Balos Beach in Chania, Crete, was inundated with tourists at the end of August, many of them struggling to keep steady among the intense throngs attracted to the pretty spot
The beach has become very popular (Image: warumpenny/Instagram)
A beautiful Greek beach has gone viral for all of the wrong reasons.
Some people are bucket-and-spade beachgoers. Others prefer to relax on the sand, enjoying a glass of wine. Some can spend hours splashing about in the waves.
However you prefer to enjoy a day at the beach, it’s unlikely your ideal seaside trip involves getting crushed by hundreds of fellow sunseekers scrabbling not to fall into the water.
That was the scene at Balos Beach in Crete at the end of August. Footage taken at the beautiful coastal spot shows it inundated with tourists, many struggling to keep steady among the intense throngs.
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In the roasting hot Greek weather, beachgoers were unable to move, packed as they were onto an increasingly popular beach on the north-east of the island. More tourists kept arriving by boat, even as it became apparent that Balos was full.
A video of the beach shared on Instagram has attracted more than a million views and hundreds of comments, many of them despairing about the crowds.
“I get that it’s beautiful and everyone wants to see this… BUT it’s a protected area! Maybe just let a few groups of people at a time go … and not a whole invasion … I’m Greek and this makes me sad … so please if you visit… respect that beautiful place,” one person wrote.
Another added: “Poor Balos. In a few years, this beautiful natural environment will be destroyed.” A third wrote: ” Pathetic. At least leave an unspoilt corner for us Greeks and go to Mykonos. Please.”
Efforts have been made to protect some of Crete’s best-loved beaches from the impacts of overtourism.
Balos Lagoon, Elafonisi and Falassarna are all protected under the European Union’s Natura 2000 network due to their ecological importance and rich biodiversity, according to Kathimerini.
Balos is known for its shallow turquoise waters and white and pink-tinged sand.
Giorgos Koukourakis, a special environmental adviser to the Municipality of Kissamos, told the publication: “We have had a problem with overpopulation for the past three or four years. Because these areas have such a good reputation, too many people go there.”
Some steps have already been taken, including limiting the number of sun loungers at Balos to 150, down from 400.
“But even this measure is not enough. When you have to manage 4,000 to 5,000 people a day, it is frightening,” Koukourakis added.
There are now proposals to control beach visits through an online booking system. Officials hope to have it ready next year.