Crete tours
Tours from Kissamos.
Photo: Nadiia Astakhova / Pexels
6 experiences
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Boat trip
- Boat trip
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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Diving and snorkel
Diving and snorkelDiving and snorkel from Kissamos
Kissamos3–5 hours
The sea west of Kissamos can be clear and it can be rough on the same week. A snorkel or a guided dive here uses a calm morning and a site the boat can actually reach, which may not be the lagoon you see in photographs. Balos is a poor snorkel plan on a windy day because the cape is exposed. Say whether you are certified. A first tank and a fun dive are different bookings, and the wind cancels both. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers on a checked forecast. Skip it as a way to see the lagoon. Take the boat or the road for that, on a day the sea allows. Centres and boats meet in Kissamos harbour. Morning is the slot.
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History
HistoryAncient Polyrrinia above Kissamos
Kissamos3–4 hours
Polyrrinia is a hillside ancient town above Kissamos, with scattered walls, a later church, and a view toward the gulf. The visit is a walk up, not a reconstructed palace. Shade is poor and the path is rough in places. It is the right scale for a morning when the Balos boat has cancelled, and the wrong add-on if you are already committed to the lagoon. The village of Polyrrinia is small. The site is the reason to climb. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are Year round, mornings in summer. It suits anyone based in Kissamos who wants an hour off the beach. Skip it at noon in August, and skip it if the group cannot manage a hill path. Drive from Kissamos toward the village and park below the church. The walk is short and uphill. Wear shoes with a grip.
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Town walk
- Town walk
Kissamos harbour and town walk
Kissamos1–2 hours
Kissamos, also called Kastelli, is the port for the Balos boats and a small town in its own right. The walk is the harbour, the archaeological museum if it is open, and the streets back from the quay. It will not fill a day. It is the right first hour if you arrived late, and the right backup if the morning boat cancelled. The town is not Chania. Expect a port, not a Venetian promenade. The usual length is 1–2 hours, and the months that usually work are Year round. It suits an orientation hour. It is a poor choice as the main event of a holiday. Pair it with Falasarna or the boat. Park once near the harbour and stay on foot. The boat quay is signed. Confirm which end is loading if you also have a ticket.
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Day trip
- Day trip
Falasarna beach day from Kissamos
Kissamos4–6 hours
Falasarna is the long sandy beach west of Kissamos, with a wide sunset and a short drive rather than a boat. The ruins of the ancient port sit above the sand. Wind can push the surf up even on a bright day, and shade is limited away from the tavernas at the back of the beach. It is a beach day, not a lagoon. The usual length is 4–6 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits families and anyone who wants a west-coast swim without the Balos path. Skip it as a “quick stop” from Chania. The drive is the larger part of a short visit, and a windy afternoon is a poor swim. Drive or take a day trip west from Kissamos. The beach is signed from the village of Platanos. Parking fills on August afternoons.
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Day tripBalos lagoon by the coast road
Kissamos5–7 hours
The road version of Balos ends at a car park above the lagoon. You walk a steep path down and you walk back up. You do not visit the fortress on Gramvousa, which is a boat. The last kilometres are rough. Wind on the cape is stronger than in Kissamos. There is almost no shade on the sand. Go early, carry water, and leave time for the climb out. A boat day and a road day are two different products. The usual length is 5–7 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits people with a hire car who accept the path. Skip it with anyone who cannot climb back, and skip it if the fortress was half the reason. Drive west from Kissamos toward the cape. The final stretch is unpaved. The car park fills in August. The path starts there.
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FAQ
Questions.
- Balos and Gramvousa from Kissamos starts from Kissamos. 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.
- Balos and Gramvousa from Kissamos usually runs May to October. Falasarna beach day from Kissamos is closer to May to October. Wind and opening hours still change individual days.
- This page lists 6 types. Balos and Gramvousa from Kissamos takes 5–7 hours. Falasarna beach day from Kissamos takes 4–6 hours. Pick the one whose length you can actually give.