Crete

15 Best Balos & Elafonisi Beach Tours

The beach day trips: Balos pooling turquoise behind its sandbar, best arrived at by boat past Gramvousa’s pirate fortress, and Elafonisi answering with pink sand in the far corner. Crete’s two cover-photo beaches, one per day.

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

Discover Crete’s highlights with a full-day boat cruise to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa, featuring stunning scenery, historical sites, and crystal-clear waters.

Most Popular★ 4.2

“We had SUCH a fun day on this trip, the boat crew were super nice & the beaches we visited were stunning. I took my 3year old & we did take a pram for her, but just be aware, you can't really take the prams…”

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2.From Chania: Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

Discover the stunning pink sands of Elafonisi on a guided day trip from Chania, with scenic drives, cultural stops, and ample beach relaxation—perfect for a memorable Crete getaway.

★ 4.5

“I thought that everything was well timed for each of the stops. The information that was given was good. The bus ride was comfortable. The pick ups and drop offs were on time and the overall trip was everything that was advertised.”

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4.Chania Areas/Kalyves:Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra

Discover Crete’s stunning Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island with this full-day tour featuring scenic boat rides, hiking, and authentic Greek views.

★ 4.2

“I really enjoyed the trip with a stop for snorkelling and discovering the island. Guys who work there are truly amazing and helpful. 2 hours is just enough. Thanks for raki!”

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5.From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonissi Pink Sand Beach Tour

Discover Crete’s stunning pink sand beaches on this full-day tour from Rethymno, featuring scenic drives, local villages, and 4 hours of beach time.

★ 4.7

“It was very good, pick up, on time , from hotel. Good guide , good English , good knowledge . Good driver . We had an over all good day. Beach was beautiful although a bit crowded but that was to be expected this time…”

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6.From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach Tour

Discover the stunning pink sands of Elafonisi on this full-day Crete trip from Rethymno. Enjoy scenic drives, cultural stops, and ample beach time for a memorable experience.

★ 4.4

“All ran exactly on time and was very well put together. had just under 4 and a half hours at the beach. the two stops were beautiful as well.”

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7.Chania: Elafonisi Beach Day Trip with stop in Elos Village

Experience Crete’s stunning Elafonissi Beach with a full-day guided trip from Chania, including scenic stops in Elos Village and expert local insights.

★ 4.5

“I had a nice time going to Elafonisi, it does take about an hour to pick everyone up but the stops for breakfast and to Elos for lunch were very nice! Elafonisi is what I expected, beautiful and it really has the pink hues in…”

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9.From Kissamos Port: Boat cruise to Balos lagoon

Experience Crete’s stunning Balos Lagoon on a boat cruise from Kissamos port with clear waters, scenic caves, and spectacular views, perfect for a day of relaxation.

★ 4.2

“Excellent ferry ride to Balos beach. Much easier to access beach than trying to take the dirt road over the mountain. Three hours at the beach was plenty of time. Small cafe on board so you can buy food and drinks.”

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10.Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

Experience Crete's stunning beaches and historic sites on this full-day tour to Gramvousa Island and Balos Bay, with boat tickets and transfers included.

★ 4.3

“At first arived a big and very comfortable with conditioner bus. Guide was very pleasant and tell us all needed information about our tour. The views were magical ❣️We climbed on the rock to look from the top. Water colours are magical. Water im Balos…”

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

Discover Crete’s stunning Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island on a full-day boat trip from Chania, featuring scenic views, historical sites, and swimming opportunities.

★ 4.4

“It was an amazing day! Balos beach and Gramvuosa were beautiful to say the least.The guide was excellent and so was the driver! I highly recommend this tour!”

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12.From Heraklion: Cruise to Balos Lagoon and Chania Old Town

Experience a full day exploring Crete’s stunning Balos Lagoon and charming Chania Old Town with this guided cruise from Heraklion. Perfect for nature lovers and history buffs alike.

★ 4.4

“The trip is well organized, however the interim stop for the breakfast is awful, spoils all the fun. The food was not fresh and very poor, the only cash was allowed. Would strongly recommend to find another place for stop, it spoils all the trip.”

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13.Chania: Elafonisi Bus Trip with Free Time and Stop in Elos

Discover Crete's stunning Elafonisi Beach on an affordable, well-organized bus trip that includes mountain drives, free beach time, and charming village stops.

★ 4.4

“Great and inexpensive way to see Elafonisi beach. The tour was very well organized and Agnes, the guide, provided lots of wonderful information about Crete on the drive through the mountains to the beach. Our bus was running early so we got to the beach…”

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15.Elafonissi Beach Trip from Chania

Discover the beauty of Crete with a full-day trip from Chania to Elafonissi Beach, featuring stunning pink sands, scenic stops, and expert guides, all at a great value.

★ 4.5

“The actual tour was amazing! Would be nice if there was an option to skip out in stopping for food on the way home. Also pick up stated on my voucher at 8am and did not arrive until 8:30. Not the drivers fault, I guess…”

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More Balos & Elafonisi Beach Tours

5.0Balos & Falassarna Beach – Jeep Tour with Loungers and Lunch7 to 8 hours (approx.)$199.62 4.9From Kissamos: Balos Gramvousa Sailing Cruise with Lunch7.5 hours$229 4.2Crete: Balos and Gramvousa Cruise13 - 15 hours$56 5.0Elafonisi & Falasarna Small Group Tour from Chania w/snacks10 to 11 hours (approx.)$127.03 4.3Heraklion: Gramvousa Island Day Trip & Balos Beach11 - 15 hours$47 4.3From Rethymno & Chania: Elafonisi Island Day Tour by Bus10 hours - 1 day$31 5.0From Chania: Elafonisi and Falasarna Guided Tour with Snacks10 - 10.5 hours$123 4.5Elafonissi Beach Tour from Chania with stop in Elos Village8 to 10 hours (approx.)$42.24 4.5Georgioupolis Area: Full-Day Bus Trip to Elafonisi Island11 hours$40 5.0Private Boat Trip Kissamos Balos (price per group – up to 10 people)3 to 6 hours (approx.)$701.71 4.4Falasarna: Jet Ski Safari to Balos Beach2 hours$287 4.9Chania: Balos and Falassarna Tour with Loungers and Lunch8 hours$194 5.0Elafonisi & Milia Mountain – Jeep Tour with Loungers and Lunch8 to 9 hours (approx.)$199.55 5.0Balos & Gramvousa Luxury Catamaran Sailing Cruise from Kissamos7 hours 30 minutes (approx.)$235.83 3.5Gramvousa and Balos Tour from Chania(Boat ticket is included!)10 to 12 hours (approx.)$81.93 5.0Full-Day Private Custom Tour to Elafonisi the Pink Sand Beach$441.21 4.0Heraklion Area: Direct Day Trip Elafonisi Island15 hours$53 4.2From KAVROS/GEORGIOUPOLIS : Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach8 hours$27 4.5Elafonissi Beach from Rethymno12 hours (approx.)$36.20 5.0All Day Private Family Tour to Elafonisi Beach & Agia Sofia9 hours (approx.)$336.55 4.3From Chania: Elafonisi Island Day Tour by Bus10 hours$33 5.0Full-Day Private Tour to Balos Lagoon and Falassarna$441.89 4.9Chania: Elafonisi and Milia Mountain with Loungers and Lunch8 hours$194 3.6Crete: Elafonisi Pink Beach Excursion15 hours$64