This gorgeous lagoon and beach are located on the northwestern corner of Crete, at the tip of the westernmost peninsula called Gramvousa. This wonderfully remote location is not safe to reach by car. A boat is a good and fun option to reach Balos.

This wild part of Crete seems entirely pristine and untouched. The peninsula was called Korykus or Kimaros in the Ancient World. There was once a small city here called Corycus, referred to by Ptolemy and the remains of this city were still visible to a traveler from Florence in the 15th century.

Kissamos is a lovely modern port town that is tourist-friendly but by no means has overrun.This part of the island attracted lots of Ecotourism and nature tourism. Here, you’ll find lots of excellent local cuisine in simple tavernas and generally a sense of participating in the everyday life of the Cretans.