Bali Beach

A popular tourist resort, the area of Bali is ideal for a quiet family holiday. It sits on the side of an ancient town – Astali, which the Venetians later shortened to Atali before the Turks gave it its present name. Here you will find all standard amenities including a doctor and a pharmacy and many shops. Within the village, you will find a great number of hotels, apartments and rooms for rent, as well as restaurants and tavernas with fresh fish and Cretan delicacies. In the summer months, a ‘water taxi’ route operates that can ferry people too and from Rethymno. Bali is located between Rethymno (30 km) and Heraklion (53 km) and is easily accessible for visitors flying into Heraklion.

Bali has five sheltered beaches – all sandy and with greeny-grey crystal waters and a small harbour. For lovers of water-sports, Bali also has a diving school. The first beach you encounter when entering Bali is the largest of all. It is well-equipped and attracts a large crowd in the summer. The second beach lies a little to the east – it, however, has no infrastructure and therefore fewer visitors. The third beach is small and sheltered, with sand and clear waters – it used to be unorganized but now has lovely fresh-fish tavernas as well as hotels and apartments to rent all around. Here we also find the small port; it is reasonably organized and you will find all you need nearby. The fifth and final strand is the most scenic of all; organized, with umbrellas and sunbeds, it does not boast the same array of amenities that the others can but that might be why many visitors prefer it.

When here, remember to pay a visit to the Attalis Monastery that was built in the 17th century AD, and is dedicated to Agios Ioannis. The ancient town on which Bali currently stands was called Astali and later became Porto di Atali by the Venetians. This explains why the monastery still carries the name Attali. Continuing eastwards, the next beach we encounter is Livadi and afterwards Glaros and Korakia.