I truly believe each of the Cyclade islands has their own unique selling point, Santorini has its famous sunset, Mykonos has the parties, and Paros has the bougainvillea, and for me, Milos wins hands down when it comes to beaches.

Flying into the island you are treated to a birds eye view of the surrounding turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea and the sandy beaches that line the shores. But these aren't just any beaches, they are all different, and I often felt like I was walking on the moon rather than on earth...

Sarakiniko Beach

Probably the most recognisable and moonlike out of all the beaches, Sarakiniko Beach is made up of white rock that has been eroded by the wind and sea. The beach is easy to reach with parking at the top and a fairly simple walk down, the rock can get slippy when wet.

The entire area is formed of incredible volcanic rock formations and is one of the most photographed spots on the island. There is no vegetation at all so remember to bring your sunglasses because the sun reflects off the rock, creating a bright white glare.

Firopotamos Beach

I absolutely love the name of this beach and I ended up calling it the Hippo Beach the whole time I was there. This small beach sits opposite a quaint fishing village with water so blue you might believe you have jumped into a painting.

Firopotamos Beach is one of the most accessible and is located close to the main town of Plaka, the water is crystal clear and it is very family friendly. You can even stay in the little fishing houses if you wish!

Tsigrado Beach

I wanted to go to Tsigrado Beach as soon as I saw a photo, but I stupidly thought the ladder was there for decor... But no, the ladder really does serve its purpose. The beach sits on the south coast of the island below a steep cliff.

You have to carefully walk down from the small parking area to the top of the cliff, here you are greeted by the first ladder, followed by a rope that you hold onto when squeezing through a narrow corridor of the rock. Once you get to the end of the corridor you are greeted by an incredible view of the Aegean and birds eye view of the beach. You must then carefully make your way down the second ladder and jump off the end before relaxing on the beach.

The beach is popular yet fairly small, the water is crystal clear and brilliant for swimming. You can also find a cave if you swim to the left. Tsigrado is the perfect beach for a windy day as it is sheltered in a cove. There are no facilities in the immediate area so make sure you go to the toilet before arriving onto the beach or you will need to climb all the way back up to the top and walk over to Fyriplaka Beach.

Fyriplaka Beach

Fyriplaka Beach is definitely one of the best beaches in Mykonos and one of the most popular. It boasts a long stretch of white sand which is gently lapped by turquoise waters, flanked on the other side by cliffs.

Fyriplaka is on the south side of the island, close to Tsigrado Beach, there is a good sized parking area at the top of the cliffs, you then need to walk down to the beach by foot. Straw umbrellas line the beach and these are the only means of shade, it is very sunny here and if you're not careful, you are at a high risk of sunburn, so please bring your factor 30 SPF! there is a convenient beach bar here that offers a range of snacks and drinks.

Papafragas Beach

Papafragas Beach is small and best seen from above, in fact there are numerous signs telling people NOT to walk down the dodgy looking rock staircase to reach the bottom. From the top it looks like a large natural swimming pool as water enters the short channel from a cave carved into the cliff side.

The beach is a short car ride from Pollonia and there is parking available. When driving close to this spot, you must turn into the gap in the large metal fences to find the parking area, we kept driving past it as it didn't look like a very welcoming entrance.

Kleftiko Beach

Kleftiko Beach is the hardest to get to, it is situated on a part of the island you are advised to avoid driving on, so this one is best visited by boat! the whole area is comprised of impressive rock formations springing up out of the sea which have created a number of natural caves and geological phenomena.

Like the majority of the island, the water is crystal clear and great for swimming, it's well worth bringing a snorkel and a pair of goggles too!

Useful links

Train bookings in Europe: Trainline

Car hire: RentalCars

Hotel bookings: Booking.com

Airport transfers: Kiwi taxis

Book trips and attractions: Getyourguide

Holiday home rentals: Vrbo