunbed situation becomes crucial. There’s a limited number of rental beds with umbrellas available for about €10-12 for a set. These get snatched up shockingly fast, especially spots with optimal shade. By 11am, nearly all are occupied. Bringing your own beach umbrella is totally allowed and what many locals do.

The midday sun at Balos is no joke – there’s practically zero natural shade on the beach itself. We watched several unprepared tourists resort to hiding under their towels or retreating to the minimal shadow of the rocky edges. Don’t be those people!

Food logistics turned out to be a surprisingly important part of our Balos adventure! Unlike developed beach destinations, Balos has extremely limited food infrastructure – something that caught many visitors off guard, judging by the hungry faces we saw.

If you’re taking one of the large ferry boats, they do offer some basic food options on board – mostly pre-packaged sandwiches, chips, and overpriced water. We chatted with a couple who’d taken the ferry, and they described the food as “airplane quality but three times the price.” Not exactly a glowing recommendation!

For our boat trip, we loaded up on supplies the evening before at a small market in Kissamos. We packed a proper cooler with sandwiches, fruit, nuts, and plenty of water. This turned out to be one of our smartest moves! We watched enviously hungry tourists eyeing our spread while they nursed a single bottle of water they’d purchased on the beach for an outrageous €3.

Speaking of water – bring more than you think you’ll need! The combination of sun, swimming, and salty air creates a level of thirst that’s hard to anticipate. We packed what seemed like an excessive amount (2 liters per person) and still ran low by late afternoon.

Now, let me warn you about the goats – yes, actual goats! Nobody mentioned these in the travel guides, but Balos has several resident mountain goats that have developed a sophisticated taste for tourist food. We were midway through lunch when I noticed movement from the corner of my eye – a determined goat making a beeline for our fruit! These clever animals have learned that humans equal easy meals, and they’re surprisingly bold.

The only vendor actually on the beach sells a very limited selection of beverages: water, beer, and basic sodas. No food, no snacks, just drinks. And of course, the prices reflect their monopoly status. We paid €5 for a small beer that would cost €2 in Chania. But when you’re hot and thirsty, you’ll pay just about anything!

For families with kids, I recommend packing familiar snacks rather than counting on finding something they’ll eat. The last thing you want is a hungry child in paradise with no food options!

Choosing how to get to Balos isn’t just about price or convenience – it’s about what kind of experience you want to have once you’re there! After talking with dozens of other visitors who’d arrived different ways, some clear patterns emerged about which option suits different types of travelers.

Group size turned out to be a major decision factor for us. With seven people, the private boat suddenly became surprisingly cost-effective. We paid about €350 total for our boat (€50 per person), while the ferry would have cost us around €25-30 each plus the hassle. If you’re traveling with 4+ people, definitely get a quote for a private boat before automatically booking ferry tickets!

Your physical condition matters more than you might expect. That hike down to Balos looks deceptively manageable in photos – a pretty path with gorgeous views, what’s not to love? Well, the return journey in 90°F heat turned many smiling hikers we saw in the morning into sweaty, exhausted zombies by afternoon. Be honest about your fitness level and the stamina of everyone in your group!

Crowd tolerance is another personality factor worth considering. My brother absolutely hates crowded tourist experiences and would have been miserable on those packed ferries. Meanwhile, my sister-in-law gets motion sick on smaller boats and might have preferred the more stable ferry despite the crowds. Know your travel companions’ quirks before deciding!

Budget obviously plays a role, but sometimes spending slightly more dramatically improves your experience. The bus+4×4 option is definitely cheapest (around €25 total round trip from Chania), while private boats represent the premium end.

Time availability at Balos varies dramatically between options. Ferry visitors get about 2-3 hours max. Driving or taking the bus+4×4 gives you longer but requires factoring in that hike time. Private boats typically offer the longest actual beach time – we negotiated 5 hours, which felt just right.

Consider whether you want to combine Balos with other nearby attractions too. Many ferry options include a stop at Gramvousa Island with its Venetian fortress. Some private boats can take you to nearby Falasarna Beach afterward.