The Southern Party & Scenic Beaches: Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise and Elia

Protected from the northern Aegean wind by the spine of the island, the southern coast of Mykonos is a five-mile chain of south-facing bays separated by rocky granite headlands. Because the beaches are linked both by a coastal footpath / wooden water-taxi boats (kaikia) and by KTEL buses from Chora, you can easily swim at two or three different bays in a single day. Here is how they compare from west to east.

1. Paraga Beach & Agia Anna

Immediately east of Platys Gialos lies Paraga, a double bay split by a rocky promontory (where landmark sunset venue Scorpios perches on the cape). The northern half of Paraga has a free unorganized sand strip and a natural flat swimming rock in the middle of the bay, while the tiny neighboring pebble cove of Agia Anna hosts a traditional fisherman's grill right on the sand.

2. Paradise Beach & Super Paradise Beach (The Famous Party Bays)

• Paradise Beach (Kalamopodi, 20 mins by bus from Fabrika): a wide, crescent-shaped bay of coarse golden granite sand that was a legendary hippy camping beach in the 1960s and 1970s. Mornings in the afternoon are surprisingly calm and great for swimming and water sports; in the afternoon, the open-air beach clubs (Tropicana, Paradise Club and Cavo Paradiso on the cliff above) turn up the music.
• Super Paradise Beach (Plintri, Next bay east by boat or steep road): tucked inside a dramatic deep fjord-like granite bay with some of the most vivid, neon-turquoise water on the island. Divided between high-end beach clubs (Super Paradise and Jackie O') and an open sandy section on the right side of the cove.

3. Agrari Beach & Elia Beach (Best for Space, Relaxation & Crystal Water)

Continue east on the water taxi past Super Paradise to two bays that feel much more relaxed:

• Agrari Beach (The Local Secret on the South Coast): separated from Elia by a five-minute rocky footpath, Agrari is the quietest, most unspoiled bay on the southern water-taxi route, offering a wide beach of coarse golden sand, plenty of free towel space, and a single shaded family-run taverna right behind the tamarisk trees.
• Elia Beach (25 mins from Chora Old Port Bus): the longest continuous sandy beach in Mykonos, welcoming a relaxed mix of families, couples and LGBTQ+ travellers with water-skiing, parasailing and spacious sunloungers.