Moni Island & a Beach in Greece with Wild Peacocks

Less than one hour away from Athens, the island of Aegina welcomes its visitors with a laid back atmosphere, good food, wonderful sunsets, pistachio orchards, monasteries and ancient temples.

Is Moni Island the Best Beach Escape near Athens?

While the beaches aren’t up to par with some of the best Cretan beaches such as Agia Marina and Balos, there’s one beach in Aegina worth visiting.

This beach is on Moni Island, a small, rocky, uninhabited islet surrounded by the deep blue waters of the Saronic Gulf.

It may not be the best beach escape near Athens, but Moni is surely magic.

To me, Moni was the first beach by a forest, on an uninhabited island, where wild peacocks and deer roam around freely.

Where Is Moni Island?

Moni is an islet close to the southwestern shore of Aegina island.

The islet sits between Aegina and Agistri. It contributes to the magnificent sunset scenery that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to Aegina each year.

Moni island belongs to the municipality of Aegina and it is a wild territory with an organized beach like no other in this area.

How To Visit Moni Island from Athens?

Coming from Aegina, all you need to get to Moni is to take a water taxi from either Perdika or Aegina Town. Boats depart every 30 minutes or so. Make sure you check the current schedules before you plan your day.

If you’re in Athens and you fancy a visit to Moni, check out this private cruise that departs from Glyfada in Athens and takes you to Hydra, Aegina, Agistri, Poros and Moni.

Moni Beach Bar & Beyond

As you arrive by boat, the Moni beach bar is the first thing you come across. Sunbeds and umbrellas are scattered all over around the bar, on the sandy beach, on the neighboring rocks and even under the pine trees.

There’s no need to sit on the Moni island beach, if you don’t want to. You can find a spot somewhere on its shores, where the water is crystal clear and there are barely any other people.

The pine trees area starts just behind the bar. You can take the narrow paths to the other side of the islet or to the top of the hill. Wild peacocks and deer roam around freely. They don’t fear humans, so you’ll have the opportunity to take some great shots.

If you go to Moni Island in high-season, you may need to climb a little to meet the deer, but the birds would always come very close to the beach bar.

How To Spend One Day on Moni?

Get there early and grab a sunbed and a Greek frappe. Sip your drink while watching the boats bringing in dozens of visitors.

Once you get hot from the sun, go for a swim in the bay by the sandy beach. Get your snorkel with you. If you are a good swimmer, you can follow along the rocky coast line to your left.

Have an early lunch or a late breakfast. I recommend the refreshing Greek salad, but there are also other food options.

Now it’s time to put on your walking shoes, grab your camera and head over to the top of the island.

Just follow the trails through the pine trees and take frequent breaks to admire the breathtaking scenery that unfolds in front of you whenever you take a turn.

If you don’t feel like getting all the way to the top, you can descend to the cove on the opposite side of the sandy beach. That’s the perfect spot to sunbathe and to swim without having to put up with the crowds.

What To Take with You on Moni

The swimming suit, the snorkel and some money are a must. If you don’t want to eat at the beach bar, you’ll also need to bring sandwiches and drinking water. Also, bring your smartphone or a photo camera. The Moni island scenery is simply amazing.

The white boats and yachts contrast with the countless shades of deep blue, emerald and turquoise of the waters. This is Greece at its best and you won’t be able to take your eyes off this heaven-like scenery.

There’s easy access into the turquoise waters from the sandy beach area. However, the other coves and beaches are rocky, so you’ll want to wear water shoes. If you want to hike to the top of the island, you’ll need to wear hiking sandals or hiking shoes.

Drinkable water is another thing you may want to take with you on Moni. You can get ice cold water from the beach bar, but if you want to save some time by not having to do the line, get one small bottle of water with you.

How To Get To Moni from Aegina?

You can get there by water taxi or by private boat from Perdika. The tours take about 10 minutes. The boats can take about 20 people and they go back and forth all day long.

During summer there’s also a water taxi to Moni from Aegina Town. You’ll find more info in the harbor.

This water travel takes about 15 minutes. Tickets are both ways and you need to pick a return time. Should you want to change this time or to return to Perdika instead, you’ll need to talk to the water taxi managers on Moni.

How To Get to Moni Island from Agistri?

There’s no direct way to go to Moni island from Agistri, unless you have your own boat or you take a private day cruise.

If you plan a Saronic islands hopping adventure, remember that Aegina ferries don’t stop on Moni, either, so you can’t include it in your itinerary.

However, if you want to enjoy a good swim, relaxing beach time and a hike amongst pine trees, wild peacocks and deer, jump on a water taxi to Moni as early in the day as possible and take the last boat of the day back to Perdika or to Aegina Town.

If you decide to go to Moni island, make sure you wear some good walking shoes. You”ll want to climb to the top of the island to take some photos of the lovely surroundings, Aegina, Peloponnese, etc.

Moni Island Photos

Here are a few photos to make you want to get to Moni during your next trip to Greece.