Visit the ‘Moon Beach’ of Greece! No need to fly to the moon, you can just fly to Milos. The moonscape of Sarakiniko beach in Milos is an absolute must-visit when you are island hopping in Greece.
To clarify: this Milos beach is not sandy, but it is white. The moonscape (the locals call it lunar) is actually white volcanic rock that’s shaped by wind and waves.
It’s no wonder that this area is one of the most photographed places in the Cyclades. The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, located southeast of mainland Greece.
In this guide, we will tell you all about Sarakiniko Beach!
Where is Sarakiniko Beach?
Let’s share a bit more about Sarakiniko Beach! Sarakiniko beach is located along the north coast of Milos island. Milos island is a volcanic Greek island north of Crete, and is the most southwestern island of the Cyclades.
How to Get to Milos
By Ferry
You can take a ferry to Milos directly from Athens (Piraeus), or from any of the Greek islands in the Cyclades. From Mykonos, Paros, or Santorini, for example.
You’ll most likely arrive at the main harbor of Milos: Adamas.
By Plane
If you come from Athens, you can take a domestic flight to Milos with Olympic Air. You can’t fly to Milos from any other location, and there’s only one carrier fulfilling these flights.
If you fly to Milos, you arrive at the domestic airport that’s located in the middle of the island.
How to Get to Sarakiniko Milos Beach
By ATV/Motorbike/Car
Sarakiniko Beach is only a short ride from the ferry port! You can navigate to the free Sarakiniko Parking. From there, it’s a short and straight walk towards the sea (max. 5 minutes).
We highly recommend that you rent an ATV or motorbike to explore the Greek island – ATV really works best with the Milos roads. But a car can work too (maybe get a 4×4 to be sure).
NOTE: if you’re from outside the EU, make sure to bring your international driver’s license!
By Bus
There’s a bus stop at Sarakiniko Parking! If you’re exploring Milos by bus, it’s easiest to stay near the ferry port, as most buses leave from there.
You can take a bus directly from the port to Sarakiniko! You can find the accurate timetables on milosbuses.com.
Buses to Sarakiniko run from mid-June until early October. In the other months, there’s no bus to Sarakiniko Beach.
By Taxi
You can also take a taxi to Sarakiniko. There are 15 taxis in Milos, make sure to reserve via milostaxis.com.
By Foot
It’s about a 45-minute walk from Adamantas to Sarakiniko – so if you’re into walking, that can be an option too.
By Cruise
You can book a gorgeous day trip around Milos on a sailing boat tour. The tour takes you to all the beautiful places on the Milos coast and other beautiful swim spots! The tour includes breakfast and lunch and takes 10 hours.
The 5 Best Photo Spots on Sarakiniko Beach
When you walk straight from the parking to the seaside, you’ll arrive at Sarakiniko. If you turn left and walk further, you’ll automatically find all the good photo spots!
NOTE: in summer (June-September), this beach gets crazy busy during the day, until sunset! If you want to take photos without people, go for sunrise (at least before 9 am) – or visit Milos off-season.
Let me be transparent: I’ve totally made up the titles of these photo spots!
- Rock at the Bay
After you walk straight from the parking, and take a left at the end, you’ll walk along the coast until you see an inlet/bay.
At the end of the inlet, there’s a very small sandy beach! From there, you can take a gorgeous photo from the rock that sticks out. Even better: have a model stand on the rock for perspective!
Traveling to Santorini too? Santorini is a very picturesque Greek island, and we will tell you all about the best Santorini photo spots!
- Sinkhole + Arch
I don’t think sinkhole is the appropriate term, but I couldn’t think of another one. There’s this pretty photo spot where there’s an arch and a little hole with a ‘pool’ where the ocean flows in and out.
- The Perfect Cliff
This most iconic cliff of Sarakiniko is right next to the sinkhole and arch, just walk up the arch and take a photo from below!
- Sarakiniko Beach from Above (With a Drone)
This entire area already looks spectacular from the beach itself, but there’s something about getting that other perspective from above!
NOTE: per January 1, 2021, there are new drone laws in Europe. Always fly safely and if you’re not licensed – fly with a drone that’s allowed. Like a DJI Mini 2.
- Your unique perspective!
I’d like to encourage you to walk around and find new angles and surprising spots at Sarakiniko Beach!
Sarakiniko Beach Milos Map
Here’s a complete map of the spots at Sarakiniko Beach, and I’ve included more Milos beaches (see the complete list at the end of this article).
Good to Know: Bring Water and Food
About Sarakiniko Beach: you have to bring your own drinks and food. On busier days, you can buy some snacks or refreshments at a mobile food truck in the Sarakiniko Parking area. But there’s no guarantee that the stand is there!
There are no other facilities or amenities at Sarakiniko Beach.
When you’re visiting Greece one of the important questions is: what Greek dishes do I have to try?! Read about the best Greece food you can eat!
Sarakiniko Beach Cliff Jumping
At the ‘Perfect Cliff’ photo spot, at the ‘end’ of Sarakiniko Beach, you can do cliff jumping if you’re into it! If you visit during the day, you’ll find plenty of people doing that.
The water at this spot is deep, and you can jump in from a lower cliff, or higher – whatever you’re comfortable with!
You’ll exit the water via the ‘sinkhole’. Make sure to check if the water is not too rough. Cliff jumping and swimming can be dangerous in windy conditions, as the big waves can push you to the rocks and cause accidents.
NOTE: please always be careful – there is no lifeguard, cliff jumping is not without risk, and beware of sea urchins.
Milos Caves at Sarakiniko Beach (Abandoned Mine Tunnels)
Milos has stunning caves on the south side of the island (the entire rocky coastline is just breathtaking!), but are also ‘caves’ at Sarakiniko Beach.
Actually, they are abandoned mine tunnels. Mining was Milos’ main source of income for ages.
Today, the two minerals bentonite and perlite are still extracted from the island. Underground mining doesn’t happen in Milos anymore.
If you’re into learning more about Milos’ mining history, visit the Milos Mining Museum in Adamantas. Or book a geological and volcanic guided tour!
You can find many entrances to the mine tunnels at Sarakiniko if you walk from the inlet/bay towards the area with more plants/trees. On your right hand (the bay in your back), you will find ‘holes’ in the wall.
These are the entrances to the tunnels. Bring a torch (or use the one on your phone), because it can get really dark inside the tunnels, and there might be some unexpected steps.
The old mine tunnels are a great place to escape the heat!
Sarakiniko Shipwreck
East of Sarakiniko Beach, there’s a shipwreck! You can walk from Sarakiniko beach east, and you will see some parts of the ship above the water.
On December 17, 2003, the tanker ‘Africa’ that experienced mechanical difficulties and drifted – out of control – to the coast of Milos.
The ship broke into two, luckily all passengers survived. And the tanker was empty, so there was no pollution.
The Sarakiniko shipwreck is actually a great place to snorkel – but always be careful with the rusty parts of the shipwreck.
TOP TIP: You can also drive your ATV or 4×4 closer to the shipwreck. The road is not great for motorbikes or 2×2 cars.
Sarakiniko Beach Hotels
Milos isn’t a very big island and if you’re renting transportation (like an ATV or motorbike) – you can easily travel to Sarakiniko Beach from Adamantas (where the port is).
But if you’re looking for the best Sarakiniko beach hotels nearby, we got you covered!
LUXURY SARAKINIKO HOTELS
Just a short walk away from Sarakiniko beach, Cave Suites Milos is an exceptional hotel in Milos. Every room has a patio with sea view and the owner will make sure you have an unforgettable experience!
MID-RANGE SARAKINIKO HOTELS
Another gorgeous hotel with beautiful sea view and a balcony! And there are rooms with a hot tub!
This hotel is adult only and is perfect if you’re looking for peace and quiet. The views, location, pool, and breakfast are incredible.
BUDGET SARAKINIKO HOTELS
This hotel is traditionally-built and the rooms have a gorgeous view overlooking Sarakiniko Beach and the Aegean Sea. The studios and apartments also have a kitchenette!
You don’t have to break the bank in order to stay close to Sarakiniko Beach! Sarakiniko Rooms is located only a short walk from the beach. Margarita, the owner, is very helpful, and they can arrange a shuttle service from/to the airport or ferry port.
More Milos Beaches
Milos is the perfect beach destination! There are countless beaches, but here’s a list of the 15 best ones on the island!
Beach is ‘Paralia’ in Greek, so on Google Maps you can also find the beaches with names like ‘Paralia Klima’ instead of ‘Klima Beach’.
- Klima Beach
- Plathiena Beach
- Firopotamos Beach
- Mandrakia Beach
- Alogomandra Beach
- Kapros Beach
- Papafragas Beach
- Pollonia Beach
- Hitana Beach
- Paleochori Beach
- Agia Kiriaki Beach (to go on a boat tour)
- Gerakas Beach
- Tsigrado Beach
- Fyriplaka Beach
- Kleftiko Beach
Enjoy your visit to Sarakiniko Beach! Do you have any questions? Drop them below or send us a message.
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