open mind, empty stomach

Mykonos is the biggest party island in Greece and is rivaled only by Ibiza, Spain as the premier party destination in Europe. Visiting such a place was a radical departure from my travels in southeast Asia. My time spent in Mykonos consisted of partying all night and sleeping on the beach during the daytime. It was a vacation from my vacation and quite an experience.
The first thing that I noticed about Mykonos is that it is EXPENSIVE; really, really expensive. The cheapest hotel room I could find was 43 euros for a shack with a bed in it and communal bathroom. I opted to sleep on the ground at Paradise Beach for 10 euros a night. It is 15 euros to sleep with a tent and you must buy the tent. A coffee is 4 euros, covers to clubs are 20-30 euros, beers are 8 euros, and a vodka red bull is 12 euros. It is 23 euros per day for a scooter rental and 34 for a quad. In Santorini the prices are 15 euros and 20 euros respectively. Food isn’t cheap either and I only had one proper meal while on island.
While the price tag for a visit to Mykonos is high, it is for good reason. If you like to party, Mykonos is the place to be in mid-August. Most of the visitors were from Italy, but there is also a strong showing from Greece, Spain, and France. There are literally thousands of very attractive girls that come to party and they compliment the natural beauty of the beaches rather nicely. Paradise Beach is the biggest party spot on island and was a great home base for my time in Mykonos.
I ventured to Mykonos town each day (by bus!) and managed to catch a sunset by the windmills, meet a fellow couchsurfer and have an excellent meal. The restaurants are quite pricey, but I stumbled upon Niko’s Taverna where I had a relatively inexpensive and delicious lunch. The daily special was octopus pasta and I washed it down with .5 L of the house rose. With the exception of a pizza, everything else I ate in Mykonos was some form of gyros.
Mykonos does not offer much outside of partying and beaches and is very expensive. If partying and the beach are what you’re after, and you can afford it, Mykonos is the place to be. I’m glad I got to experience Mykonos at its finest and recommend you do the same if you love to party.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.