Best things to do in Bali village in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Bali is a coastal resort village on the north coast of Crete, built around a series of small bays 30 km east of Rethymno and 43 km west of Heraklion. Bali has 4 beaches, each set in its own sandy cove with clear greenish water: Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis. The wide bay the resort sits in faces west, which keeps the sea calm, and the four coves lie close enough along the same shoreline that on most days you can walk between them and pick the one that suits you.
Heraklion airport is the nearest airport to Bali. The village started as a fishing village and stands halfway between Rethymno town and Heraklion, with the National Road that joins the two running alongside it, so it serves as a base for day trips across the island and as far as the south coast.
Things to do in and around Bali
Six outings lie within about 12 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Walk between the four coves. Livadi is the main beach, and Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis follow along the same shore. Our guide to the Bali beaches covers what each cove offers and how they differ.
- Swim at Agios Nikolaos cove. The beach lies 1.5 km west of the resort in the Mylopotamos province, in a green creek ringed by limestone rocks that form small caves. Agios Nikolaos takes its name from the Byzantine two-nave church of Saint Nicholas above the cove, and the seabed is rocky rather than sandy.
- Visit the Atali Monastery. The monastery stands 1.6 km from the village and is the historical site most visitors pair with a beach day. Atali Monastery sits close enough to reach and return inside a morning.
- Snorkel off the Charakas peninsula. A small peninsula forms 4.1 km away, half a kilometre east of the Panagia Charakiani Church, with the beaches of Glaros and Katevati on either side of it. Katevati has large pebbles, a rocky bottom that suits fishing and snorkelling, and views south to the Talean Mountains, but nothing is organised there, so carry what you need.
- Walk down to Kalo Horafi. The beach lies 6 km away at the end of a 200 m unpaved path that starts on the main road beside the Chnaris tavern. Kalo Horafi is pebbly, faces west and is rarely crowded, and it stands on the former site of the 317 Holy Fathers monastery, where a more recent chapel now stands.
- Hike the Margarites gorges. Margarites, Orthe and Eleftherna sit among a run of small parallel gorges 12 km away, carved into white-yellow marly limestone laid down 8 to 10 million years ago. Watercourses such as the Margaritianos drain north into the Geropotamos, and the gorges carry abundant flora, including small groups of horizontally branched cypresses.
Beaches in and around Bali
Bali’s own beaches are the 4 coves of Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis, all sandy and all facing the same westward bay. Beyond them the coast turns rocky and pebbly, and the beaches listed below are quieter and far less organised.
- Agios Nikolaos lies 1.5 km west, an almost semicircular cove with a rocky seabed, reached through a green ravine of plane trees. North winds bring litter onto the shore.
- Glaros and Katevati sit 4.1 km away on a small peninsula in the Charakas region, with large pebbles, clear water over rock and no facilities.
- Propatoumenos follows 5.3 km away, three remote pebbly beaches below Kefali hill, in an area whose name means “the area that can be walked”, after the old trail to the ancient town of Astali near Bali.
- Kalo Horafi opens 6 km away, a small west-facing pebble beach at the end of a short unpaved path, with a tavern and a few villas and nothing else.
Where to eat in Bali
Eating in Bali concentrates around the harbour and along the road above Livadi, with everything inside a kilometre of the village.
- Caldera Seaside Restaurant does seaside cooking in the village.
- Harbour Cafe Bar is a café and bar at the harbour.
- Sailors Bar is a bar in the village.
- Taverna Golden Sun does taverna cooking, 900 m out.
- Taverna Livadi cooks by Livadi beach, 1 km out.
Getting to Bali
Reach Bali from the National Road between Heraklion and Rethymno, which runs alongside the village, so the turning is straightforward from either direction. Rethymno lies 30 km west and Heraklion 43 km east, which puts the resort roughly halfway between them and within reach of most of the island for a day out. Our Bali village page lists the hotels and villas in the resort.
Three inland and coastal neighbours are worth the short drive. Apladiana stands 7.3 km away at 260 metres, at the foot of the Kouloukona mountain, founded in 1368 by the Aplada family and home to 175 people; Panormo lies 8.4 km along the coast; and Margarites, 12 km away, is known across Crete for its traditional pottery and its architecture.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bali in Crete?
Bali sits on the north coast of Crete, 30 km east of Rethymno and 43 km west of Heraklion, roughly halfway between the two. The village belongs to the Rethymno region and lies beside the National Road that links the two cities.
How many beaches does Bali have?
Bali has 4 beaches: Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis. Each one sits in its own sandy cove with clear greenish water, and they lie close enough together to walk between on most days.
Is Bali good for families?
The bay at Bali faces west, which keeps the sea calm and family-friendly. Livadi is the main beach of the four and the one most visitors use, and the coves are sandy rather than rocky.
What is there to see in Bali besides the beaches?
Atali Monastery, 1.6 km from the village, is the main historical site at Bali. The wider area holds the ancient town of Astali, the Byzantine church of Saint Nicholas above the cove west of the resort, and the site of the 317 Holy Fathers monastery at Kalo Horafi, 6 km away.
Which airport serves Bali?
Heraklion airport is the nearest airport to Bali. The village lies west of Heraklion on the National Road that runs along the north coast.
Can you snorkel at Bali?
Bali offers snorkelling, and the rocky beaches just outside the resort are where it works well. Katevati, 4.1 km away on the Charakas peninsula, has a rocky bottom that suits snorkelling and fishing, and the cove at Agios Nikolaos, 1.5 km west, is rocky too.
Where Bali village is
Best things to do in Bali village in 2024 is located at Bali village. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
