I must say that I felt speechless quite a few times during my travel experiences. One of the places that had such an effect on me was Balos Beach, also called the Lagoon of Balos. Situated on the Gramvousa Island, in the region of Chania, this Greek jewel is the most famous and beautiful beach in Crete.

When I first saw this piece of heaven from the top of the cliffs, I simply felt that my heart stopped for a few seconds. Breathtaking is the term I would use, if I had to describe that scenery in just one word. This amazing blue lagoon seems to flaunt its beauty among the high cliffs that surround it.

Once you get to the beach, you will be delighted by a stretch of pink and white sand which seems to be spoiled in the sunlight by the crystal blue waters. Balos Beach is a natural masterpiece, a place which will give you the chance to experience heaven on earth.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, you should take a look at my beautiful collection of pictures which I’m sure will help you make a decision.

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A visit to this place will be a great opportunity to explore and admire the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea. This lovely place will give you the feeling that this world does its best to impress you. I really recommend this place in case you decide to spend your holiday in Crete. The Cretaquarium is definitely worth experiencing. If I have not convinced you so far, I’m sure the following pictures will.

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It is situated near the town of Gournes, at about 15 kilometers of Heraklion, in Crete. The Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos was founded in a former American military base by the institute of Marine Biology of Crete, in 2005. It is the first large aquarium in Greece and also a public research institution operated by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research.

This is the reason why it is considered to be an important educational and cultural center. There you will have the opportunity to explore the sea world of the Mediterranean Sea, about 250 different species and 2500 Mediterranean and tropical organisms. The entire place is very well organized and it perfectly imitates the stunning underwater environment: 60 different tanks and 100 observation points.

The whole place is decorated with a multitude of blue and green lights and it will give you the feeling that you are in a dream underwater world. It will be a fascinating experience to explore and admire the diversity of the marine life: fish, corals, sharks, sea horses, sea anemones, lobsters, octopuses and a lot of different sea organisms.

I could go on and on with this list of species, but the best way to discover the beauty of the underwater world is actually to go there and see all those species. If I had to choose only three creatures that I liked the most I would definitely say: the spectacular stingrays, the beautiful sea turtles Caretta Caretta and the amazing jellyfish.

It is really relaxing to watch them and you could look at them for hours. You should know that the tour will take about two hours. It depends on how interested you are in reading the information tablets and the touch screens. It will be a great opportunity to learn a lot of things about the marine life.

You should also know that it is very easy to get to the Cretaquarium. There is a large parking place available for visitors in case you want to get there by car. If you choose to get there by bus you should know that the bus station is near the aquarium, at about 5 minutes of walking.

Therefore if you are going to visit Crete, make sure that you will add the Cretaquarium on your trip list, because it is one of those places where you can see and learn a lot of things.

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It is situated in the south-west of Crete, at about 70 kilometers from the city of Chania. The lagoon of Elafonisi is one of those exceptional natural beauties. You will be speechless in front of the exotic scenery that you will find there.

A long stretch of fine sand and the clear greenish blue water blend together in a harmonious way. The sandy patches that look like small sand islets and the cedars that are scattered all over the place, give that special touch to the entire beach. The scenery is embellished by a few interesting stones of various shapes and sizes, which seem to tan in the sun together with the tourists.

The stretch of pink sand that can be seen along the waterline makes this place really interesting and different. This pink color of the sand is due to a multitude of crushed shells which leave behind a pink powder. Elafonisi Beach is a very entertaining beach where you can choose from a variety of activities: water sports, snorkeling or swimming.

There are some parts of the beach where the level of the water is not very high and where the children can safely swim or play. Elafonisi Beach is quite accessible and you can easily get there by boat or by car. No matter how you choose to get there, you will have the chance to admire beautiful landscapes.

If you choose to get there by boat it will be a great opportunity to explore the beauty of the entire peninsula, but if you choose to get there by car you will have the possibility to discover a picturesque mountain scenery. You should know that the beach is actually situated at the end of the road, where you can also find a parking place.

The beach has a few facilities but my advice is to take everything you might need with you in order to avoid queuing because Elafonisi beach is pretty crowded, especially during summer. The entire area is a nature reserve, under Natura 2000 protection program, because it shelters a variety of rare species.The sea turtles, called caretta caretta are the most famous and popular.

To sum up, Elafonisi Beach is a piece of heaven and you should not leave Crete without visiting it.

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No matter how you choose to spend your time in Crete, you should know that the lagoon of Balos or Balos Beach is one of those places you should not miss. Situated in the north-west of the region of Chania, at about 17 kilometers away from Kissamos, the lagoon of Balos is a part of the Gramvousa Island.

Balos Beach which is actually the iconic image of Crete due to its wild natural beauty and its exotic scenery is definitely the most beautiful beach in Crete. The stretch of pink and white sand washed away by the clear blue and turquoise water and surrounded by large cliffs creates a spectacular scenery. The sand is light pink due to the millions of crushed shells.

This special color of the sand together with the large cliff that embellishes the lagoon gives a special touch to the whole place. It is a perfect place to snorkel and admire the beauty of the sea life. The entire area is actually a nature reserve, under Natura 2000 protection program, because it shelters a variety of rare species such as: cormorants, shags, falcons, seals and sea turtles called caretta caretta.

You should know that there are actually three ways you can reach this corner of heaven: by boat, by car or on foot. The easiest way to get there is by boat or by ferry from Kissamos. This will give you the chance to admire the Gramvousa Island in all its splendor: its beautiful shores, the beach of Imeri Gramvousa with its old fortress and the shipwrecked vessel, but also the amazing lagoon of Balos.

This is a great opportunity, but in my opinion it is not the best choice because you will not have enough time to enjoy the beauty of the amazing lagoon. You will have only an hour or two to visit the entire place. This is the reason why I advise you to get to the lagoon of Balos by car. It is true that you will have to drive slowly from Kaliviani on a dirt road of about 10 kilometers, but it is not as bad as they say. It will take you about 45 minutes to get to the top of the cliffs, but believe me it is worth the effort because the sight is spectacular.

At the end of the road there is a parking place where you can leave your car and from there you have to walk about 10 minutes to get to this stunning place. The image seen from the top of the cliffs is simply breathtaking and its beauty cannot be described in words. You should know that from there you have to go down a path of almost one kilometer in order to get to the beach.

If you love hiking you have this possibility as well. If you start from Kaliavani there is a three hours walk. This is in my opinion the most difficult way to reach the beach but it will definitely be a memorable experience. No matter how you choose to get to this corner of heaven make sure that you take everything you need with you: water, food, sunscreen, suitable clothing and footwear and a good camera. An underwater camera will be more than perfect.

You will be so impressed by the beauty of this place that you will not stop taking pictures! You should also know that there are lounge chairs and terraces on the beach that urge you to sit down and relax.
As I have already told you, Balos Beach is one of those places that you should definitely visit during your trip to Crete. It would be a real loss to miss this Greek jewel.

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