Will have to agree with the rest- a very beautiful beach (but wouldn’t call it unique), crystal water (not deep), soft warm sand, but too expensive regarding the prices. I totally understand that tourism is the main income for most of the people on the island and for sure as a visitor, I am willing to spend, in order to enjoy the perfect vacation, but it’s not necessary to feel exploited in the end.

Pros: One of the top beaches in Crete. Crystal clear water. The beach and sea floor covered by soft fine sand. (Few sections with pink sand )Turquoise water. West oriented, which makes the sunset spectacular. Nude section. Large free parking. Cons: Expensive sun beds( on other 10 cretan beaches we visited before this one, we paid between 6 and 15(only on VAI) euro for sun beds set ), here cheapest was 20 euro. Expensive food and drinks. Very few showers. Not many toilets. Conclusion: great beautiful beach which must be visited, but may be not the best choice for everyday use.

The beach is long and suitable for everyone. It has soft sand and a cozy vibe. We loved it more than the famous Elafonissi Beach

September 2025. One of the best beaches we visited while in Crete, definitely worth spending the day here. Parking was €6 entire day. We stayed middle of the beach, 2 sunbeds for €20. Far right side by the 3 restaurants sunbeds were more expensive front rows €40, middle €30, back €20. The beach is huge and didn’t feel crowded.

Falassarna Beach is stunning — wide, golden sands and turquoise waters create the perfect setting for a relaxing day by the sea. The sunsets here are unforgettable. Truly one of Crete’s finest beaches.

No matter what I say about this beach, it wouldn't be enough. It’s simply perfect — the beach, the water, the sand, everything. Just perfect. The sunbed for two people in the second row is 40 euros. However, it depends on the beach bar, though I don’t believe the prices are any lower elsewhere.

Free parking around Maracaya Beach house, great lounge area, amazing food and drinks. The water is clear and beautiful. There are some fish on the shore line to look at though goggles. Loved the whole experience

Entry to the site is free. There’s an interesting app that you can download that allows you to see what the site might have looked like in antiquity. There’s a QR code at the entrance to download it. The last part of the way there is an unpaved road. The road is rough, but doable even in a small car.

Sounded promising but was unexpectedly closed for staff absences when visited. Site is fenced off so no access although you can see excavations. Not able to see the harbour but did spot the newly found stairs to the acropolis. Great story...

Very interesting site. Lots of work still to be done but very different to all the other historic sites. It will be brilliant in a few years to see how unusual this settlement was when they have done more excavation. Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in the pirate and shipping history entry. Dogs on leashes.

We had to view these ruins from outside the fenced area: the main site is only open between 9:00 and 2:00 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Despite this we enjoyed what we could see. It's partially excavated and there are various things of note outside the fenced-off section. It's very close to the sea and another visitor showed us an image of a sunken boat that he had taken. We couldn't see it ourselves - you need greater agility than we have over the rocks to where the sea starts. Saying all that - we enjoyed the visit.

Really great of the way spot. Really worth seeing. We were the only ones there and the kind host who works on the archeological digs gave us some great info. Download the app. So handy guide.

The historical notes are interesting and the place has an empty loveliness. There are nice short walks to rocky bits of coastline around there too, though mind your step! Bear in mind it’s only open 9-2 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You can walk from the Orange Blue bar car park for a bit more exercise, but don’t expect more than a short trek on unmetalled road past the ubiquitous poly tunnel greenhouses.

We visited the Archaeological Site of Falassarna today and it was absolutely amazing! Entry is free, and at the entrance there’s a QR code to download their app. The app was fantastic — it really brought the site to life with interesting information and even showed what the site might have looked like in antiquity. The last stretch of road is unpaved and a bit rough, but still very doable even with a small car. Overall, a fascinating and well-presented site — highly recommend!

A Wonderful Private Boat Experience – Highly Recommended! We had an amazing 6-hour private boat trip – an unforgettable experience for our group of 4 adults and 2 children. The boat was entirely at our disposal, and the captain and crew made sure everything was perfect from start to finish. The boat itself was small but very comfortable, clean, and even had a toilet on board, which was a great plus. The captain took us to some stunning spots, including a visit to the island of Gramvousa. At his recommendation, we hiked up to the old fortress, and the panoramic view from the top was absolutely breathtaking! When we returned to the boat, the crew welcomed us with delicious sandwiches, fresh fruit, wine, and soft drinks – such a thoughtful and refreshing treat. The day ended perfectly as we cruised back, watching the sun set over the sea. It was a truly magical experience that we will always remember. Highly recommended for families or small groups looking for a unique and relaxing day on the water!

Top holiday. Don't lose this oportunity to visit by speedboat one of the most wonderfull beach of the world. 30 min time to reach Gramvousa and the castle and then Balos beach wher you can eat sandwiches and fruit. This experience has no price.

The boat tour was wonderful! The captain was incredibly friendly, as was his son! His son took great care of us, offering delicious sandwiches and fresh, super tasty fruit. We could even chill the drinks we had brought with us. Bringing our own music speaker was no problem at all either! We visited stunning bays and there were even snorkeling masks and snorkels on board! The absolute highlight was the sunset at sea — the captain even sailed to a quieter spot just for that moment. It was absolutely perfect from beginning to end. A thousand thanks for this amazing experience!

I booked this private cruise as a surprise for my fiancée and we were supposed to have an amazing time. Reading the reviews and about the company I had no reason to doubt them. However it was a horrific experience and I am writing this as a caution for any potential future customers. We've also received a full refund from Cretan Activities that arranged the booking. We were not showed or discussed an itinerary and did not have any safety instructions explained to us before boarding. When my fiancée Dan tried to get on the boat because the boat was not secured properly to the shore Dan hit his head. After only a few minutes of being on the boat as we were making our way out of the harbour we heard some loud bangs against the bottom of the hull like it hit rocks and the propeller stopped. The woman that was with the skipper looked worried, the skipper said something to her in Greek, nothing to us, put his flippers on and snorkeller and jumped into the water. We were hitting more rocks and drifting towards the rocky shore in big waves that looked like it could capsize the boat. The anchor was stuck and the skipper could not release it from the switch or manually. Skipper still didn't say much to us but seemed to be more worried about his boat. So Dan asked for the life jackets because we were not offered them. After a while a small fisherman boat arrived but instead of taking us to the shore, they were trying to save the boat by towing it away from the rocks. Dan asked the woman if there was another boat that was going to pick us up and she said that was the only one available. We ended up stuck on this boat for over an hour, called the Coast Guard from our mobiles and in the end a boat that was in the area came to see what was going on. It had an Italian flag and as I'm Italian I pleaded with them to save us and take us to the shore which he did. We ended up having to go to the Coast Guard to give a statement on the day we were due to fly back to UK and worried we were going to miss our flight. I guess when things go well everyone has a good time but when there was an accident things were handled badly and we were scared. Simona and Dan

We’ve been going on a boat tour at least once a year in Falassarna and every single time, it’s a dream. From the first message to the last wave goodbye, everything is seamless, warm, and full of heart. Organizing the trip with Katerina is always a joy: she’s so kind, helpful, and makes everything incredibly easy. This year, we did the sunset tour for the first time… and it was pure magic. Golden light, calm waters, and that peaceful feeling you never want to end. The skipper, just like every year, was amazing: so friendly, relaxed, and thoughtful. He took us to the most stunning bays and spoiled us with fresh fruit and sandwiches. It’s the kind of experience you carry with you long after the holiday ends. Truly perfect from beginning to end and worth every cent. With all our hearts: thank you. And 100% recommendation.

Brilliant tour, really clean and comfy fast boat, our captain and Stath were really friendly and helpful. Highly recommended.

We had an amazing private boat trip with Yiorgos! Everything was perfect — from the warm welcome at the time of booking to the fully customized tour. Yiorgos was a true professional and clearly passionate about giving us an unforgettable experience. It was a unique and romantic moment as a couple — we absolutely loved it! The spots he took us to were stunning. We highly recommend this experience! Thank’s again !

What a fun experience! We had never been on a sailboat before, and really enjoyed our time! The crew was super attentive and allowed us to choose our activities at the different spots. We snorkled at Gramvousa beach, and enjoyed the lagoon at Balos Beach. They time it so their guests can enjoy the quiet of the beaches without all the tour boat guests. The meal was fantastic, and the sail back to port was EXCITING. Highly recommend.

My partner and I had a fantastic five days/nights on Stella the sailboat together with Captain Vasilis. He is a genuinely lovely person, with no fakeness, complete authenticity. He also happens to be a super talented captain and a fantastic chef! The boat is very spacious, well taken care of, and looks completely new and fresh. Bathroom+shower is very usable. Sleeping in the cabin was very comfortable. Sailing with her was a magical experience. We have been to many places on our five days trips. We started on the Kissamos port, went for a short swim on Gramvousa Island, and then to the Kythira island, which took around seven hours of the most fun sailing with the best sunsets. We spent two nights on the Kythira island where in the daytime we went swimming in extraordinary places, and in the evening the Captain took us to the beautiful Castle and then for the best pizza in our life. After that, we sailed back to the Crete and spent the day on the beautiful Balos beach, eating the best Greek salad prepared by the Captain with his delicious olive oil. In the following days, we sailed on the island's West side, swam in the clean blue water, ate good food, and had a lot of fun. We 100% recommend going for a multi-day trip with Captain Vasilis. We are already planning a ten days trip to the Milos, Santorini, and Mykonos together on the Stella with the Captain.

Really excellent trip we did two days with two people. Vasilis took us to beautiful beaches and locations, he tailored our trip to us and the weather conditions. Vasilis is also an excellent cook and host he was fantastic throughout and ensured we had a good time. The boat is very comfortable and set up for real sailing, everything you need is onboard to keep you and your family comfortable.

We had a beautiful day of sailing from Kissamos to Gramvousa and Balos. Vasilis was an amazing captain and always made sure we enjoyed the most of the 2 places we visited. He took great care of us and Giorgio also prepared and served us an amazing lunch. I highly recommend their service! Plus, the places we visited are absolutely beautiful! Thank you Vasilis! :-)

Genuinely wish we’d done more than a day! Unforgettable experience which I’d highly recommend.

Together with my partner we had the best trip ever with Captain Vasilis. Will definitely come again!

Fantastic day with Capitan Vasilis skipper!!!! We had a wind ride with Electra, brand new fantastic boat

I made a couple of dives with Manolis and Hermione and it was great. They are very experienced, nice and helpful. They don't rush you so you can just relax and enjoy the experience. I'm quite sure there are many great dive spots in the nearby, a shame I had no more time! And they even made some pictures and sent them to us! Thank you very much, all the best!

Very nice company, Hermione was nice - and very helpful. We booked the trip via message, it was very uncomplicated.. thank you for the snorkeling trip!

Amazing experience, excellent friendly staff who guide you throughout the whole briefing/time/dive and put their best selfs to have the best possible time in the depths of Kissamos! I would highly recommend!!! Cant wait for the next Dive 🤿🐠🌊🐙🪸🐚 Thank you 🤩

Fantastic Diving School with the most patient and wise instructor

(Translated by Google) Did three nice dives with Manolis and Hermione on the north and west coasts. Great service that makes you feel like you're in good hands in every situation. Everything relaxed and easy. Thanks ! Always my pleasure .... (Original) Drei schöne Tauchgänge mit Manolis und Hermione an der Nord- und Westküste gemacht. Toller Service, bei dem man sich in jeder Situation gut aufgehoben fühlt. Alles relaxed und easy. Danke ! Immer wieder gerne ....

(Translated by Google) Quick and easy booking. We had precise and reassuring explanations from Hermione. Then a trip with manolis. I wasn't in my element but Manolis was able to put me at ease. He is reassuring and professional so I was able to take advantage of him. It’s a great experience. To sum up, go there with your eyes closed, they’re pros. The setting is family-friendly and very cute 😊 (Original) Réservation rapide et simple. Nous avons eu des explications précises et rassurantes d’Hermione. Puis une virée avec manolis. J’étais pas dans mon élément mais manolis a su me mettre à l’aise. Il est rassurant et professionnel du coup j’ai pu en profiter. C’est une belle expérience. Pour résumer allez y les yeux fermés c’est des pros. Le cadre est familial et très mignon 😊

(Translated by Google) Super Family Diving Club, Unfortunately I was only able to do one dive, it was great, full of lobster and moray eel With the photos kindly send by Mail THANKS (Original) Super Club de Plongée Familial, Malheureusement je n’ai pu faire qu’une seule plongée , c’était top, plein de langouste et murène Avec les photos envoyer gentiment par Mail Merci

We were about 20 min late for the jet ski safari and they waited for us. We were a party of 3 and all beginners. We had 2 jet skis, and 1 of our drivers had difficulty and couldn’t continue because of the waves. On our return from Balos my passenger was allowed to return on the other jet ski after a short private lesson. We had a blast! And they even allowed my niece to drive the boat briefly as well.

A highly recommended way to visit & experience Gramvousa Island & Balos beach - a 3+ hour tour, spending an hour at each location. Getting there in their speed boat was a thrilling ride! The office staff and boat Captain were friendly, helpful, & knowledgeable. This tour made visiting Balos so much easier than the rough drive and long hike on foot down to the beach!

My wife and I took the 2 hour jet ski tour to Balos and Gramvousa. Having never been on a jet ski before (not even a motorcycle/motorbike ever), I was very appreciative of the instruction and patience of our guides, Marios and Giannis. That was one of the most exhilarating excursions I've ever taken. Even when the waves got larger on the open sea, while it was a bit more work, it was waaaaay too much fun. Thanks, gentlemen, for time well spent.

We had wonderful trip today with Andreas to Balos. We booked the small boat, but upon arrival to the meeting point he said that we will Go with a bigger boat due to the windy weather. The trip to Balos was exciting due to the weather but Andreas dorve the boat safely to Balos. We were the first to arrive there. He was very friendly and helpful. The back trip was much smooter. I can only recommend to take the trip with them.

A fantastic trip with an experienced and welcoming crew, from start to finish. We had very little/no experience on jet skis but Marios was an excellent guide who helped us learn so much in just a few hours. Big thanks to the team for looking after us so well. Top recommendations from us!

My wife and kids and I took the three hour speed boat trip to Balos and Gramvousa. We had an awesome time. The trip was perfect. An hour to explore Gramvousa by foot (15 minute walk to the top) and swim and an hour to explore and swim around Balos. Excellent captain Giorgo. Free beer, soda, and water. Highly recommend.

Very good service, friendly and attentive crew! They created a good atmosphere, made sure that everyone is safe and comfortable. It’s totally worth going for the jet ski safari to Balos! Kudos to Alex and Marios for their professionalism!