Beaches

The beaches on the island's south shore have the best sand, views, and wind protection. However, these days they are so popular that you'll have to negotiate a forest of beach umbrellas to find your square meter of sand. A few (Paradise, Super Paradise) are known as party beaches, and guarantee throbbing music and loud revelry until late at night. Others (Platis Yialos, Psarou, Ornos) are quieter and more popular with families. With all the south-coast beaches, keep in mind that most people begin to arrive in the early afternoon, and you can avoid the worst of the crowds by going in the morning. The north-coast beaches are less developed but just as beautiful. Since the buses and caïques don't yet make the trip, you'll have to rent a car or scooter; you'll be more than compensated for the trouble by the quiet and the lack of commercial development.

For those who can't wait to hit the beach, the closest to Mykonos town is Megali Ammos (Big Sand), about a 10-minute walk south -- it's very crowded and not particularly scenic. To the north, the beach nearest town is 2km (1 mile) away at Tourlos; however, since this is now where many ships dock at the new harbor, it's not a place for a relaxing swim. Ornos is popular with families; it's about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) south of town, and has a fine-sand beach in a sheltered bay with extensive hotel development along the shore. Buses to Ornos run hourly from the south station between 8am and 11pm.

Platis Yialos is the best first stop: Although the beach is unexceptional and likely to be extremely crowded, from here you can catch a caïque to the more distant beaches of Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari, and Elia. The bus runs every 15 minutes from 8am to 8pm, then every 30 minutes until midnight. Nearby Psarou is less overwhelmed by resort hotels and has a lovely pale-sand beach that also gets crowded. Its watersports facilities include Diving Center Psarou, water-skiing, and windsurfing. Paranga, farther east, can be reached easily on foot via an inland path from Platis Yialos; this small cove is popular for nude sunbathing and doesn't get too crowded.

Reach Paradise, the island's most famous beach, on foot from Platis Yialos (about 2km/1 mile), by bus, or by caïque. This was the island's original nude beach, and it still attracts many nudists. A stand of small trees provides some shade, and the beach is well protected from the predominant north winds. Several bars line the waterfront and pump out loud music day and night.

Super Paradise (Plindri) is in a rocky cove just around the headland from Paradise; it's somewhat less developed than its neighbor, but no less crowded. You can get to the beach on foot, by bus, and by caïque; if you go by car or moped, be very careful on the extremely steep and narrow access road. The left side of the beach is a nonstop party in summer, with loud music and dancing, while the right side is mostly nude and gay, with the exclusive Coco Club providing a relaxed ambience for its chic clientele. Farther east across the little peninsula is Agrari, a lovely cove sheltered by lush foliage, with a good little taverna and a beach that welcomes bathers in all modes of dress and undress.

Elia, a 45-minute caïque ride from Platis Yialos and the last regular stop, is a sand-and-pebble beach with crowds nearly as overwhelming as at Paradise and minimal shade. Nevertheless, this beautiful beach is one of the longest on the island. Popular with gay travelers, it's also accessible by bus. The next major beach is Kalo Livadi (Good Pasture). Located in a farming valley, this long, beautiful beach is about as quiet as a beach on Mykonos gets. There's bus service from Mykonos town's north station. Adjacent to the beach are a taverna and a few villas and hotels on the hills.

The last resort area on the southern coast accessible by bus from the north station is Kalafatis. This fishing village was once the port of the ancient citadel of Mykonos, which dominated the little peninsula to the west. A line of trees separates the beach from the rows of buildings that have grown up along the road. This is one of the longest beaches on Mykonos, and its days of being uncrowded are, alas, over. Adjacent to Kalafatis in a tiny cove is lovely Ayia Anna, a short stretch of sand with a score of umbrellas. Several kilometers farther east, accessible by a fairly good road from Kalafatis, is Lia, which has fine sand, clear water, bamboo windbreaks, and a small taverna.

Most of the north coast beaches are too windy to be of interest to anyone other than windsurfers -- the long fine-sand beach at Ftelia would be one of the best on the island if it didn't receive the unbroken force of the north wind. There are, however, two well-sheltered northern beaches, and because you can only reach them by car or moped, they're much less crowded than the southern beaches. Head east from Mykonos town on the road to Ano Mera, turning left after 1.5km (1 mile) on the road to Ayios Sostis and Panormos. At Panormos, you'll find a cove with 100m (328 ft.) of fine sand backed by low dunes. Another 1km ( 3/4 mile) down the road is Ayios Sostis, a lovely small beach just below a village. There isn't any parking, so it's best to leave your vehicle along the main road and walk 200m (656 ft.) down through the village. An excellent small taverna just up from the beach operates without electricity, so it's open only during daylight hours. Both Panormos and Ayios Sostis have few amenities -- no beach umbrellas, bars, or snack shops -- but they do offer a break from the crowds.

Beaches to avoid on Mykonos because of pollution, noise, and crowds include Tourlos and Korfos Bay.

With so many sun-worshippers on Mykonos, local merchants have figured out that they can charge pretty steep prices for suntan lotions and sunscreens. You might want to bring some with you. If you want to try a Greek brand, the oddly named Carrot Milk is excellent.

Beach Notes--Activity on the beaches is highly seasonal, and all the information offered here pertains only to the months of June through September. The prevailing winds on Mykonos (and throughout the Cyclades) blow from the north, which is why the southern beaches are the most protected and calm. The exception to this rule is a southern wind that occurs periodically during the summer, making the northern beaches more desirable for sunning and swimming. In Mykonos town, this southern wind is heralded by particularly hot temperatures and perfect calm in the harbor. On such days, those in the know will avoid Paradise, Super Paradise, and Elia, heading instead to the northern beaches of Ayios Sostis and Panormos -- or simply choose another activity for the day.