Access to the site is not at all dangerous and driving slowly takes 30 minutes to reach the car park. Be careful to take change to pay the 2€ access to the site. A 25 min walk for the descent, we had opted for sea slippers.On the way, open your eyes wide the spot is amazing! Take pictures in the morning the brightness is perfect. Sunbeds are Awarded 20€ per day. We were on site at 10am and were able to take beautiful pictures without too many tourists or boats in the background. At 12 noon, it’s another atmosphere with big boats landing tourists... For the climb, we took 1 hour, take good water because there is no shade at all, take the time to admire the view with a different brightness. This is for me THE spot to see!!

Premise: reaching Balos by car is not an easy experience. You must travel 7 km of dirt road, in some sections bordering on impassable, two-way and without guardrails. Especially if, like 90% of tourists, you have a small city car rented on site. But if we made it, and thousands of other visitors... they can all make it, with a lot of patience and cool heads, going at 10 km/h. Once parked you go down the opposite side of the mountain, for a path made of steps lasting about half an hour that is basically accessible to everyone. DO NOT TRUST those who complain about the stretch on foot: we saw people in flip-flops, or barefoot, wearing only their costumes without even a rag of towel, thinking of going to the beach in Riccione... here, just sneakers, a hat and a backpack and the descent (like the climb) become beautiful walks from which you can admire one of the most beautiful landscapes of Crete. The "fatigue" of the route (by car and on foot) is fully worth the show. We arrived around 1pm and found place (one of the last remaining) umbrella and 2 sunbeds at 20 euros, which considering the place, is a more than reasonable price. It is advisable to rent an umbrella because with the strong wind that often rises it is difficult to plant your own. The beach was not at all crowded as they say: most visitors arrive by boat and stop on the opposite side of the lagoon from where you arrive on foot. There is a well-stocked bar on the beach. To keep you company, you will find several goats wandering quietly between the umbrellas: they are harmless, but leave no food in sight and do not feed them otherwise you will find yourself surrounded by a cauldron of begging beasts! The lagoon is simply fantastic, so go there by car to also enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Crete.

We travel in two with rented car, simple Panda of limited power. We were rather discouraged by the reviews found online about the journey to the Lagoon of Balos by land. After being there we can only share with you as much as possible, in the hope that it will be useful to you. Once you reach the dirt road you are asked 1€ per person for the management of the heritage we are enjoying. The road is mostly dirt with a small part also cemented, without potholes but with a few stones that makes the Guide a bit 'shaky so you travel at a steady pace. Wonderful road, scenic, wide in almost its entire length: there is the possibility of passing slower cars, it can be considered three lanes. Goats or sheep meet, even on the beach, but they absolutely do not limit the journey, quite the contrary. Parking has a daily cost of € 3 and is very spacious but, despite this, those who arrive late also find themselves forced to park along the road at varying distances. The route is of simple/medium difficulty, nothing to do with Preveli or Kourtaliotiko Gorge, where I almost left my life. Initially dirt between the rocks and then with steps with a slope not worrying. Closed shoes are indispensable but many venture into slippers and succeed. We arrived at the beach around 10am and won the penultimate position with a daily cost of 20€. I have not read any indications of no placement umbrellas (maybe I was not careful) and most people plant their own. The bar has a paid bathroom and various foods almost all packaged. If you keep to the left of the beach there is more calm, in the strip of land that crosses the lagoon a slaughter. Bring food for the cats, you will do a good work: we met only one cat but pregnant and with heat stroke in progress, dehydrated and hungry.

**Review of the Lagoon of Balos** Balos Lagoon is one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, a true natural paradise worth every effort to reach. You can get there in two ways: by boat or by car. If you choose to arrive by car, be prepared for a journey of about 30 minutes on an unpaved road. Once you reach the reserve, there is a small entrance fee of 1 euro and parking that costs 3 euro. After parking, the real adventure begins. A short journey of about 15 minutes takes you down a set of steps, gradually revealing one of the most spectacular views you have ever seen. The view of the lagoon from above is breathtaking, with waters sparkling in all shades of blue and green. The lagoon water is warm, crystal clear and incredibly transparent, perfect for swimming and relaxing. However, the ascent to the parking lot can be challenging, especially on very hot days, so be prepared to make a little effort on the way back. But this part of the trip also has its charm: you might meet cute goats along the way. Valuable Recommendation: arrive early, ideally before 9am. Around noon, in fact, the peace of the lagoon is interrupted by the arrival of tourist boats, and the beach can become crowded. Visiting the Lagoon of Balos is an unforgettable experience, combining natural beauty and a touch of adventure.

A wonder of nature. We drove from Kissamos. The dirt is challenging but just drive carefully. Watch out for the cute little goats passing quietly on the street. Entrance costs 1 euro per person parking 3 per day. If you arrive in the afternoon you must leave your car in the street. Then start the walk with fabulous views and views. The turquoise in all its shades and the white of the lagoon leave you speechless. The place on the beach is not lacking .. there 'for everyone and everywhere. Even after the dreaded boats arrived. If there is wind just move in front in the lagoon where you are sheltered. The water in the morning is colder but then warms up.

We were lucky enough to visit the Balos lagoon by boat, which was a great decision! After a pleasant boat trip we swam the last part to the sandbar. It was a unique experience to stand knee-deep in the warm, crystal clear water. You almost feel like you are on another planet, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and turquoise water. The lagoon is really beautiful and the views spectacular. However, the bathing fun wears off a bit after a while, as there are other more comfortable beaches that are better suited for swimming. Especially for families or those looking for a more relaxed beach atmosphere, the lagoon may not be the first choice. A tip: The on-site canteen, where you can stock up on snacks and drinks, closes around 19:00. So it is advisable to eat beforehand if you plan to stay longer. Especially in the evening, when most visitors have left, it becomes very quiet. This is the best time to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the day. The lagoon then shows its most beautiful side, and you can take in the unique landscape in peace. Overall, the Balos lagoon is definitely worth a visit, especially for those who want to experience the wild beauty of Crete. A real eye-catcher and a great photo opportunity!

Full score for this wonderful place in the northwest of the island. A beach in complete Cretan style. To reach it: There is a route of about 7/8 km of dirt road to travel by car. At the beginning of the route there is a "tollbooth" where you have to pay EUR 1.00 per person for entry into the reserve. Along this dirt road proceed with caution and attention, since in various pieces there is no guardrail, to avoid damaging the rented car. Don't rush down this stretch. Along the way you can also admire the characteristic goats that occasionally slow down the passage of cars, but nothing prohibitive. Once you reach the end of the dirt road there is a large parking lot (EUR 3.00 for the whole day). From there there there is a path of about 20/30 minutes to walk to reach the beach. Recommendation at least sneakers, no slippers / flip-flops, which you can wear comfortably once you get to the beach. Wide beach, Recommendation to rent 1 umbrella + 2 sunbeds (EUR 20.00 in total). There is a bathroom, you have to pay EUR 1.00 to access it. Recommendation to arrive around 8.30 / 9.00 in order to quietly find parking and enjoy the beauty of this place with still few people present.

Good morning, We went there by quad (see business card below) to the parking lot at the top, very close to the lagoon. Perfect. Magnificent ! access to this lagoon: first a road. then the road turns into a stony track for approximately 7.5 km, up to a parking lot. We finish the last 2-3 km on foot (a few steps up/down) what's really really great about this lagoon is discovering the landscape from the top of the mountain. Really DO NOT go there by boat, the company has a monopoly and is taking advantage of it (38€!!!), the times indicated on their website do not correspond to the real times, and they obviously don't care. And finally, fortunately, otherwise we would have gone by boat and would have wasted so much money to go to a beach with lots of people and water too cold for swimming. whereas what is superb about this lagoon is getting there from the top of the mountain. It is not possible to go there by rental car (it is prohibited, 15 km round trip on rocky paths that go up and down to get to the parking lot). the ideal is really to rent a quad (or motorbike / electric bike) a few meters before the start of the track, or to do the 15 km return trip on foot.... 25 euros for the first hour, and 10 euros for each subsequent hour. and the quad rental company explains to us to keep the quad rental contract to show the car rental companies that we did not drive in a car when it was forbidden.

As a good southerner we went to the lagoon of Balos in the afternoon, against the current of many other tourists. Like the others we could enjoy the magnificent view during the descent to the lagoon which lasts a big half hour. On arrival there were fewer people than the rest of the day, boats bringing tourists leaving around 3pm. We stayed until sunset, which we could also photograph during the ascent. The advantage is that we do the descent in the heat, while the others are rising (and liquefying) , and the rise when it is cooler. The same has been done for other visits, which allows for rest in the morning.

Balos Beach is amazing. Spectacular. The color of the water so turquoise that looks photoshoped. The small peninsula to one side contributes to make it even more out of the ordinary. There are two ways to reach it, by car and walk or by ferry. If you go by car I advise to go very early, because the parking at the end of the track is very limited. The track is steep, not paved, in very bad condition, and with a cliff to one side. It took almost 1 h to go 7 km. When we went (mid morning) people were already parking at the side of the track more than 1 km before the parking, and the line was growing quickly. Some guys were directing everybody to park at the end of the line. Ignore them, go on to the parking because you never know if somebody is leaving right then, either from the parking or from further ahead on the line of parked cars. We initially parked quite far, started to walk, and saw some cars overtaking us, and other cars coming down. So we went back to our car and continued up. Finally, we found a place almost at the parking. After the parking, you still have to walk, downhill, about half hour to the beach on a narrow track. Do not wear sandals, use comfortable, closed shoes. It's rocky and uneven. In the beach there are some kiosks selling beverages. If you choose the ferry from Kissamos, buy the tickets online. This is a much more relaxed option, and includes a visit to the Gramvousa Fort, in another islet, before reaching Balos. If you don't like crowds, or narrow, steep tracks, just to the right of the kiosk where you pay the 1 € entrance to Balos (and the start of the track), there is another small beach called Mouri Lakkos, totally solitary, with cristalline waters and free!