Best 19 Lagoons Exploration activities on Crete Island

Discover the Balos lagoon from above and go for a swim in the crystal-clear waters of Falassarna beach on this guided day trip from Chania. Travel aboard a comfortable all-terrain vehicle and stop a mouth-watering Greek lunch with wine or beer.  Hop in an air-conditioned vehicle at your hotel in Chania and relax on the drive. Follow your guide the Balos lagoon viewpoint. Admire panoramic views of the island’s landscapes and the azure sea. Continue to Falassarna beach, a favorite destination of the locals. Have sunbeds and umbrellas already reserved for when you arrive at the beach for a smooth and easy trip. Relax on the beach or swim in the idyllic waters. Sip a cup of coffee or a soft drink.  Finally, savor a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant. Taste traditional food and wine at your reserved table and enjoy the lively atmosphere. Keep your energy up during your trip with fruit and local energy bars. Return to your hotel at the end of your tour. 

Arrive to Kissamos Port by car or regional bus and board the sailboat with the green sails. Enjoy the company of only your private group and the crew and skipper as you cruise along the coast to Balos Lagoon and then to Imeri Gramvousa Island.  After about 1.5 hours of sailing, reach the lagoon, home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Swim and snorkel in the turquoise water, or treat yourself to some relaxing and sunbathing on the white sand for the next two hours.  Afterwards, enjoy a traditional Cretan lunch onboard the ship. Your next stop is the island of Imeri Gramvousa, where you can enjoy the stunning beach and swim in the crystal-clear water. If you’d like to snap an amazing photo of the Balos Lagoon, you will have the opportunity from the top of Gramvousa after a leisurely, 20-minute hike. At the top, built into the rock, you will spot the Venetian Castle, one of the most famous fortresses in Crete.  The views from here are seriously breathtaking. After a full day of sun and sea, your skipper will start the journey back to Kissamos Port. Onboard, rest or nap in the covered cabin, hang out in the covered dining area, and utilize the bathroom with shower.

Chart your own course from Agios Nikolaos on a private half-day cruise to destinations like Dianiskari and Kolokutha beach or visit towns like Plaka and Elounda. Sip on complementary soft drinks and have access to showers and snorkeling equipment.  Choose an option that meets your group size and space needs with options for a 4.3-meter RIB boat for up to 4 people, a 5.3-meter motorboat for up to 6 people, or a 9-Meter RIB boat for up to 9 people. Hop aboard the ship at the port of Agios Nikolaos and begin your sailing adventure. Listen to music on board with a Bluetooth connection and craft your own itinerary to destinations like Skistra Bay and San Fwkas beach. Have the option to snorkel through crystal-clear waters or stop to purchase lunch at a seaside restaurant in the charming resort town of Elounda. Head to the island of Spinalonga where you can admire natural beauty and historical ruins on this island that was once a leper colony. Return to your starting point at the end of your tour.

Join us for a unique experience to snorkel towards an all-year-round massive waterfall. Drinking water bursts out of the wall making this an incredible place to visit. In this experience we organize transport to the location, and we have a short hike to the water stream where it’s time to get wet. In the wetsuits we follow the stream upwards until a beautiful, but we mean, beautiful natural lagoon. From here we take the snorkels and swim further into the cave and reach the big waterfall.

After jumping onboard, our first stop on this full day trip is Balos beach, a lagoon of outstanding natural beauty located at the far tip of Gramvoussa peninsula, the most western point of Crete. The whole area is been declared a protected area by the Natura 2000 programme and conservation of the area is our top priority. Leaving only our footprints in the pink-white sand, we take a swim in the turquoise waters of Balos and Gramvoussa island before heading to our next stop, Menies. This hidden cove is located on the northeastern shore of the Rodopou peninsula, parallel to Gramvoussa. Menies is located on the site of ancient Diktynna, that was the most important temple of the goddess Vritomartis, which is believed to be goddess Artemis. After a refreshing swim on the pebbly beach, we make our way back along the coast towards Chania. We cannot miss the opportunity of making a stop alongside Thodorou island, a protected haven for the endangered wild Cretan goat “agrími” (or easier, “kri-kri”). The island is uninhabited and is also a Natura 2000 protected area. After our last dip in the clear blue waters, we head back to Chania harbour, if we´re lucky we might see the turtles!

Take a day trip from Kissamos port to the uninhabited island of Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon on a round-trip cruise. Glide past cliffs, stop at pristine golden beaches, swim in crystal-clear waters, and visit Gramvousa Fortress—a castle that offers incredible panoramic views. Depart from Kissamos Port and sail for about an hour in the bay. Approach the island of Gramvousa and then the lagoon of Balos or vice versa, depending on the itinerary route. Cruise against a stunning backdrop of steep cliffs and rocks, incredible secluded beaches, and infinite blue. Have the chance to see a large cave, which is thought to be an ancient shipyard. At the end of the bay, sail between Gramvousa Island and Cape Vouxa. Soak in the scenic landscape against the backdrop of Valenti, Pontikonisi, Balos Lagoon, and Imeri Gramvousa. Arrive in the small port of Gramvousa and enjoy the magical environment created by Cretan nature, the legends, and the area’s turbulent history. See the beach is adorned by a lonely shipwreck. See the famous castle of Gramvousa, the highest point on the island that sits atop a steep rock. Enjoy a swim in the area next to the Church of Agioi Apostoloi. After a stop at Gramvousa, get back on the boat to head to the Balos Lagoon. Listed as one of the world’s best beaches, this exotic beach lagoon is situated between the Gramvousa Peninsula and Cape Tigani. Choose to swim in the turquoise blue waters, relax on the pink sandy beach, or admire the natural beauty, the rocks, and the cliffs rising above you during your rest at the beach before heading back.

Start with pickup from your hotel and travel along the north-east coast and by St. George’s Gorge. After a short ride, visit an olive oil farmwhere you can experience first-hand the standardization of extra virgin olive oil, table olives, and olive paste. Taste authentic Greek olive oil, which is famous worldwide for its great taste as well as other authentic Cretan products like “raki” and honey. Travel next to the cosmopolitan city of Agios Nikolaos on the Gulf of Mirabello. Agios Nikolaos is famous for its picturesque bottomless lake, explored by the ocean researcher Jaques Cousteau and the subject of numerous legends. Discover the pretty city on your own, stroll through the shops, or relax in one of the cafes and watch the world go by. Continue to Elounda, enjoying some of the most beautiful views of Crete. Look across the Elounda Lagoon at the enchanting islands of Spinalonga and Kolokitha. Spinalonga has been an important place throughout history. Have some time to explore the island on your own. After a short drive, you will reach Plaka, a small fishing village directly opposite Spinalonga. From there a 10-minute boat ride takes you to the island. Plaka was the ferry port of the leper colony, whose history was documented in a book and a Greek television series. Visit the filming sites, enjoy lunch or have a refreshing swim. The last stop of the day is Elounda, a former fishing village but today a famous holiday resort with the most 5-star hotels in Greece. Take plenty of time to stroll through the picturesque harbor and have a cup of coffee before heading back to your accommodation.

Start with pickup from Heraklion or the surrounding area. Drive over to Kastelli by bus to board your boat. Balos are Gramvousa are located on the West part of the island. Depending on the area your hotel is located is around 4 hours by bus to the place where the boats depart. Embark the boat from the village of Kasteli and head over to Balos Lagoon and enjoy plenty of time to swim in the quiet crystal clear waters, walk across the golden sand beach and soak in the sun as you relax. Cruise across the western Cretan sea and arrive at the tranquil Gramvousa. Swim along the coast and stroll up to the castle on the hill to admire panoramic views of the natural landscape as you hike up to that point. The drivers will be awaiting you at the port, in order to begin the drive back to Heraklion.

Set off on a day trip by bus and boat to the magnificent Balos Lagoon and the Gramvousa island, on the northwestern coast of Crete. Travel by air-conditioned bus to the port of Kissamos and board the boat for a cruise with swim stops and a visit to a castle. After an early morning pickup near your hotel, sit back and relax as you pass through beautiful scenery to get to the Port of Kissamos. There, you’ll pay for the cruise and board the boat which will take you in the sea for about an hour till you reach Gramvousa island. Once at Gramvousa, spend 1-hour and 45-minutes exploring the Venetian Fortress which offers breathtaking views from the top. Otherwise, you can stay on the boat to take advantage of the bar restaurant or you can relax at the beachside. Afterward, the boat will continue for about 20 minutes to reach the Balos Lagoon. There, you’ll have 3 hours of free time on the beach. Swim, snorkel, sunbathe and explore the dunes in the background. In the afternoon, the boat will begin the cruise back to Kissamos and from there you will be driven back to your Hotel area in Rethymno.

Travel by air-conditioned bus to the west of Crete. Enjoy a cup of coffee or breakfast at the small village of Skaleta and then continue to Kissamos to board a boat and start your cruise. Admire a vast cave that was most likely an ancient shipyard. See sea turtles and dolphins playing in the water. Disembark on the island of Gramvousa, also known as “Pirates’ Island”. Enjoy about 2 hours to explore and encounter over 100 bird and 400 plant species. Enjoy plenty of free time to swim at a gorgeous beach. Alternatively, feast from an (optional) lunch on board.  Continue your cruise to the lagoon of Balos and discover one of the loveliest sites in Greece. Get a breathtaking view of the lagoon and enjoy a 2-hour swimming break before the return journey to the meeting point.