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Best months
May to October
Headline trip
Balos & Gramvousa
Departs
Several ports near Chania
Suits
Families to couples
Typical
A few hours to a full day
From
€85 pp
FIND YOUR TRIP
The trips around Chania are genuinely different days out. Tell us what you are after.
You want the turquoise lagoon and the island fortress with no driving and a relaxed, family-friendly day.
You will see: Balos lagoon, Gramvousa fortress, the shipwreck
You would rather skip the crowds and spend more time in the water.
You will see: Balos and quieter coves, on a small boat
You want a short, calm evening on the water from Chania itself.
You will see: The Venetian lighthouse and the coast at golden hour
You are staying in Chania and want an easy half-day with swim stops.
You will see: Lazaretta, Thodorou and snorkelling stops
BOOK A TRIP
Real boats with local operators, from the old harbour and the ports nearby.
Trips are ordered by our recommendation. Ranking is never paid placement.
Depart Kolymvari Port at 15:30 aboard a Lagoon 450F catamaran and sail to Agioi Theodoroi Island, a nature reserve off Crete's western coast. Swim, snorkel, and paddleboard in clear water, then sit down to a nutritionist-designed dinner with open bar before returning under the evening sky.
A semi-private morning cruise departing Kissamos Port, visiting Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island on a luxury catamaran. Limited to 22 guests, the tour includes a nutritionist-designed breakfast and lunch, unlimited open bar, SUP boards, snorkeling gear, and complimentary hotel transfer.
A 4-hour afternoon catamaran cruise from Kissamos Port to Balos Lagoon, including a welcome Prosecco, fresh sushi, unlimited drinks, SUP boards, snorkeling gear, and a complimentary round-trip hotel transfer for up to 22 guests.
A 7-hour morning catamaran cruise departing Kissamos Port for Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island. Includes a full Cretan lunch, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, SUP boards, snorkeling gear, onboard entertainment, and complimentary hotel transfers between Georgioupoli and Kissamos.
Afternoon catamaran cruise from Kissamos Port to Balos Lagoon, departing at 16:30 and returning at 20:30. Includes a welcome glass of wine, Cretan snacks, unlimited soft drinks, SUP boards, snorkeling gear, onboard entertainment, and complimentary round-trip hotel transfer.
Depart Chania Old Port on a luxury catamaran (max 20 guests) for Agioi Theodoroi Island. Swim, snorkel, and use SUP boards in clear water off a protected nature reserve. A nutritionist-designed Cretan lunch and open bar are included throughout the 6.5-hour trip.
Depart Kolymvari Port on a Lagoon 450F catamaran and sail to Agioi Theodoroi, a protected island reserve in western Crete. Swim, snorkel, and paddleboard in clear water before a nutritionist-designed Cretan lunch and unlimited open bar on deck. Semi-private, max 20 guests, approx. 5 hours.
Depart Souda Port on a Lagoon 450F catamaran and sail to the sheltered, shallow waters of Marathi Bay. Swim, kayak, use the inflatable slide and sea scooter, then sit down to a nutritionist-designed Cretan lunch with an open bar. Runs daily, April through October.
An afternoon catamaran cruise departing Chania Old Port at 16:30, sailing to the uninhabited Agioi Theodoroi Island for swimming and snorkeling. The return leg times the sunset over the Cretan Sea. Sushi, a sushi platter, and an open bar are served on deck. Capacity is capped at 20 guests.
Afternoon catamaran cruise departing Souda Port on a Lagoon 450F, anchoring at the sheltered coves of Marathi Bay. Guests swim, snorkel, and use water toys before returning to port at sunset. Fresh sushi, Prosecco, and an open bar are served on board.
Afternoon catamaran cruise from Paleochora Port to Elafonisi Bay on a luxury BALI 4.1 catamaran. Swim, snorkel, and paddleboard at the pink-sand bay, then return watching the Mediterranean sunset with sushi and unlimited drinks on deck.
Depart Paleochora Port on a semi-private catamaran to Elafonisi Bay and Kedrodasos Bay. Swim, snorkel, and paddleboard at both locations, then enjoy a nutritionist-designed Cretan lunch and unlimited open bar on board. Maximum 18 guests per departure.
WHEN TO GO
The season runs roughly May to October. Here is how the weather moves, and what it means for the month you are looking at — the meltemi wind is the thing to plan around.
Right now, in August
High summer, and the busiest, windiest stretch. Book Balos early and expect crowds; the sheltered Chania-harbour trips are the safer bet on a windy day.
WHERE YOU GO
Not every trip reaches every sight. Each card notes which port or trip gets you there.
A wide, shallow turquoise lagoon with pink-tinged shell sand, warm and calm enough to wade across.
↳ Kissamos ferry
An uninhabited island crowned by a 16th-century Venetian fortress, a short climb for sweeping views.
↳ Kissamos ferry
A rusted cargo hull, aground since 1968, lying in clear shallow water off Gramvousa.
↳ Kissamos ferry
The usual swim-and-snorkel stop on the island cruises from Chania's old harbour.
↳ Chania harbour
A protected reserve and home to the wild Cretan goat, viewed from the water (landing is not allowed).
↳ Chania harbour
A dramatic narrow cove between sheer cliffs, with strikingly clear water.
↳ Private boat from Chania
A car-free whitewashed village reached only by boat, near the Glyka Nera 'sweetwater' beach.
↳ South-coast ferry
The protected waters shelter monk seals and loggerhead turtles. A sighting is a lucky bonus, never a promise.
↳ Opportunistic
DEPARTURE PORTS
This is the thing to get right before you book. Trips marketed as leaving Chania actually set off from a few different places, so always check the real meeting point and the transfer time.
In the heart of the old town, under the Egyptian Lighthouse. No transfer needed.
Trips: Sunset cruises, island & coastline trips, private charters
About 45 minutes west of Chania. Most packages include a coach transfer.
Trips: The Balos lagoon & Gramvousa day cruise
Over the mountains on the Libyan Sea, about one to one and a half hours from Chania.
Trips: Loutro, Agia Roumeli, Elafonisi and Gavdos by ferry
The Balos lagoon and Gramvousa sit on Crete’s far north-west tip — a long way west of Chania town, which is why that trip is a full day with a transfer.
PLAN YOUR DAY
Everything worth knowing before you book, in a few seconds of skimming.
The famous lagoon and the island fortress in one relaxed full day from Kissamos, with a café on board.
Faster and direct, with fewer people, more time in the water and quieter coves the big ferry skips.
A short, calm evening from Chania's old harbour, beneath the lighthouse, as the wind drops.
An easy half-day from Chania to Lazaretta and Thodorou, with swim and snorkel stops.
See underwater without getting wet. Comfortable for young children, non-swimmers and older travellers.
Your own boat and your own route, by motor yacht or under sail.
From Sougia and Paleochora to Loutro, Agia Roumeli and beyond, on the calmer southern sea.
“The famous turquoise lagoon sails from Kissamos, a coach ride west. The sunset cruises leave from Chania's own harbour, beneath a lighthouse that has stood since the days of Egyptian rule.”
From Chania, the Balos trip is a full day, with a coach transfer to Kissamos and back. It is not a quick outing.
Mornings are calmest. The summer meltemi wind builds through the afternoon, which matters most on the exposed Balos run.
Bring a hat, sunscreen and water. There is little shade on the boats or at Balos.
Many cruises include swim stops, snorkel gear, or a drink and local snacks. The big Balos ferry has a café, but food is not included.
“Knowing which port serves which trip, and which coast stays calm on a windy day, is the whole point.”
A boat tour from Chania is not one trip but several. We help you pick the one that fits the day you are actually going to get.
See the tripsQUESTIONS
From several places. Sunset cruises, island trips and private charters leave from Chania's own Venetian harbour. The famous Balos lagoon and Gramvousa cruise leaves from Kissamos port, about 45 minutes west, usually with a coach transfer included. South-coast trips leave from Sougia and Paleochora.
A full day. From Chania it includes the coach transfer to Kissamos and back, the cruise, and time ashore at Gramvousa and Balos, so plan to give it most of the day.
Late April to October, with June and September the sweet spot for warm water, calmer seas and fewer crowds. Mornings are generally calmer than afternoons.
Balos sits on an exposed corner of Crete, so on windy days the trip can be rough or cancelled. Operators usually reschedule or refund. Book it early in your stay, so a wind day still leaves time to try again.
Yes. The big Balos ferry and the Chania-harbour island cruises are family-friendly, and the Balos lagoon itself is very shallow and calm. Glass-bottom and semi-submarine trips suit young children and non-swimmers.
You can drive, but it means a long rough unpaved road and a steep, rocky walk down to the beach. The boat from Kissamos avoids all of that, and also visits Gramvousa island, which the walk does not.
