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This day trip covers the three places most visitors to eastern Crete want to see: Agios Nikolaos with its lake, the former fishing village of Elounda, and Spinalonga, the Venetian fortress island that served as a leper colony until 1957. The boat to Spinalonga leaves from Elounda, and a guide travels with the group throughout. Altino Travel runs it over 8 to 11 hours from €37.80, with a 4.67 rating across 5,734 reviews, it ranks 29th among all GetYourGuide experiences in Greece.
The coach works east along the Mirabello coast, with roughly 90 minutes at each stop. Three parts make up the day.
First is Agios Nikolaos, built around Lake Voulismeni, a deep inland pool connected to the harbour by a short channel, ringed with cafes and shops. Second is Elounda, once a fishing village and now the anchor of Crete’s luxury hotel coast, where the boat to Spinalonga departs. Third is Spinalonga itself: the Venetian fortifications, the Ottoman town that followed, and the leper colony that operated until 1957, the subject of Victoria Hislop’s 2005 novel The Island, which is why the daily visitor numbers run into the hundreds.
Reviewers report approximately 90 minutes at Agios Nikolaos, 90 at Elounda and 90 on Spinalonga.
The route runs along the Mirabello gulf in the Lasithi regional unit.
The fare covers the transport, the guide and the boat, and the island entry is paid separately.
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EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18 enter Spinalonga free, on presentation of ID or passport.
We recommend this trip because it solves the Spinalonga problem properly. Getting to the island independently means driving to Elounda or Plaka, finding parking in high season, buying a boat ticket, buying an entry ticket, and hoping a guide is available on the island. This does all of it, and adds the two towns either side.
At 5,734 reviews averaging 4.67, with guiding and transport both at 4.8, the delivery is consistent at scale. Guides are named, Jana appears repeatedly, described as friendly, personable and genuinely informative. A British reviewer summed up the appeal as ticking every box: history, attractive towns, a boat ride and a swim.
Reviewers also praise the variety. One noted all four activities suited everybody in the group, which matters on a family day out where a full day of ruins would not.
Three things to know honestly.
The €20 island fee is a significant addition. It is more than half the tour price again, and it is not in the headline figure. Bring cash or a card and check who in your group qualifies for free entry before you go.
The stops are 90 minutes each and that is tight for Elounda. A Belgian reviewer put it precisely: 1 hour 20 minutes at Elounda when you also want to eat leaves no time to enjoy the village. If lunch matters, eat at Agios Nikolaos instead.
Changing after the swim is awkward. A British reviewer noted there was no room on the boat to get changed, and said that on a fully booked sailing it would have been impossible. Wear your swimwear under your clothes.
If you want the shorter, cheaper version with a longer swim and no coach, the Agios Nikolaos boat trip to Spinalonga sails from the harbour in 4.5 hours.
Budget for the island fee, wear swimwear under your clothes, and eat at the first stop.
Pick-up and drop-off are included, and the day runs 8 to 11 hours depending on your hotel. Bring comfortable shoes and beachwear; pets are not permitted.
The €20 Spinalonga entry fee is paid on the island. To claim free or reduced entry you must show a valid ID card or passport confirming your age and country.
The day runs 8 to 11 hours depending on your pick-up point, with roughly 90 minutes at each of the three stops.
No, entry to Spinalonga costs €20 and is paid separately on the island.
EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18 enter free, on presentation of a valid ID card or passport.
A swim is part of the day, though reviewers warn there is little room to change on the boat afterwards.
Spinalonga was a Venetian fortress, then an Ottoman town, then a leper colony until 1957, and became widely known through Victoria Hislop’s 2005 novel The Island.
About 90 minutes, which reviewers describe as tight if you also plan to eat there.
Check dates and prices for the Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga day trip.
This is a sailing trip rather than a motorboat cruise: 4.5 hours from Heraklion port out to Dia island, under sail where the wind allows, with a stop for swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding and a full meal served on board. Dia is the uninhabited island you can see on the horizon from Heraklion, and its sheltered bays are the anchorage. SAILINGTRIPS.GR run it from €80, with a 4.84 rating across 1,491 reviews, one of the largest review bases of any tour we list.
The half-day splits into the sail out, the anchorage and the sail back.
First is the departure from Heraklion port, where the crew take passenger details for the port authority before casting off. Second is the crossing to Dia, about seven nautical miles north of the city, spent on deck cushions with the island growing ahead. Third is the anchorage in one of Dia’s bays, where snorkelling gear, stand-up paddleboards and fishing tackle come out and lunch is served with unlimited drinks. Fourth is the return leg under sail to Heraklion.
Dia is a protected, uninhabited island. There is no development on it at all, which is why the water in its bays is as clear as it is.
The route runs north from the city into open water.
The €80 covers the boat, the crew, the food, the drinks and all the water equipment.
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We recommend this one on the strength of its record. A 4.84 average across 1,491 reviews is a large enough sample that it stops being an opinion and starts being a measurement, most tours on this site are rated by a few dozen people. Guide quality and transportation both score 4.9 out of 5.
The crew is the reason. Reviewers name Captain Dionysis and his co-captain Vangelis repeatedly and unprompted. A British guest who sailed on a windy, choppy day praised the captain specifically for keeping the passage smooth and for briefing everyone properly before departure, which is the thing you actually want to read about a sailing trip.
Sailing is also genuinely different from a motor cruise. A Canadian visitor described it as peaceful even on a windier day, and jumping off a sailboat into open water is not the same experience as stepping off a catamaran platform. If you want the sea rather than a floating sunbed, this is the right boat.
Two honest points.
The booking options confuse people, and this is the one consistent criticism. GetYourGuide’s own summary of verified reviews says travellers want clearer detail on what is included, particularly lunch and drink options by tour length. The listing carries three different products: the shared half-day trip to Dia with lunch, private trips where meals are an optional extra, and a 1-hour coastal sail that does not reach Dia and includes no lunch, no snorkelling, no paddleboards and no fishing. Book the wrong one and you get a very different afternoon.
Value for money is the weakest score at 4.7 out of 5. €80 is real money for half a day, and while the meal and unlimited drinks account for much of it, it is the dimension reviewers rate lowest.
If you want the same island with a steadier deck and a family focus, the catamaran option covers the same water.
Check which option you booked, send passport details early, and bring your own towel.
The meeting point is Epimenidou 19 at Heraklion port. All passengers must supply passport or ID details in advance for departure authorisation; these go only to the local port authority.
Bring your passport or ID card, sunglasses, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a jacket. The minimum age on shared cruises is 4; infants are welcome on private trips. Flag any dietary requirement in advance.
The shared cruise runs 4 hours 30 minutes from Heraklion port, including the sail out, the swimming stop and the return.
A full meal and unlimited drinks are included on the shared half-day trip; on private trips the meal is an optional add-on chosen at checkout.
No, the 1-hour coastal tour stays along the Heraklion shore and includes no lunch, snorkelling, paddleboards or fishing.
Your passport or ID card is required by the port authority, plus a towel, which is the only item not supplied on board.
Dia is uninhabited and protected, with no development on it, which is why its bays stay so clear.
Shared cruises take children from age 4; infants are welcome on private charters.
Check dates and prices for the Dia island sailing trip from Heraklion.
This cruise leaves Chania’s Old Venetian Harbour and spends 4.5 hours at two islands west of the city: Agioi Theodoroi, a protected reserve for the Cretan wild goat, and Lazaretta, with its two sandy beaches. Manos Cruises runs the Ferryman boat from Akti Enoseos, prices start at €38, and the tour holds a 4.91 rating across 799 reviews with a perfect 5.0 on guiding, transport and value alike.
The boat heads west from the Old Port, makes three stops and returns past the harbour for the view back at the city. Each stop has a distinct purpose.
First comes a 20-minute anchorage off Agioi Theodoroi beside the wreck of a German aircraft from the Second World War, destroyed and lying in clear water. Swimmers go in to see it, this stop is for swimmers only, with no landing. Second, the boat moves to a small gulf on the same island for around 30 minutes, where the kri-kri goats are often visible on the slopes. Third is Lazaretta, a small island opposite Nea Chora, where two sandy beaches and clear water make the longest stop of the trip.
The return leg runs past the Venetian harbour, giving you the lighthouse and the walled fortresses from the water. Homemade raki is poured on the way.
The route covers two islets off the Chania coast, both within sight of the city.
The fare covers the boat, the guiding, snorkelling kit and a light snack, and it leaves out towels and hotel transfer.
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Oversize luggage and large bags are not allowed on board.
We recommend this cruise as the easiest way to get off the Chania seafront and into clear water without committing a whole day. We rate the stretch west of the Old Port as underused, most visitors look east towards the beaches and never notice that two islands sit twenty minutes from the harbour wall. The wreck stop in particular is the kind of thing you normally need a dive licence to see, and here it is a swim.
The review record is the strongest argument. A 4.91 average across 799 reviews with 5.0 on every measured dimension is close to the ceiling. Reading through them, three things recur. The crew are named personally, Manos and Lucas come up repeatedly, and described as attentive rather than merely competent. The history commentary is mentioned as often as the swimming, so the guiding is real rather than decorative. And several people describe booking it last-minute as a filler and rating it the day of their trip.
Two honest caveats.
GetYourGuide’s own summary of the verified reviews says the included lunch is basic and that travellers would like more substantial snacks and drinking water. The inclusion list is a sandwich, a juice and raki, so treat it as a snack, eat beforehand and bring your own water.
The second is the swimming itself. The first stop has no landing at all, it is a swim-only anchorage, and the second beach is reachable only by swimming or by the tender. One reviewer flagged sea urchins between the rocks. Confident swimmers get the most out of this trip; hesitant ones will spend it on deck.
Bring your own water, wear something on your feet in the water, and take the morning sailing for the calmest sea.
The boat leaves from Akti Enoseos 5 in Chania, on the Old Port waterfront. Bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, swimwear and a towel.
Two points about access matter when you choose this trip. The first stop at Agioi Theodoroi is for swimmers only, and the second stop’s beach can be reached only by swimming or by taking the tender boat. The trip is flagged as likely to sell out, so book ahead in July and August.
The cruise runs 4.5 hours, covering two stops at Agioi Theodoroi and a longer stop at Lazaretta.
Yes, by swimming to it. The boat anchors for about 20 minutes beside a destroyed German aircraft from the Second World War, in water clear enough to see it from the surface.
A sandwich, juice and raki are included. GetYourGuide’s review summary notes travellers would prefer more substantial snacks, so eat before you board.
Non-swimmers see the islands but not the stops. The first anchorage has no landing, and the second beach is reached only by swimming or by tender boat.
The boat departs Akti Enoseos 5 in Chania, on the Old Venetian Harbour waterfront.
Sightings are likely rather than certain. Agioi Theodoroi is a protected reserve for the endangered Cretan goat, and the second stop is positioned where they are most often visible.
Check dates and prices for the Chania boat cruise to Agioi Theodoroi and Lazaretta.
Embark on an adrenaline-pumping tour aboard an innovative jet boat combining boat and plane technology. Glide across the water at top speeds and gaze at Crete’s vibrant shore from the water. Take a break from your adventure to go swimming and snorkeling.
Climb aboard the jet boat at Hersonissos Port to begin your exhilarating journey. Feel the thrill of making fantastic 360° maneuvers at high speeds, and experience how the boat dashes across the ocean and stops quickly. Stay safe at all times as you ride a stable vessel steered by a professional.
During your fun ride we explore places like Malia,Stalis and Analsipsi and after we enjoy a stop at Saint George’s Bay, a paradisiac location, to unwind from the speed. Seize the chance to go swimming and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters before making your way back to the port.
This is the cheapest way to get on the water in Chania and one of the best rated: two hours on a traditional wooden boat from the Venetian harbour, out past the lighthouse to Lazaretta, a small uninhabited islet reachable only by swimming. Snorkelling gear and a glass of wine are included. Manos Cruises run it from €19, with a 4.9 rating across 710 reviews.
Two hours split into a short crossing and a long stop. Three parts make it up.
First is the departure across the old Venetian harbour, which passes the whole waterfront and comes close under the Venetian lighthouse, the shot most people want from Chania. Second is the short run west to Lazaretta, with the crew explaining the islet’s history on the way; it served as the harbour’s quarantine and leper island, which is why it was left alone. Third is about 1.5 hours anchored there for snorkelling and swimming, with masks provided, before the return leg gives you the town and lighthouse from the sea.
The islet has no landing and is reached only by swimming, which is exactly why the marine life around it is worth the trip.
The route stays within sight of the old town.
At €19 this is the least expensive boat trip we list, and the snorkelling gear is part of it.
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We recommend this one without reservation, and the numbers are the reason. A 4.9 average across 710 reviews is the strongest combination of rating and volume on this site, and guide quality scores a straight 5.0 out of 5, we have not seen another tour here hold a perfect guiding score at that sample size.
The crew is what people write about. A Swiss reviewer described the guides as funny and friendly while still making sure everyone was safe. A Canadian guest said the hosts went above and beyond to make sure everyone on the boat was enjoying themselves. A German visitor named Manos and his crew as super organised. This is a small operation and it reads like one.
The value is the second reason. €19 buys two hours, snorkelling gear and a glass of wine, and a Polish reviewer summed it up as a pleasant atmosphere at an attractive price. Value for money scores 4.9.
The snorkelling is genuinely good rather than incidental. Because nobody can land on Lazaretta, the water around it is undisturbed, a New Zealand reviewer reported heaps of fish, an American guest saw a sea turtle in the port and plenty of fish at the islet, and a Belgian visitor noted the crew handing out masks and pool noodles so weaker swimmers could join in.
One criticism, and it is the only one that recurs.
Some people want longer in the water. GetYourGuide’s own summary of verified reviews says travellers would improve it with a longer swim stop. At 1.5 hours of a 2-hour trip the swim is already most of the booking, so this is less a fault than a sign people enjoy it, but if you want a half-day at sea, this is not that trip.
Bring a towel, wear something you can swim in, and look for the wooden boat.
The boat leaves from the old Venetian harbour, close to the Porto Veneziano hotel and in front of Taverna Neoria. There is no transport to the harbour included, but the old town is walkable.
Bring swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes. High-heeled shoes, oversize luggage and large bags are not permitted on board.
The trip runs 2 hours, of which about 1.5 hours are spent anchored at the islet for swimming and snorkelling.
Masks are provided, along with a glass of wine and guided commentary, at no extra cost.
No, the islet is reached only by swimming, which is why the marine life around it is so undisturbed.
Lazaretta served as the quarantine and leper island for the old Venetian harbour, and the crew explain its history on the way out.
From the old Venetian harbour in Chania, near the Porto Veneziano hotel, look for the white wooden boat named Ferryman.
Yes, towels are not provided, and neither is food.
Check dates and prices for the Chania boat trip to Lazaretta island.
Kick off your shoes and come onboard an elegant yacht on a private sailing tour. Embark on a full-day or half-day private cruise to Dia Island from Heraklion and explore this rugged island with plenty of time to swim, snorkel, or relax on its pristine shores. Enjoy a glass of wine or a refreshment.
Benefit from optional pick-up from your hotel or apartment, and then relax on a 1-hour sailing cruise to Dia Island on a luxury yacht only for you and your family or friends.
After dropping anchor in the romantic Gulf of Saint George, spend your day discovering an idyllic location with great history, such as the underwater ancient Minoan port, which was one of the favorite destinations of the explorer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Enjoy fishing, swimming in the crystal clear water, swim ashore and walk among the wild nature of the island, or just relaxing in the quiet bay overlooking Heraklion. Snorkeling and fishing equipment are provided for your comfort and convenience by the attentive crew, along with unlimited refreshments and seasonal fruits.
Depart from Dia Island and journey back to Heraklion, where a transfer to your hotel or cruise ship is provided if requested.
Enjoy a boat cruise from the old port of Chania Town to the islands of Thodorou and Lazaretta. Captain Nestor will take care of you, especially the children, fetching starfish and octopus, and helping you explore the world underwater.
At the natural reserve of Thodorou island, also known as “Goat Island”, Nestor takes you around to spot the wild Kri Kri goat, stopping for a while at the decaying wreck of a World War II German airplane. From there you continue to the island of Lazaretta where you can relax and enjoy a picnic on the beach, swim or just chill out on the boat gazing through the window to the depths below. The boat will return later to the port of Chania.
The Limeniskos speedboat tour reaches Gramvousa and Balos in a fraction of the time the Kissamos ferry takes, and it carries 17 passengers instead of several hundred. The Limeniskos departure runs daily from 10:00, lasts 5 hours, and gives you a two-hour stop on Gramvousa island and a second two-hour stop at the Balos lagoon. Falassarna Activities operates the boat, and the price starts at €92 per person against a 4.83 rating from 664 verified bookings.
The tour crosses open water from Limeniskos to the north-west tip of Crete, stops twice, and returns to the same jetty. Three stages make up the 5 hours.
First, the speedboat runs north along the cliffs of Gramvousa, where the Venetian fortress sits on the island’s highest point. Second, you land on Gramvousa for two hours, which covers the 20-minute climb to the fortress, a walk on the sand, or a look at the scrub and seabirds that make up the islet’s ecosystem. Third, the boat transfers you to the Balos lagoon for another two hours of shallow, warm water, with the option of staying on the sand instead of swimming.
Snorkelling gear is worth packing. Damselfish and wrasse sit in the rocks at both stops, octopus hide in the crevices, and loggerhead turtles pass through the lagoon.
The speedboat calls at two protected sites on the north-west corner of Crete, and both have their own page on this site.
The fare covers the boat, the crew and the drinks, and it leaves out food, guiding and your transport to the jetty.
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The missing guide matters more than the missing lunch. Nobody narrates the fortress or the lagoon for you, so read up before you board.
We recommend this trip for one reason above the rest: it gets you onto Gramvousa before the ferry does. We have watched Balos go from empty to shoulder-to-shoulder inside an hour when the Kissamos boats unload, and the difference between arriving at 10:30 and arriving at 13:00 is the difference between two versions of the same place. Travellers who have taken this boat say the same thing, and GetYourGuide’s own summary of its verified reviews leads on exactly that point, the speedboat reaches the stops ahead of the ferry crowds.
Three things come back again and again in the reviews. Boarding is quick, because 17 people step on and off a small boat in a couple of minutes rather than queueing. The two-hour stops are long enough to actually do something, the fortress climb is short and easy, though reviewers keep repeating that you want proper shoes for it. The drinks are genuinely unlimited, which on a five-hour boat in July is not a small thing.
Now the parts we would tell a friend about before they book. Value for money is the weakest score this tour carries, at 4.6 out of 5 against 4.8 for the boat and the crew, and the reason is plain: €92 is roughly double what the Kissamos port cruise charges for the same two stops. You are paying for speed, a small group and an early slot, not for extras.
The second caveat is the commentary. GetYourGuide’s review summary says outright that travellers want clearer and more frequent commentary, and no guide is included in the fare, so treat this as a boat ride rather than a tour.
The third caveat is timing at the second stop. Because Gramvousa comes first, the ferries have usually started unloading at Balos by the time you get there, and one reviewer who otherwise rated the day five stars said the crowd took the edge off the view.
Take the 10:00 departure, wear shoes you can climb in, and plan the day around the wind rather than the forecast temperature.
The boat leaves from Limeniskos daily, carries a maximum of 17 people, and asks you to be at the jetty 15 minutes before departure.
Pack swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and sports shoes. Sunscreen matters more than usual here, because a speedboat has no shade and the reflection off the lagoon is fierce. Getting to Limeniskos is your own responsibility, so allow for the drive out to the north-west coast when you pick a departure time.
The tour runs 5 hours in total, split between the crossing, a two-hour stop at Gramvousa and a two-hour stop at Balos.
The speedboat leaves from Limeniskos, on the north-west coast of Crete, and returns to the same jetty at the end of the day.
No guide is included. The fare covers the driver and the boat, and GetYourGuide’s own review summary notes that travellers would like more commentary than they get.
Balos suits young children, the crossing less so. The lagoon stays shallow and warm for a long way out, while the speedboat itself is fast and bumpy over open water.
The boat takes up to 17 participants, which is why boarding and disembarking take minutes rather than the half hour a ferry needs.
It is worth it for the early slot and the small group. The ferry costs roughly half as much and reaches the same two stops, so the extra cost buys you Gramvousa before the crowds rather than extra inclusions.
Check dates and prices for the Limeniskos speedboat tour to Gramvousa and Balos.
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