Limeniskos: Gramvousa and Balos Speedboat Tour with Drinks

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.

What this speedboat tour actually does

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.

Places this tour visits

The speedboat calls at two protected sites on the north-west corner of Crete, and both have their own page on this site.

• Gramvousa, the boat lands on Gramvousa islet for a two-hour stop, which is the window you need for the fortress climb and a swim off the beach below it.
• Balos, the second stop anchors at Balos beach and lagoon, where the water stays shin-deep a long way out and warms up faster than the open sea.

What’s included and what isn’t

The fare covers the boat, the crew and the drinks, and it leaves out food, guiding and your transport to the jetty.

Included:

• Speedboat crossing to Gramvousa and Balos
• Driver for the full 5 hours
• Two-hour stop at Gramvousa
• Two-hour stop at Balos lagoon
• Soft drinks, water and beers on board

Not included:

• Transport to the meeting point at Limeniskos
• Guide
• Food

The missing guide matters more than the missing lunch. Nobody narrates the fortress or the lagoon for you, so read up before you board.

Why we recommend this experience

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.

CreteLocals insider tips

Take the 10:00 departure, wear shoes you can climb in, and plan the day around the wind rather than the forecast temperature.

1. Book the first departure at 10:00, since it puts you on Gramvousa while the island is still close to empty.
2. Wear trainers or trekking sandals, because the path to the Venetian fortress is loose rock rather than steps.
3. Pack a dry bag for phones and cameras, as the bow gets soaked when the boat is up on the plane.
4. Arrive 15 minutes early, since the speedboat cannot hold its slot and leaves on time.
5. Bring your own food, because nothing edible is sold on board or on Gramvousa.
6. Swim at Balos first and photograph it second, given that the ferry crowd thins the water long before it thins the beach.

What to know before you go

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.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Gramvousa and Balos speedboat tour?

The tour runs 5 hours in total, split between the crossing, a two-hour stop at Gramvousa and a two-hour stop at Balos.

Where does the speedboat leave from?

The speedboat leaves from Limeniskos, on the north-west coast of Crete, and returns to the same jetty at the end of the day.

Is a guide included?

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.

Is the tour suitable for children?

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.

How many people are on the boat?

The boat takes up to 17 participants, which is why boarding and disembarking take minutes rather than the half hour a ferry needs.

Is it worth paying more than the ferry?

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.