# Chrissi Island Boat Trip from Ierapetra > Chrissi island boat trip from Ierapetra: crossing times, season, the May 2026 rules on landing and the juniper forest, beaches and practical tips. URL: https://theauthenticgreece.com/chrissi-island/ Last updated: 2026-10-24 --- Chrissi (also written Chrysi, and known locally as Gaidouronisi) is a low, sandy island about 8 nautical miles south of Ierapetra, famous for turquoise water, shell-white sand and a rare forest of ancient sea junipers. Day boats sail from Ierapetra in the summer season, but the rules have changed a lot since 2022: as of October 2026, visitors may not be landed on the island from boats, swimming is allowed only at designated beaches and the interior and juniper forest are off-limits. Go knowing that this is now a swimming and boat trip, not a day of walking around the island. ## Quick facts - **Where:** in the Libyan Sea, about 15 km south of Ierapetra, Lasithi. - **Crossing:** around 50 minutes to 1 hour each way from Ierapetra harbour. - **Season:** excursions run roughly May to October, weather permitting. - **Protection:** Natura 2000 site and wildlife refuge; no landing from boats, no access to the interior (rules dated May 2026). - **Facilities:** do not count on any on the island; bring water, food and sun protection. - **Time needed:** a full day, usually late morning to late afternoon. ## What makes Chrissi special Chrissi is flat and small, under 5 square kilometres in area, and its highest point is barely 30 metres above the sea. The name means golden, from the pale sand made largely of crushed shells. The water around it is shallow and exceptionally clear, which is why the island became the most popular boat trip on the south coast of Crete. Its real value is ecological. The central part of the island is covered by dunes with one of the most important stands of *Juniperus macrocarpa* (large-fruited juniper) in Greece, often wrongly called cedars. Many of these trees are centuries old, growing slowly in sand with almost no fresh water. Along the north shore, layers of fossilised shells are exposed in the rock, and near the western end stand the small chapel of Agios Nikolaos and a solar-powered lighthouse. The island was inhabited in Minoan and Roman times, and remains of buildings and rock-cut tombs survive near the chapel. Decades of mass tourism damaged this fragile landscape. Visitors trampled the dunes, rested and picnicked under the junipers, and illegal summer camps appeared every year. In 2020 the Forestry Directorate warned that a large share of the old junipers had dried out, and the state began restricting access. ## Current rules for visiting Chrissi (as of October 2026) Rules have been tightened step by step, and they can change from one year to the next. Here is the sequence, with dates, so you can judge what applies when you travel. - **2022 to 2025:** each year, the Decentralised Administration of Crete published a decision banning the landing of visitors from any type of boat between 1 May and 31 October. Boats could still circle the island and stop near the beaches so passengers could swim, but visitors could not enter the interior or use the shade of the junipers. - **22 May 2026:** a new decision of the Ministry of Environment was published in the Government Gazette, valid for two years (with a possible one-year extension). It keeps the ban on landing visitors by any means, allows swimming only at officially designated beaches, bans access to the interior and the use of juniper shade in the protected habitat, and ties any future landing and boat approach to piers planned under the island’s management plan. The Coast Guard enforces the rules at sea. - **Camping and overnight stays:** not allowed. The island is a protected wildlife refuge, and makeshift summer camps were cleared by the authorities from 2022 onwards. There is no accommodation on Chrissi. - **Collecting:** taking sand, shells, fossils, stones or plants is forbidden. - **Fires, rubbish and drones:** lighting fires is forbidden; take everything you bring back with you. If you plan to fly a drone, check the rules for protected areas first. In practice, during the 2026 summer season excursion boats from Ierapetra continued to advertise trips that anchor off the island, with passengers swimming from the boat towards the beach instead of walking ashore on a jetty. Because the 2026 decision links boat approaches to piers that are still to be built, arrangements could change at short notice. Before booking, ask the operator exactly where the boat stops, whether you can reach a beach, and how long the stop lasts, and check with the Ierapetra Port Authority if in doubt. ## How the boat trip works Boats leave from the harbour in Ierapetra, usually late in the morning, and return in the late afternoon, giving several hours at the island. The crossing takes around 50 minutes to an hour on the larger boats; faster and smaller boats take less. The south coast is often calmer than the north in summer, but strong winds can still cancel sailings, particularly in July and August. Most boats have a bar selling snacks, sandwiches and drinks. Some run longer trips with snorkelling stops or meals on board. Prices vary with the type of boat and what is included; in 2026 ordinary day trips were advertised at roughly €35 to €45 per adult, with reductions for children. Treat these figures as a guide and check the current price when you book. Because you may need to swim some distance to reach a beach, the trip is not ideal for weak swimmers, young children or anyone with limited mobility. Most boats carry life jackets and some provide floats or noodles. Ask before booking if this matters to you. ## The beaches The best-known beach is the one on the north side often called Golden Beach (Belegrina), with fine pale sand and shallow, glassy water. Along this shore you can see the fossil beds from the water. Smaller sandy coves line the rest of the coast. Under the current rules you should only use beaches that are marked as designated, keep off the dunes, and never sit under the junipers, even for shade. ## Is the Chrissi boat trip worth it? If you are staying in Ierapetra, Makrigialos or anywhere along the south-east coast, it is still one of the best sea days in the region, with water as clear as any in Crete. If you expect to walk across the island, picnic in the juniper forest and lie on the sand all afternoon, you will be disappointed: that is no longer allowed, and the restrictions exist for good reasons. From the north coast resorts the trip makes a long day, because Ierapetra is about an hour by car from Agios Nikolaos and over an hour and a half from Heraklion. If you want a similar colour of water with a full beach day and no restrictions, consider the best beaches of the east such as Vai, Xerokampos or Kouremenos instead. Our [best beaches in Crete](https://theauthenticgreece.com/best-beaches-in-crete/) guide compares them region by region. And if you prefer a boat trip with history as well as swimming, the boats from Elounda and Plaka to [Spinalonga island](https://theauthenticgreece.com/spinalonga/) are a strong alternative. ## Getting to Ierapetra Ierapetra is the main town on the south-east coast of Crete and is often described as Europe’s southernmost town. It is around 35 km from Agios Nikolaos across the narrow isthmus of Crete, and around 100 km from Heraklion. Buses run from Agios Nikolaos and Heraklion, but if you want to catch a morning boat from further away, a car makes the day much easier. There is parking near the harbour. Our [Lasithi travel guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/lasithi-travel-guide/) covers Ierapetra, the south-east coast and the rest of the region. ## How to fit Chrissi into a Crete trip Chrissi works best on a trip that includes the east. Spend a few nights in Agios Nikolaos, Elounda or along the south-east coast, and combine the boat with the Lasithi Plateau, Spinalonga and the far east around Sitia. If your trip is focused on the west, as in our [one-week Crete road trip](https://theauthenticgreece.com/crete-itinerary/), it is too far for a day out. For bases in the east, see our guide on [where to stay in Crete](https://theauthenticgreece.com/where-to-stay-in-crete/). ## Practical tips - **Confirm the current rules** with your boat operator before you book; they were introduced in 2022, renewed in later years and revised in May 2026. - **Bring water and food** even if there is a bar on board, plus a hat and high-factor sun cream; there is little or no shade you are allowed to use. - **Wear reef or water shoes** if you have them; parts of the shore are rocky. - **Take a dry bag** for your phone and valuables if you plan to swim ashore. - **Check the wind forecast** the day before; trips can be cancelled at short notice. - **Leave everything as you found it:** no shells, no sand, no fossils, and no rubbish left behind. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can you still visit Chrissi island? You can join a boat trip from Ierapetra and swim at designated beaches, but under rules renewed in May 2026 visitors may not be landed on the island from boats or enter the interior. Confirm the current arrangements with your boat operator before booking. ### Can you stay overnight or camp on Chrissi? No. Chrissi is a protected wildlife refuge and Natura 2000 site with no accommodation, and camping and overnight stays are not allowed. Illegal summer camps were cleared by the authorities from 2022 onwards. ### How long is the boat ride from Ierapetra to Chrissi? Around 50 minutes to an hour on the regular excursion boats, less on smaller fast boats. Trips usually leave late in the morning and return in the late afternoon. ### Why is the Chrissi juniper forest protected? Chrissi has one of the most important stands of large-fruited juniper in Greece, with many trees centuries old. Trampling, camping and heavy summer visitor numbers damaged the dunes and trees, so visitors are no longer allowed in the interior or in the shade of the junipers. ### When is the best time to visit Chrissi? June and September offer warm water and calmer conditions than July and August, when strong winds can cancel sailings. Boats generally run from May to October. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can you still visit Chrissi island? You can join a boat trip from Ierapetra and swim at designated beaches, but under rules renewed in May 2026 visitors may not be landed on the island from boats or enter the interior. Confirm the current arrangements with your boat operator before booking. ### Can you stay overnight or camp on Chrissi? No. Chrissi is a protected wildlife refuge and Natura 2000 site with no accommodation, and camping and overnight stays are not allowed. Illegal summer camps were cleared by the authorities from 2022 onwards. ### How long is the boat ride from Ierapetra to Chrissi? Around 50 minutes to an hour on the regular excursion boats, less on smaller fast boats. Trips usually leave late in the morning and return in the late afternoon. ### Why is the Chrissi juniper forest protected? Chrissi has one of the most important stands of large-fruited juniper in Greece, with many trees centuries old. Trampling, camping and heavy summer visitor numbers damaged the dunes and trees, so visitors are no longer allowed in the interior or in the shade of the junipers. ### When is the best time to visit Chrissi? June and September offer warm water and calmer conditions than July and August, when strong winds can cancel sailings. Boats generally run from May to October.