Balos Boat Trip: Prices, Routes and Which to Book

The Standard Coach + Boat Day

The GetYourGuide option (from $56.05) is the one most coach operators run from both Chania and Rethymno. It bundles the road transfer to Kissamos with the boat ticket itself, and the 9 to 12 hour duration reflects a long day that includes a stop at Gramvousa island, time on the Balos sandbar, and the drive back. It is the cheapest of the three and the most-booked, with over 3,100 reviews at 4.3 stars.

The Catamaran With Meals

The Viator catamaran (from $177.75) departs Kissamos port directly rather than bundling a long coach transfer, running a flatter 7-hour day. It includes a full lunch, drinks, towels for VIP tickets, inflatable noodles, and an onboard toilet and shower, aimed at travellers who want the boat ride itself to be comfortable rather than a means to an end. At 4.7 stars from 239 reviews it is the highest-rated of the three.

The Overland Jeep Alternative

The jeep tour (from $189.21) is the only option that avoids the boat completely, driving the dirt track to a car park above Balos. It pairs the beach with a stop at Falassarna, including sun loungers and umbrellas there, plus lunch and a coffee or soft drink. At 4.9 stars from 381 reviews it is the highest rated overall, though it suits travellers who would rather drive than sail and who want two beaches in one day rather than the Gramvousa island stop.

The Operator and the Route

Cretan Daily Cruises runs the Kissamos-to-Balos boat service, the same company that operates the Chrissi Island cruise from Ierapetra on Crete's south coast. Its own fares for travellers who book directly are seasonal: a combined Balos and Gramvousa cruise runs $44.90 (€40) per adult from April to mid-July and from mid-September to the end of October, rising to $50.50 (€45) in the 15 July to 15 September peak. A Balos-only sailing, without the Gramvousa stop, runs $40.40 (€36) low season or $44.90 (€40) peak.

These are the operator's own listed prices, separate from the tour products on this page, which bundle the same crossing with transport, guiding or extras.

The Kissamos Municipal Fee

On top of the boat fare, the Municipality of Kissamos collects its own $1.12 (€1) administrative fee per ticket, charged to anyone 13 or older at boarding. This is confirmed on the operator's own ticket-prices page as a separate local charge, not part of the cruise fare itself, and it applies regardless of which tour product brought you to the dock.

Onboard Extras

A meal on board, where offered, costs $14.59 (€13) extra on the operator's direct bookings, and under-2s travel free. Exactly what counts as included varies by product, which is why the comparison table above lists each card's own inclusions rather than assuming they match.

Neither the operator's own site nor the Ministry publishes a minutes-and-seconds crossing time for the Kissamos-to-Balos sailing. What we can say with confidence comes from the tour listings themselves: the catamaran product runs a flat 7-hour day door to door including the crossing, a Gramvousa stop and time at Balos, while the coach-and-boat combination runs 9 to 12 hours once the road transfer from Chania or Rethymno is added on each end. Treat the boat crossing itself as a modest fraction of either total, with most of the day spent on the coach, at Gramvousa, or on the Balos sandbar.

For most visitors, yes, especially if the Gramvousa island stop and its Venetian fort view matter to you, since that is only reachable by boat. The jeep alternative is the better pick if you would rather drive than sail, or if pairing Balos with a second beach the same day appeals more than the island stop. Either way, build in a full day.

None of the three products on this page treats Balos as a quick add-on, and trying to rush it against a tight schedule elsewhere on the island is the most common regret travellers report in reviews of this route.

Weather Cancellations

Boat sailings to Balos can be cancelled or rescheduled in strong wind, a decision made by the operator on the day rather than published as a fixed wind-speed threshold. Each platform's own cancellation policy covers this, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure is standard across all three cards on this page, which at least limits the financial risk of booking ahead into a day that later gets cancelled.

What to Bring

Swimwear under your clothes, a change of dry clothes for the ride back, reef-safe sunscreen and a hat all earn their place on a Balos boat day, since shade is limited both on deck and on the sandbar itself. A light jacket is worth packing even in summer, since open water on a moving boat is noticeably breezier than the same temperature on land.

Motion and Seasickness

The crossing itself is generally calm in typical summer conditions, but anyone prone to seasickness should take the usual precautions, since none of the three operators publish stabiliser or seasickness-remedy details on their listings. The catamaran, being a larger and more stable vessel, is the gentler option of the two boat-based products for passengers who know motion affects them.

Life Jackets and Facilities

Life jackets are standard equipment on the catamaran listing, and an onboard toilet and shower are specifically called out on that product, details not confirmed for the standard coach-and-boat combination's own vessel. If onboard comfort matters more to you than price, this is one of the clearest practical differences between the two boat options.