City Photos News Greece/Kissamos

Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:11:02 +0000

Balos beach.
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:10:55 +0000

Balos beach.
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos lagoon

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:54:03 +0000

Balos lagoon.
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos lagoon

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:53:57 +0000

Balos lagoon.
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos lagoon

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:47:58 +0000

Balos lagoon.
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Tourist ship at Balos lagoon

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:47:50 +0000

The tourist industry seems to be overdoing its task by bringing so many tourists to Balos beach. Crowds, crowds, and crowds is the word here on summer weekends. Also, loading / unloading capable ships, which operate here, is a problem as it takes lots of time (an hour, perhaps), to get everyone into smaller boats to deliver ashore. Idyllic lagoon of Balos with its turquoise blue water has a lovely sandy beach, pink shoreline and warm, shallow waters for swimming. However it can be very crowded. Some tourists behave indeed like the pirates, leaving floating plastic bags and bottles and traces of litter all over the coast... There is a problem with many beaches in Greece, Balos being no exception, that garbage in some (not all) areas is almost never collected / picked up. But despite all of this the scenery is beautiful here and you can find crystal clear clean water to swim if you walk a bit. If you visit this place please try to be sensitive to the environment. Leave only footsteps, take only memories. Perhaps pick up a bit of somebody else's garbage and dispose it properly. Thank you..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

New pack of tourists arrives

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:30:36 +0000

and others ready for departure... The tourist industry seems to be overdoing its task by bringing so many tourists to Balos beach. Crowds, crowds, and crowds is the word here on summer weekends. Also, loading / unloading capable ships, which operate here, is a problem as it takes lots of time (an hour, perhaps), to get everyone into smaller boats to deliver ashore. Idyllic lagoon of Balos with its turquoise blue water has a lovely sandy beach, pink shoreline and warm, shallow waters for swimming. However it can be very crowded. Some tourists behave indeed like the pirates, leaving floating plastic bags and bottles and traces of litter all over the coast... There is a problem with many beaches in Greece, Balos being no exception, that garbage in some (not all) areas is almost never collected / picked up. But despite all of this the scenery is beautiful here and you can find crystal clear clean water to swim if you walk a bit. If you visit this place please try to be sensitive to the environment. Leave only footsteps, take only memories. Perhaps pick up a bit of somebody else's garbage and dispose it properly. Thank you..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Tourists swimming from the ship to the shore

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:30:29 +0000

The tourist industry seems to be overdoing its task by bringing so many tourists to Balos beach. Crowds, crowds, and crowds is the word here on summer weekends. Also, loading / unloading this capable ship is a problem as it takes lots of time (an hour, perhaps), to get everyone into smaller boats to deliver ashore. Yet, there is a better option for those who can't wait: swim to the shore! Idyllic lagoon of Balos with its turquoise blue water has a lovely sandy beach, pink shoreline and warm, shallow waters for swimming. However it can be very crowded. Some tourists behave indeed like the pirates, leaving floating plastic bags and bottles and traces of litter all over the coast... There is a problem with many beaches in Greece, Balos being no exception, that garbage in some (not all) areas is almost never collected / picked up. But despite all of this the scenery is beautiful here and you can find crystal clear clean water to swim if you walk a bit. If you visit this place please try to be sensitive to the environment. Leave only footsteps, take only memories. Perhaps pick up a bit of somebody else's garbage and dispose it properly. Thank you..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Ship packed with tourists arrived to Balos lagoon

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:06:57 +0000

The tourist industry seems to be overdoing its task by bringing so many tourists to Balos beach. Crowds, crowds, and crowds is the word here on summer weekends. Also, loading / unloading this capable ship is a problem as it takes lots of time (an hour, perhaps), to get everyone into smaller boats to deliver ashore. Idyllic lagoon of Balos with its turquoise blue water has a lovely sandy beach, pink shoreline and warm, shallow waters for swimming. However it can be very crowded. Some tourists behave indeed like the pirates, leaving floating plastic bags and bottles and traces of litter all over the coast... There is a problem with many beaches in Greece, Balos being no exception, that garbage in some (not all) areas is almost never collected / picked up. But despite all of this the scenery is beautiful here and you can find crystal clear clean water to swim if you walk a bit. If you visit this place please try to be sensitive to the environment. Leave only footsteps, take only memories. Perhaps pick up a bit of somebody else's garbage and dispose it properly. Thank you..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Boat brings tourists to the shore

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:06:50 +0000

Idyllic lagoon of Balos with its turquoise blue water has a lovely sandy beach, pink shoreline and warm, shallow waters for swimming. However it can be very crowded. Some tourists behave indeed like the pirates, leaving floating plastic bags and bottles and traces of litter all over the coast... There is a problem with many beaches in Greece, Balos being no exception, that garbage in some (not all) areas is almost never collected / picked up. But despite all of this the scenery is beautiful here and you can find crystal clear clean water to swim if you walk a bit. If you visit this place please try to be sensitive to the environment. Leave only footsteps, take only memories. Perhaps pick up a bit of somebody else's garbage and dispose it properly. Thank you..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos, Gramvoussa peninsula

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:48:59 +0000

West of Kissamos and north of the small village of Kaliviani, stretches the impressive Gramvoussa peninsula. The peninsula is formed by steep rocks and is covered with thyme and origanum bushes and wild flowers. On the north west side of the peninsula opposite to the island of Gramvoussa (you see the island on this photo) is the wonderful beach of Balos. The beach (behind) is covered with fine white sand and is located between the two creeks of the Tigani cape. The same white sand covers the bottom of the sea and grants to the sea an emerald color. In front of the beach is the picturesque island of Gramvoussa and on the back is the Geroskinos mountain (altitude 762 m). The road from Kaliviani is a dirt road, with amazing view to the steep rocky seaside of the east side of the peninsula. The road ends about one km before the beach, and the visitor can follow a path down to Balos. You may see crowds of tourists here during peak summer season and on weekends. Multiple boats, capable of carrying hundreds of tourists, operate here between Kissamos port of Kasteli and this laguna..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:48:48 +0000

Balos is a wonderful place, surely worth a visit. If you can, use the road instead of going there by ship. It is a tough dirt road driving and you will need to walk down the hill (and upwards after that) for about 25 minutes, bit you will be rewarded with a views you are unlike to find anywhere else on the island. The only problem with Balos is crowds of tourists..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:33:13 +0000

You take the road going west and after Trachilos you turn toward Kaliviani. The asphalt stops and a sign (Gr/E) directs you to "Balos / Gramvoussa Peninsula" in the north. The Gramvoussa peninsula is a large piece of rock that sticks out into the sea and is covered with thorny bushes, marjoram, sage, thyme and thousands of wild flowers. A dry and barren place with steep rocky shores, it hides at its northwestern part one of the last paradise lands of Crete. In cape Tigani there is a very wide beach with fine white sand, which is known as Balos Beach. Behind it is the steep slope of Mount Geroskinos (762m), while in front of it lie two desert islands, Agria and Imeri Gramvoussa, which look like two pirate ships turned into stone. The water is shallow and warm, and the sea floor is covered with the same white sand, which gives the sea an emerald green colour like that of the tropical Pacific Islands... This place is good for camping, provided of course you have taken with you everything you need..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.

Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:33:07 +0000

Path to Balos beach

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:58:37 +0000

From the road, there are many amazing views to the steep rocky seaside of the east side of the peninsula. The road ends in about one km before the beach, and the visitor can follow a path down to Balos beach..
Kissamos, Greece, photo by Inga.