Bali: Protected Bay, Sheltered Beaches and the Nearby Atalis Monastery

Bali is a coastal settlement at an elevation of ten metres on the western shore of the protected bay of the same name. The small harbour and the beaches add specific coastal features to this geographical setting. The Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Atalis is also nearby, providing a cultural and historical point of interest in this coastal setting.

Coast and Harbour

The small harbour can accommodate medium-sized fishing and tourist boats. This describes a specific function of the harbour and adds a second coastal feature to the protected bay. Its function is distinct from that of the beaches: the harbour is described in terms of the boats it can accommodate, while the beaches are described in terms of their number, shelter from the wind and shoreline characteristics. If you are comparing Bali as a travel destination, these details can help you form a more precise picture than the general label of a coastal town.

Bali has five beaches, all sheltered from the wind. A tourism description published in 2015 also describes the beach area as four bays with sandy beaches, pebbles and green water. The two figures refer to different ways of categorising the coastal area: beaches and bays. Sand and pebbles describe different shoreline characteristics, while the colour of the water adds another specific detail. This gives you several concrete points of reference for imagining Bali as a coastal destination, rather than relying only on a general description of its beaches.

Atalis Monastery and Its History

The Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Atalis lies near the settlement of Bali, on a slope of the Talla Mountains. It was built at the end of the Venetian period, in the 16th to 17th century. Its location and construction date provide two distinct points of reference: the slope describes its position in the landscape, while the date places its construction in historical context. If you are interested in older architecture as well as the coast, the monastery offers a specific point of interest nearby.

Frescoes from the 14th century survive in the oldest, northern part of the katholikon. The refectory preserves frescoes from the 16th to 17th century; the description identifies them as the only frescoes in a monastery refectory in Crete. Two areas are relevant for placing the frescoes in time: the oldest, northern part of the katholikon and the refectory. The difference between the 14th century and the 16th to 17th century makes the chronological span of the fresco decoration clear.

A monumental fountain stands outside the monastery complex, about 80 metres to the southwest. It supplied the monastery with water. Its approximate distance and direction clearly place the fountain in relation to the monastery; its former role in supplying water adds a different aspect to the history of the monastery’s frescoes.

If you are looking for hotels in Bali, you can use these details to get a sense of the destination itself first: Bali is defined by its coastal location, harbour and beaches, while Atalis Monastery adds a historical point of interest nearby.

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Go to the main travel overview: Rethymno.