On the water
Boat trips in Crete.
- West
- Balos and Gramvousa
- East
- Spinalonga
- Length
- Half day in the east, full day in the west
- Season
- Mostly May to October
Photo: Nadiia Astakhova / Pexels
Boat trips in Crete
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Top picks
Top pickBalos and Gramvousa by boat
Chania7–9 hours
The boat adds Gramvousa. The road walk does not.
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Top pickSpinalonga from the Elounda coast
Lasithi3–5 hours
A short crossing if you are already in Elounda.
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More tours
BoatSouth-coast boat from Paleochora
Chania4–5 hours
Swim stops where there is no beach road.
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BeachElafonissi from Chania
Chania8–10 hours
Shallow water, and most of the day is the drive.
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More experiences
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- Boat trip
Balos and Gramvousa boat from Chania
Chania7–9 hours
The west-coast boat day pairs the Venetian fortress on Gramvousa with the lagoon at Balos. Boats leave Kissamos, so a Chania start includes a coach to the port and back. The road alternative ends above Balos on a steep path and never reaches the fortress. Shade on the lagoon is scarce, and the northwest wind cancels sailings. The usual length is 7–9 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who want both places and can give the day to them. Skip it if you dislike small boats, if someone cannot walk the fortress path, or if you are based in Rethymno and would spend the day on the transfer. You do not board in Chania old harbour. The boat leaves Kissamos, usually with a hotel coach from Chania included in the day.
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Balos and Gramvousa from Kissamos
Kissamos5–7 hours
From Kissamos harbour the same Gramvousa and Balos route is a shorter day, because you skip the Chania coach. You still stop at the fortress, still walk an uneven path, and still land at a lagoon with almost no shade. The crossing is exposed when the northwest wind is up, and a cancelled morning is a normal part of early summer. The usual length is 5–7 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people already staying in Kissamos, Falasarna or the far west. It is a poor fit if you need to be back in Chania for lunch, or if anyone in the group cannot manage the path up to the fort. The quay is in Kissamos, also called Kastelli, not in Chania. Confirm the meeting point the evening before, and allow time if you are driving the coast road.
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Boat tripChania harbour sunset cruise
Chania2–3 hours
A short evening boat leaves the old harbour, runs along the Venetian waterfront and the coast toward the Akrotiri or the west, and returns after sunset. You are not going to Balos. The point is the city from the water and the light on the lighthouse. Departures depend on wind in the bay, and the boat is small enough that a choppy evening is cancelled. The usual length is 2–3 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who already have a full day behind them and want an hour on the water without a coach. It is a poor choice if the lagoon was the thing you came to see, or if anyone gets cold easily after dark on the water. Boats use the old harbour in Chania or a quay just beside it. Arrive early enough to find the right boat.
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Boat tripLoutro and Sweet Water beach
Sfakia5–7 hours
Loutro is the car-free village west of Sfakia, reached by boat or on foot. Sweet Water, Glyka Nera, is a pebble beach further along the same coast, with a spring behind the stones. A day boat from Sfakia can land you at one or both and pick you up later. There is no road to the village. If you miss the last boat you are staying, or walking. The usual length is 5–7 hours, and the months that usually work are April to October. It suits people who want the south coast without a gorge. It is a bad plan in a heavy swell, when the small boats stop, and a silly rush if you also hoped to hike Samaria. The ferry quay is in Chora Sfakion. Boats run through the day in season toward Loutro and Agia Roumeli. Check the last return before you swim.
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Sfakia boat to Loutro and Agia Roumeli
Sfakia2–4 hours
The south-coast boat from Sfakia is local transport as much as a tour: Loutro, Agia Roumeli, and sometimes Sougia. Hikers use it to leave Samaria. Everyone else uses it to see a coast with almost no road. Tickets are sold at the quay. It is not a cruise with a meal and a lagoon, and the timetable thins in the shoulder season. The usual length is 2–4 hours, and the months that usually work are April to October. It suits independent travellers and anyone finishing a gorge. Skip it if you need a narrated trip or a guaranteed swim stop. The boat’s job is the villages. Walk down to the Sfakia quay. Buy the return for the boat you can actually catch. Accommodation in Loutro is the backup if the wind stops the evening run.
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Boat tripMarmara beach by boat
Sfakia4–6 hours
Marmara is a pebble beach west of Loutro, under the Aradena gorge, with a few rooms and a taverna in season and no road. You arrive by boat from Sfakia or Loutro, or by walking down the gorge. The swim is the point. Staying long enough to miss the boat is the mistake. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits a quiet south-coast swim. It is not a beach for small children who need sand and shade, and it is the wrong add-on to a Samaria hike the same day. Take the small boat from Sfakia or Loutro and confirm the pickup. Walking out via Aradena is only for people who meant to hike.
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Paleochora boat along the south coast
Paleochora4–6 hours
From Paleochora a small boat runs east toward Sougia or west toward Elafonisi when the sea allows. The town itself has a long beach and a promenade. The boat is how you see the coast between the road’s end and the next village. It is a half-day on the water, not the Gramvousa crossing, and the south coast cancels for swell even when the north looks calm. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people staying in Paleochora or the southwest. A day trip from Chania can work if the boat is the plan and not a bonus after a long drive. The quay is in Paleochora. Ask which direction is running that morning. Elafonisi and Sougia are opposite choices, not two stops on a short loop.
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Elafonisi by boat from Paleochora
Paleochora5–7 hours
The southwest approach to Elafonisi avoids the long Chania coach. A boat from Paleochora crosses to the lagoon when the sea is calm and gives you a few hours on the sand before the return. The shallows and the pink-tinged sand are the same beach. The day is shorter than the Chania version and still weather-dependent. Wind from the west is the usual reason it stops. The usual length is 5–7 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people already in Paleochora. It is not a reason to drive from Heraklion for a boat that might not leave. If the boat is cancelled, the beach is still reachable by road, which is a different trip. Confirm the Paleochora quay and the latest return. Bring shade. The lagoon has little of it, and the boat will not wait while you look for a taverna.
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Paleochora to Sougia by boat
Paleochora4–6 hours
Sougia is the next harbour east of Paleochora, a small beach village under the mouth of Agia Irini. The boat is the coastal way between them. You can swim at Sougia and return, or use the boat as the end of the gorge walk. There is not much else in the village, which is the appeal. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits a slow south-coast day. Skip it if you wanted tavernas and a promenade. Paleochora has those. Sougia has a beach and a gorge. Boats leave the Paleochora quay in the morning in season. If you are coming out of Agia Irini, time the walk to the boat, not the other way around.
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Morning fishing boat from Chania
Chania4–5 hours
A morning fishing boat from Chania is a working-style outing in the bay: lines, a stop, and a return before the wind fills in. Catching fish is not guaranteed, and a promise that you will is a reason to be sceptical. Some boats cook what is caught. Many simply return you to the harbour. Ask which you are booking. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who like being on a small boat and do not need a beach at the end. Skip it if anyone gets seasick, and skip it as a late-afternoon plan in July. Departure is from Chania harbour or a nearby quay. Wear shoes with a grip and bring a layer. The morning on the water is cooler than the town.
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Boat tripRethymno harbour sunset cruise
Rethymno2–3 hours
An evening boat from Rethymno harbour runs along the Venetian front and the long town beach, then turns back after sunset. You are not going to a lagoon. The lighthouse and the fortezza from the water are the picture. Wind in the bay cancels the small boats, and a choppy evening is not saved by enthusiasm. The usual length is 2–3 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who have walked the town and want an hour on the water. Skip it if you get cold on the water after dark, or if you thought this was the Balos trip under another name. Boats leave the old harbour. Arrive in time to find the right quay. The Venetian port has more than one corner.
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Morning fishing boat from Rethymno
Rethymno4–5 hours
A morning line-fishing boat from Rethymno stays in the bay and comes back before the afternoon wind. A catch is possible and not promised. Ask whether anyone cooks what you land or whether you simply return to the quay. The second version is a boat ride with rods. The first is a longer morning. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who like small boats and an early start. Skip it if seasickness is likely, and do not book it the same day as a gorge. Departure is from the harbour. Bring a layer and shoes that grip a wet deck. The town will be hot by the time you are back. The boat will not be.
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Boat tripBoat from Plakias along the cliffs
Plakias3–5 hours
Plakias faces south, and a small boat from the village runs toward Preveli and the coves the road only sees from above. The trip is a swim stop and a return, not a crossing of the island. Swell on this coast cancels boats even on days when Rethymno harbour looks flat. The village beach is the backup, and it is a decent one. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people staying in Plakias. A day trip from Rethymno can work if the boat is the reason and the drive is accepted. Do not add a gorge hike afterwards. The boat leaves the Plakias waterfront. Ask which cove is realistic that morning and what time you are back in the village.
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Boat from Agia Galini
Agia Galini3–5 hours
Agia Galini is the harbour town on the south coast of Rethymno prefecture, and its boats run to nearby coves and beaches that the road reaches slowly or not at all. A morning on the water and a swim is the shape of the day. Swell cancels it. The town itself is a steep little port with a beach to one side, useful if the boat does not leave. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people staying in Agia Galini or the Messara who want a boat without crossing to Chania. It is a long transfer from Chania for a short cruise. Walk down to the Agia Galini harbour in the morning. Ask which beach the boat can actually land at, and the time of the last return.
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Boat tripBoat toward Dia island
Heraklion4–6 hours
Dia is the island on the horizon north of Heraklion. Boats cross when the wind allows, for a swim and a walk on a nature reserve with almost no facilities. The crossing is the risk. The meltemi hits this channel. A cancelled morning is common and correct. There is no village to wait in if you miss the return, so the boat’s timetable is the visit. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September, wind decides. It suits people who want a boat day without crossing the island to Balos. Skip it in a strong north wind, with small children who need shade, or if you need a guaranteed departure. Boats leave Heraklion harbour. Check the evening before. Bring everything you will drink and a hat. Dia does not have a promenade of shops.
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Boat tripBoat from Matala along the cliffs
Matala3–5 hours
A boat from Matala runs along the cliff coast to coves that are awkward by road, for a swim and a return. The village beach is the backup when the swell is up, and on this south coast the swell is the cancelling condition. The trip is short. It should not be sold as a cruise to another prefecture. You are looking at the local cliffs from the water. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September. It suits people already in Matala. A long coach from Chania for this boat is the wrong shape of day. Stay south and the boat is a pleasure. Boats leave the Matala cove in the morning in season. Ask the return time before you swim, and have the beach as a second plan.
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Spinalonga boat from Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos5–7 hours
Spinalonga is the fortified islet in the Gulf of Mirabello. From Agios Nikolaos the boat is a gulf crossing, longer than the hop from Plaka or Elounda, and the visit is the fortress lanes rather than a swim. Wind in the gulf delays or cancels sailings. Shade on the island is scarce, and the paths are uneven stone. The usual length is 5–7 hours, and the months that usually work are April to October. It suits people staying in Agios Nikolaos who can give the middle of the day to one island. Skip it if you are based in Elounda, where the same fortress is a shorter boat, or if anyone cannot walk the lanes. Boats leave the harbour in Agios Nikolaos, not the lake. Allow time to find the right quay. The return is the same harbour.
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Boat tripGulf of Mirabello sunset cruise
Agios Nikolaos2–3 hours
An evening boat from Agios Nikolaos stays in the Gulf of Mirabello. You see the town and the gulf islands in the last light and you come back after sunset. This is not the Spinalonga fortress visit and it does not land you for a long walk. The gulf chop picks up with the afternoon wind, and a rough evening is a cancelled evening. The usual length is 2–3 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who already used the day and want an hour on the water. It is the wrong booking if the fortress was the point, or if anyone gets cold on a small boat after dark. Departure is the Agios Nikolaos harbour. Arrive early enough to match the boat name you booked. The lake in the middle of town is not the quay.
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Mirabello island cruise with a swim stop
Agios Nikolaos4–6 hours
A daytime gulf cruise from Agios Nikolaos runs toward the Elounda side of Mirabello, often with a swim stop near Kolokytha or another sheltered cove, and a look at Spinalonga from the water. It is a swim day with scenery. It is a poor substitute for a ticketed fortress visit if the boat does not land and give you time ashore. The north wind in the gulf decides whether the cove is calm. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers who want a boat day without committing to the fortress lanes. Skip it if you cannot swim, or if you wanted the full Spinalonga walk. Book that departure instead. The boat leaves Agios Nikolaos harbour in the morning. Bring shoes you can swim from and a layer for the ride back, which is windier than the ride out.
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Morning fishing boat from Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos4–5 hours
A morning fishing boat from Agios Nikolaos works the gulf for a few hours and returns before the afternoon wind. You are a passenger with a line, not a commercial crew. What comes up is ordinary gulf fish, and some mornings that is very little. Seasickness is more likely than a photograph. The boat is small and the sun is already strong by mid-morning. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who want a quiet, early boat and do not need a beach. Skip it with children who need entertainment, or if anyone is unwilling to handle bait and a wet deck. Meet at the fishing quay in Agios Nikolaos before the day boats leave. The harbour is in town. Confirm whether rods are on the boat.
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Spinalonga boat from Elounda
Elounda3–5 hours
From Elounda, Spinalonga is a short gulf boat to the fortress islet, then time on the lanes and the shore path, then the same boat back. The island was a Venetian stronghold and later a leper colony. The visit is the streets and the cisterns, not a beach club. Wind still cancels boats. Shade is limited, and the path from the quay is uneven. Elounda is the calmer start if you are already sleeping there. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are April to October. It suits people in Elounda or Plaka who want the fortress without a long transfer. Skip it if walking on stone in the sun is a bad idea for anyone in the group. Boats leave Elounda harbour. Some pick up at Plaka, which is closer to the island. Check which quay is on your ticket the evening before.
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Spinalonga boat from Plaka
Elounda2–4 hours
Plaka is the fishing village facing Spinalonga, and the boat from its quay is the shortest public crossing. You spend the saved hour on the island, not on a coach. The fortress visit is the same uneven lanes and the same lack of shade. The village itself is a handful of rooms and tables, which makes it a good place to start and a poor place to kill a cancelled morning if you have no car. The usual length is 2–4 hours, and the months that usually work are April to October. It suits people who can reach Plaka and want the least time on the water. Skip it if the group is based in Agios Nikolaos without a way to Plaka. Use the longer boat from there instead. Drive or take a short transfer from Elounda to the Plaka quay. The island is in front of you.
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Elounda gulf and Kolokytha boat
Elounda3–5 hours
A gulf boat from Elounda runs the bay toward Kolokytha and the Spinalonga channel, with a swim stop when the water is calm. You may see the fortress from the deck. You should not assume you will land and tour it unless the trip says so. Kolokytha is a peninsula beach reached more easily by boat than by the track. The afternoon wind in the channel is the usual reason a second swim gets dropped. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers staying in Elounda who want water time more than a history lecture. Skip it if the fortress ticket was the actual goal. Boats leave Elounda harbour in the morning. Bring what you need to swim. The harbour is small and the right boat is the one named on the booking.
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Elounda harbour sunset cruise
Elounda2–3 hours
An evening boat from Elounda stays in the bay. The point is the light on the water and the outline of Spinalonga, not a landing. Departures depend on the gulf wind, and a small boat should stay in port when the channel is rough. You are back after dark. It is a short outing for people who already spent the day on shore. The usual length is 2–3 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits a calm evening. It is the wrong boat if you still needed to see the fortress streets. Those close with the day boats. The quay is Elounda harbour. Arrive in time to find the boat among the fishing caiques. Evenings in August are busy on the front.
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Fishing boat from Elounda
Elounda4–5 hours
A fishing morning from Elounda is a small boat in the gulf, lines in the water, and a return before the wind. The catch is unpredictable. The interest is the early harbour and a few hours with someone who works these nets, not a guaranteed grill. If you wanted Spinalonga, this is the wrong deck. The boat smells like a boat. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits adults who like an early, quiet start. Skip it with anyone who needs a schedule of sights, or who cannot be on a small open boat. Meet at Elounda harbour at the hour you are given. That hour is early. Parking in the village fills later, which is a reason to be early anyway.
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Sitia bay boat trip
Sitia3–5 hours
A boat from Sitia stays on the bay and the near east coast. It is a swim cruise, not a ferry to a famous island and not the Spinalonga day. Departures are fewer here than in Agios Nikolaos, and the wind at this end of Crete cancels trips often enough that you should have a shore plan. The town harbour is the start. You come back to the same quay. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers based in Sitia on a calm morning. Skip it if you needed Vai. The beach is a road trip, and the boat will not take you there. Confirm the boat the evening before. The harbour is in the centre. Morning is the flat-water slot.
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Pseira island from Mochlos
Sitia4–6 hours
Pseira is a small island with a Minoan town, reached by boat from Mochlos on the gulf east of Agios Nikolaos and west of Sitia. The visit is ruins and a swim, and the crossing is exposed. When the wind is up the boat does not go, which happens often enough in summer to treat the day as optional. Mochlos village is a short harbour and a good lunch if you stay ashore. Do not plan Pseira as the only event of a one-day dash from Heraklion. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September, wind decides. It suits people already in the east who can accept a cancellation. Skip it on a windy forecast, and skip it if anyone cannot walk a rough islet. Drive to Mochlos from Sitia or Agios Nikolaos. The boat leaves the village quay. Ask that morning.
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Fishing boat from Sitia
Sitia4–5 hours
A fishing morning out of Sitia is a working boat and a few hours on the eastern bay. The catch is not guaranteed. The wind at this corner of the island cancels more trips than the brochures imply. You are back before lunch if the sea allows the morning at all. It is a better fit than a sightseeing cruise if you want a quiet deck and a worse fit if anyone needs a schedule. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits adults who can handle an early start and a wet boat. Skip it with children who need a beach. The harbour is central Sitia. Meet at the hour you are given, which will be early. Confirm the evening before.
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Chrissi island boat from Ierapetra
Ierapetra6–8 hours
Chrissi, which many locals call Gaidouronisi, is the island south of Ierapetra. The day boat leaves the town harbour, crosses open water, and gives you a few hours on a sandy island with juniper and cedar. Shade is limited. The crossing cancels in strong south or west winds. You cannot leave when you are tired. You leave when the boat leaves. Facilities on the island are basic, and the famous beaches get crowded at the peak of summer. The usual length is 6–8 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people who want a full beach day on an island and can handle a small-boat crossing. Skip it if anyone gets seasick easily, or if you need to be back at a fixed hour that is earlier than the boat. The boat leaves Ierapetra harbour in the morning.
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Koufonisi island from Ierapetra
Ierapetra6–8 hours
Koufonisi here is the island south-east of Crete, with sand, a ruined Roman theatre and a long empty feel. It is not the Koufonisia of the Small Cyclades. Boats leave from the Ierapetra coast, often toward Makrygialos, and the crossing is weather-dependent. The island has little shade and no town. You bring water and you catch the boat home. A cancelled morning is common enough in a meltemi week to keep the day optional. The usual length is 6–8 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September. It suits people who want a remote beach and a ruin and can accept a cancellation. Skip it if the group needs services, or if the name mix-up with the Cyclades was the reason it sounded familiar. Confirm the departure harbour the day before. Makrygialos and Ierapetra are not the same quay.
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Ierapetra seafront at sunset
Ierapetra2–3 hours
An evening boat from Ierapetra is a short ride on the Libyan Sea, not a crossing to Chrissi. The town has the southernmost waterfront on this coast and the light is the point. Wind from the south cancels small boats here more than people arriving from the north coast expect. If there is no boat, the seafront walk is the same sunset without the ticket. Do not confuse this hour with the island day. The usual length is 2–3 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits a first evening in town. Skip it if Chrissi was the goal. That boat left in the morning. The harbour is the centre of Ierapetra. Ask which quay is loading. The fortress is next to the water and is not the boat.
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Fishing boat from Ierapetra
Ierapetra4–5 hours
A fishing morning from Ierapetra works the south coast for a few hours. The sea here is a different animal from the Gulf of Mirabello: longer fetch, fewer coves, and a wind that either lets you out or does not. The catch is ordinary. You are back before the heat if the boat went at all. It is a working harbour, which is the charm and the smell. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits adults who want an early boat. Skip it if the group booked it as a scenic cruise. The deck is arranged for lines, not for views. Meet at Ierapetra harbour at the stated hour. Confirm the evening before, especially after a southerly blow.
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Boat from Bali’s coves
Bali3–5 hours
Bali is a string of coves on the north coast between Rethymno and Heraklion. A boat from here stays local: the next cove, a swim, and back. It is not a gulf cruise and it does not reach Gramvousa. The coves look sheltered and still catch the afternoon meltemi. Morning boats are the ones that match the postcard. The village road is steep, which matters when you are carrying a bag down to the wrong quay. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers staying in Bali. Skip it if you wanted a long cruise. The geography does not support one. The quays are down at the coves, not on the main road. Confirm which cove is the departure. Morning is the calm slot.
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Boat from Hersonissos harbour
Hersonissos3–5 hours
Hersonissos harbour sends out short coastal boats: a swim stop, a look at the resort shore, and back. You are not going to Dia unless the trip says so, and you are not going to Santorini. The afternoon meltemi on this stretch of the north coast is reliable in summer. Morning boats match the sea you hoped for. The harbour is below the resort road, which is a reason to confirm the meeting point before you walk the wrong waterfront. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers staying in Hersonissos. Skip it if the palace or a winery was the day’s actual goal. Those are inland. Meet at the harbour, not at a hotel pool. Morning departures are the calm ones. Ask whether Dia is included before you assume it.
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Boat hour from the Malia coast
Malia3–4 hours
Boats from the Malia and Stalis shore are short swim trips on the north coast. They do not reach Dia unless that is the named route, and they do not become a Santorini day. The meltemi in the afternoon is the usual limit. A morning departure, a cove, and back is the honest product. The palace of Malia is inland of the beach and belongs on a different hour, preferably a cooler one. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers in Malia or Stalis. Skip it if you wanted the Minoan palace. The boat will not pass it. Meeting points are the resort harbours, not the palace car park. Confirm which beach. Morning is calmer.
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Boat from Georgioupoli
Georgioupoli2–4 hours
Georgioupoli’s small harbour, where the river meets the sea, sends out short boats along the north coast. The day is a swim and a return, not a crossing to a famous island. The same wind that builds surf on the beach cancels the boat. Lake Kournas is inland and is not visible from the deck. Do one or the other. The town is small enough that a cancelled boat becomes a river walk, which is a decent backup. The usual length is 2–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers staying in Georgioupoli. Skip it if you needed a long cruise. The harbour does not run one. The quay is at the river mouth. Morning departures are the reliable ones. Parking fills behind the beach.
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What to know before you book
What the boats do
West-coast boats land at Gramvousa and Balos. East-coast boats land at Spinalonga. South-coast boats from Paleochora or Plakias stop to swim where there is no beach road. These are different days, from different ports.
How long to allow
A Spinalonga crossing from Elounda can be half a day. A Balos boat from Kissamos, plus the transfer from Chania, is a full day. Add seasickness if the north wind is up; morning departures are calmer.
Best season
Operators run from late spring until October. August is the most crowded at Balos. Wind cancels individual days on every coast, so keep a town alternative.
How to choose
Choose the boat that matches your hotel, not the photo. A Balos boat booked from Elounda is mostly a bus. If you only want a swim, a south-coast half day is the lighter plan.
FAQ
Questions.
- Most Gramvousa boats stop at the island fortress and then the lagoon. Check the landing time so you are not only sailing past it. The detail is on the GetYourGuide listing, not restated here.
- Use the operator’s rule on the booking page. Have a second plan: the old town, Knossos, or a gorge that is still open.
- Spinalonga is a walking visit. Balos and the south-coast cruises are swim stops. You can stay on board, but you will not see much of the point.