Located in the town of Kissamos in the northwestern part of Crete, Greece, Balos Beach - also known as Balos Lagoon or Chania Balos Beach - is an immensely popular long and wide white and pink sand beach with many rocky portions. This beach is recognized as one of the most photographed spots in Crete for its unparalleled natural beauty, turquoise waters, and white and pink sand. The sand gets its distinctive pink hue in some areas from crushed shells and coral fragments mixed with the white sand. The beach is positioned between the Cape Gramvousa and the small Cape Tigani and below the range of Platiskinos and has a beautiful backdrop of rocky outcrops, dunes, and coastal vegetation, including sea daffodils and juniper trees.
The beach is part of the Balos Lagoon and is formed by a shallow bay enclosed by the two small islands creating this natural lagoon, namely, Agria Gramvousa and Imeri Gramvoussa. Agria Gramvousa is rugged and uninhabited, whereas the other islet, Imeri Gramvousa, Crete, is famous for its historic Venetian fortress that played a crucial role during the Cretan War (1645–1669) and later served as a refuge for Greek rebels during the Greek War of Independence in the early 19th century, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding sea and Balos Lagoon. Interestingly, the Island of Gramvousa is home to the remnants of a rusty cargo ship that ran aground near the beach in the 1980s, but the exact cause is not yet documented. The shipwreck is now a rusting hulk, gradually being eroded by the sea and weather, and is a point of interest for tourists and photographers.
The area around the beach is part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network to ensure the survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. This protected natural reserve is home to various bird species, including falcons and cormorants, as well as the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).
