5 Chania Boat Trips Worth Booking

1.From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6,755 reviews · 7 hours · from $47Our pick

Spend seven hours sailing from Kissamos to Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon on a large, comfortable ferry. Swim in clear water, hike to Gramvousa’s Venetian castle, see its shipwreck and seaside church, and relax at Balos. Food, drinks, toilets, shaded seating, and an audio guide are available onboard. Bring water shoes and arrive 40 minutes early.

“MOST UNBELIEVEABLE EXCURSION! The Lagoon was much bigger than expecting, accomodating a large amount of visitors as many tours come and go. The extensive shallow waters mixed with the crystal clear magnificent blue waters makes for a perfect playground for ALL ages! The 2nd stop is Pirates Beach. The hike up to the fort took us 20 minutes, down in 10 moving at a constant pace with time afterwards to snorkel to the sunken ship. Suggestion: if you want a seat on the ferry, and in the shade, get there early. Plenty of food on ferry and they rent umbrellas for 7 euros/day. This is not a guided tour, simply…”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 590 reviews · 12 hours · from $64

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Chania to Kissamos, then cruise to Balos Lagoon and Imeri Gramvousa. You can swim in clear, shallow water, explore a Venetian fortress, and see a half-sunken shipwreck. Guides such as Vicky, Eva, Irene, and Irini are praised for clear directions and friendly care. Expect a large ferry and a steep castle walk.

“Wonderful day at Balos and Gramvousa, it was all worth it and good value for money. Thank you to our guide Vicky who gave us all the necessary information and took good care of us.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Kolimvari: Sailing Cruise with Meal & Water Activities

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 390 reviews · 5 hours · from $129

Spend five hours sailing from Kolymvari with a friendly crew such as Loukas and Jason, stopping near Agioi Theodoroi for swimming, snorkeling, and stand-up paddle boarding. A fresh three-course meal, unlimited drinks, music, and small-group service are included. Choose a morning or afternoon departure, with sunset views on later cruises.

“One of our favorite days on Crete. The boat was gorgeous and our guides were very welcoming. The small group made the trip even better. We saw many boats pull up with 30+ people on it and we were grateful for our 10.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Chania Town: Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Thodorou & Lazareta

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 285 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $53Top rated

Cruise from Chania’s old port with Captain Nestor and George to Thodorou, the Goat Island reserve, and Lazareta. Look for Kri Kri goats, view a World War II German aircraft wreck through the glass bottom, then swim, snorkel, or relax by the quiet beach. The 3.5-hour trip includes one drink and swim stops.

“Captain Nestor and George were great hosts. Unfortunately the weather was not favorable. They when the extra mile to make the experience memorable. Superb hospitality”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Falassarna & Balos Cruise With Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 113 reviews · 10 hours · from $58

Spend a full beach day on Crete’s west coast, starting at Falassarna before sailing from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon. Your $58 ticket includes pickup, return transport, the Balos boat, and a reserved sun lounger at Falassarna. English, Greek, and German-speaking drivers handle the transfers.

“1st pick up was ok although the mini bus broke down and they sent a big one to Falasarna beach to pick us up instead so there was a 10 min delay with pickup here. By the time we got to the boat there was already a lot of people on it so the available seat locations were not the best. Boat trip was fine but it is a separate organizations compared to the one who did the pick up/drop off. The main issue was that due to windy and rough sea conditions the boat arrived back at 18:30 to Kissamos port instead of 18:15 and the bus operator decided…”

Check availability →Read our full review