Bali

The seaside resort of Bali is located in a large gulf, 30km east of Rethymno and 43km west of Heraklion. Next to the village passes the National Road linking Heraklion and Rethymno, making Bali accessible from any part of the island. It is ideal for family and romantic holidays. Bali has four beaches, which are formed in sandy coves with nice greenish waters. The beaches are almost always calm since the bay of Bali faces the west. They all are suitable for children and well organized. Moreover, water is cool because of the several springs around that carry fresh water into the sea from Psiloritis Range.

Bali is built on the site of the ancient city Astali, which was the port of Axos. Astali is linked to  the town where the legendary giant of Crete, Talos, stopped during his journeys. Thus, the mountains south of the village are called Talean Mountains, after Talos. During the Venetian Era, this name was paraphrased to Atali, a name that is still lives in the nearby monastery of Attali. The present name originates from the Turkish era; balli in Turkish means "honey" and the area was named so because of the many beehives. According to another version, the fishing village was named Bali after the Turkish word ballik, which means fish.

Today, Bali is a modern resort with a wide variety of taverns, restaurants, small shops, a diving school, bars, discos, a clinic and a pharmacy. Moreover, buses from Heraklion and Rethymnon run to Bali. Furthermore, from the local harbor, excursion boats run daily to Rethymnon. The passengers have the chance to admire a unique coastline with beautiful caves and rock formations. The main attractions of the region are the Monastery Atali (1635), dedicated to St. John, and the church of Panagia Charakiani.