Is Mylopotas beach good?

Yes — it is one of the longest and most sheltered beaches in the Cyclades. The eastern section is calmer and better for families; the western end has beach clubs and watersports. The water is clear and the sand is good quality. It gets very busy in July and August.

How do I get to Manganari beach in Ios?

By summer caique (small boat) from Ios port — the simplest option, runs daily in summer with morning departure and afternoon return, approximately €12–€15 return as of 2026. By road the route involves a rough track that requires a 4WD or confident quad riding. The boat is recommended for most visitors.

Are there quiet beaches in Ios away from the party scene?

Yes — Manganari (south coast, boat access), Agia Theodoti (north-east coast, road access), and Psathi (east coast) are all significantly quieter than Mylopotas. Koumbara (west of port, walking distance) is popular with people wanting to escape the beach bar scene.

Ios Beaches Guide | The Greece Guides

Ios has better beaches than its party island reputation suggests. Mylopotas is the main one and genuinely very good — long, sandy, and sheltered from the worst of the summer meltemi. But the island’s other beaches, mostly on the south and east coasts, are less visited and in some cases more beautiful. This guide covers them all.

Mylopotas Beach

The main beach, 3km from the Chora by road or a 30-minute walk down the hillside. Approximately 1.2km of dark golden sand in a wide south-facing bay. The water is clear and usually calmer than the north-facing Cyclades beaches because the prevailing meltemi wind blows from the north and this bay is partially protected by the hills.

The beach has a distinct character shift along its length:

Western section (right when facing the sea): The backpacker and party end — camping sites above the beach, beach bars with music, banana boats and watersports operations. Lively from late morning onwards; louder as the day goes on.

Central section: The main beach club area with sunbeds, umbrellas, food, drinks, and watersports hire. Busy and commercial but well-organised.

Eastern section (left when facing the sea): The quietest end of Mylopotas. Fewer sunbeds, less music, more space. Families and couples tend towards this end. The water quality is the same across the whole beach.

Watersports: Wind conditions at Mylopotas make it one of the better windsurfing beaches in the smaller Cyclades — the south-west aspect catches the afternoon breeze well. Windsurfer and paddleboard hire is available at the central beach operators.

Getting there: Bus from Ios port and Chora runs frequently in summer (every 20–30 minutes in peak season, fare approximately €2). Taxi from port or Chora approximately €6–€8.

Manganari Beach

The most impressive beach on Ios and the one most worth the effort to reach. Manganari is a series of three connected bays on the south coast, each with fine pale sand and water that is calmer and clearer than the main Mylopotas bay. The southerly aspect and sheltering headlands mean Manganari stays swimmable when wind picks up elsewhere.

The total beach is around 1km of sand divided between the three bays. A small taverna serves each section. Numbers here are lower than Mylopotas even in peak season — the difficulty of reaching it keeps day-tripper volumes down.

Getting there:

By boat: The easiest option. Summer caique boats run from Ios port (Ormos) daily in summer. The journey takes approximately 40–50 minutes, passing the south coast. Check the current schedule and price at the port when you arrive — approximately €12–€15 return as of 2026, with morning departure and afternoon return.

By road: A 4WD track runs from the main island road south to Manganari. The last section involves rough terrain and is not suitable for scooters or standard cars. If you have hired a quad or 4WD, the drive is about 25–30 minutes from Ios village and the route passes several viewpoints worth stopping for.

Koumbara Beach

A small, rocky beach 20 minutes’ walk west of Ios port along the coastal path. No facilities, no sunbeds, no music — an immediate contrast to the Mylopotas experience. The swimming is good in clear water with a rocky sea floor; bring your own snorkelling gear for the best use of the underwater visibility. The cliffs around the beach give afternoon shade.

Koumbara is popular with people staying in Ios for a week or more who have tired of the main beach. There is an informal naturist tradition at this beach, though it is not exclusively nudist.

Getting there: Walk west from Ios port along the path that follows the coast. The path is rough in sections — wear shoes rather than flip-flops. No vehicle access.

Agia Theodoti Beach

A wider, sandier beach on the north-east coast accessed by road from the main island route. More family-friendly than Mylopotas’s western section and significantly quieter. The beach has a small chapel (the source of the name), a taverna in season, and road parking behind the beach. The water here is more exposed to the north and can be choppy when the meltemi is strong — better in calmer conditions.

Getting there: From the main road heading north from Ios village, follow the signs towards Agia Theodoti. Paved road, suitable for scooters. About 20 minutes from Ios Chora.

Psathi Beach

A small fishing village beach on the east coast, quiet and almost completely undeveloped. A handful of boats are usually moored here; the small harbour has a simple café that operates through summer. The beach itself is a short stretch of pebble and coarse sand — not for sunbathing but excellent for swimming in calm water.

Psathi suits travellers with a rental vehicle who want to see the less-visited side of Ios. The drive across the island from the Chora gives good views of the interior landscape.

Getting there: Road access from the main island route. Suitable for scooters. About 15 minutes from Ios Chora.

Kalamos Beach

A small beach on the south-east coast, accessible by boat or a rough track. Included on some of the boat tour itineraries from Ios port. The setting is pleasant — sheltered cove, clear water — and it is quiet because of the limited access. Worth including if you are taking a boat trip around the south coast.

Practical Beach Notes

Transport: Buses serve Mylopotas only. For all other beaches you need a rental vehicle or to join a boat trip. Scooter hire in Ios is approximately €20–€30 per day. For Manganari, the boat is the recommended approach for most people.

Sunbeds: Available on Mylopotas (from approximately €8–€12 per sunbed per day) and at Manganari (fewer, cheaper). All other beaches are bring-your-own.

Water quality: Ios has excellent water quality across all beaches. The European Blue Flag system has not historically rated Ios beaches (the infrastructure for formal applications is less developed on smaller islands) but independent water quality checks show consistently clean results.

Shade: Natural shade is limited on all Ios beaches. Bring an umbrella for all-day beach days, particularly at Koumbara and Agia Theodoti which have no facilities.

Meltemi note: In July and August, the north-facing beaches (Agia Theodoti) can be choppy. South-facing Manganari and west-facing Koumbara stay calmer in meltemi conditions. Mylopotas is partially sheltered and usually swimmable in all but the strongest wind events.

For the complete Ios island guide including where to stay and ferry connections, see our Ios travel guide. For things to do including Homer’s tomb, the Ios Chora, and island boat tours, see things to do in Ios. For restaurants in the Chora, the port, and Mylopotas, see best restaurants in Ios. Comparing party islands? See Mykonos vs Ios. Planning an island circuit? See the Greek island hopping itinerary.

Ios Beaches: Best Beaches on the Island Beyond Mylopotas