Full of potholes, full of stones, always along the slope, and of course there are crash barriers – not. The trip from Kalivianí does not take longer than twenty minutes, and the walk afterwards is only a little longer.
From the car park you walk over a rocky plateau to the rocky steps and down – yes, that’s how it is: perhaps the most beautiful beach in the Mediterranean.
Bálos is like something that actually belongs in the South Seas or at least in the Caribbean. The water is sky blue, the sand almost white, the panorama looks so fake, as if the busy people from the tourist office beamed it to the horizon early in the morning, before the first guests arrived. To the left of the actual beach is a kind of natural paddling pool, a lagoon where the water is only ankle-high and where some visitors put their camping chairs.
Definitely take drinking water and something to eat with you – the selection at the small kiosk is very poor. Sun loungers and parasols can be hired, and there are toilets, but only two, which is a bit small on high-season days. The lagoon is ideal for families with small children; even for the very young, the water is just up to their knees.
If you want, you can have a donkey carry you down to the beach from the parking lot in the high season and later up again. Day trips to the beach are available from Kíssamos. The boats dock here around noon – if you want peace and quiet, you should come in the morning.
Attention: The approach via the slope is not suitable for campers and mobile homes!
The special tip:
On the way back, there is actually no way around the Gramvousa Restaurant in Kalivianí: Cretan cuisine based on grandmother’s recipes from the wood-fired oven – wonderful!