Crete Balos, Greece

No town nearby. No stay checked for this spot yet: Chania, 40 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CHQ (CHQ), 51 km.

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About Crete Balos

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces W, so wind from the E blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 23°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing W. Wind from the W blows onshore, wind from the E blows out to sea, and wind from the N or S runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 4). The sea is about 16°C in February, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 26°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For windsurfing at intermediate level the best months are usually January, February and March, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No stay checked for this spot yet: Chania, 40 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CHQ (CHQ), 51 km.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 20 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to CHQ, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB).
See flights ORD → CHQ · Skyscanner from about £525 returnAd
Getting there. 1 h 10 from the airport to Crete Balos.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this spot yet: Chania, 40 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CHQ (CHQ), 51 km.
Hire and lessons.
Windsurfing lessons in Crete Balos · GetYourGuideAd Board and rig hire in Crete Balos · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Crete Balos on Google Maps · Directions

Windsurf spot

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 26: 13 kn gusting 18, side-onshore. Water: chop.

The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

Wind forecast and score for each day at Crete Balos
Day	Score	Wind	Gusts	Shore	Water
Sun 18Oct	14, poor	wind from the west-south-west, 10 knots	14kn	on	chop
Mon 19Oct	0, poor	wind from the north-west, 6 knots	10kn	side-on	flat
Tue 20Oct	0, poor	wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots	6kn	offnot safe	flat
Wed 21Oct	0, poor	wind from the east, 11 knots	15kn	offnot safe	flat
Thu 22Oct	0, poor	wind from the east-south-east, 7 knots	10kn	offnot safe	flat
Fri 23Oct	0, poor	wind from the east-south-east, 5 knots	8kn	offnot safe	flat
Sat 24Oct	0, poor	wind from the east-north-east, 14 knots	18kn	offnot safe	chop
Sun 25Oct	25, poor	wind from the west, 11 knots	15kn	on	chop
Mon 26Oct	76, good	wind from the west-north-west, 13 knots	18kn	side-on	chop
Tue 27Oct	0, poor	wind from the east, 13 knots	18kn	offnot safe	chop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

Jan3of 7
Feb3of 7
Mar3of 7
Apr2of 7
May1of 7
Jun1of 7
Jul1of 7
Aug1of 7
Sep1of 7
Oct1of 7
Nov2of 7
Dec2of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Fly ORD to CHQ, changing at DUB, then 1h 10 by road. About 20h 20 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 6, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 15, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Not enough of the right wind: 7 kn gusting 10, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 8, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Not enough of the right wind: 14 kn gusting 18, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly ORD to CHQ, changing at DUB, then 1h 10 by road. About 20h 20 door to door

Rough cost

About £785–£1,565 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. No town nearby, so no stay is in it. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

Flights £525–£1,095
To the UK airport £35–£65
Hire car £70–£115
Food £155–£290

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Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

In the waterAd

Windsurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Board and rig hire · GetYourGuide

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