Boat trip to the island of Moni from Perdika, Aegina

Moni: the uninhabited island you have to cross to

Moni is a small island (barely 2 km2) visible from the west coast of Aegina, directly opposite Perdika and Marathonas beach. It is uninhabited apart from a wild colony of goats, deer and peacocks wandering among the pines. It has been a protected nature reserve since the 1960s, managed by the Greek hiking association, and it has exactly one piece of infrastructure: a small beach bar next to the only beach, open in summer.

Crossing to Moni is by some distance the best day of swimming you can have on Aegina. The water here is a turquoise you will not find on any other Saronic beach, the setting is close to untouched, and the fact that you are 30 minutes by boat from a port where pistachios sell at 8€ a bag adds to the desert-island effect.

How to do it (the two options)

Option 1: water taxi (“caique”) from Perdika. The most popular and the cheapest. Small boats leave every 30 to 45 minutes in summer (June to September) from the Perdika jetty. Return: 8-10€ per person. The crossing takes 10 to 15 minutes. You buy the ticket at the kiosk or straight from the skipper, they give you a rough time for the return and you are free to do as you like on the island. Last boat back around 18:30-19:00. Booking is impossible: it is first come, first served.

Option 2: organised tour with lunch. Some local operators (Atheniantours, Aegina Tours, Key Tours) run a full day combining Moni, Agistri and a swim at Metopi, with lunch on board. They leave from Aegina port itself or from Perdika on a private boat. Price: 50-90€, lunch included. It is the all-inclusive plan if you would rather organise nothing.

What you find when you land

Moni has a single main beach, on the east side of the island facing Aegina. It is a cove of fine sand and shingle, with that famous turquoise water thanks to the pale sandy bottom. There is a simple taverna-cum-beach-bar (open only in season) selling beer, slushies, salads and grilled octopus at weekends. Umbrellas and sunbeds for hire (6-10€).

Behind the beach a dirt path climbs into the wooded part of the island. This is where the animals turn up: semi-wild goats that come right up to you (do not feed them), peacocks fanning their tails, and occasionally a fawn. Twenty minutes’ walk brings you to a viewpoint with views over Aegina, Agistri and the mainland. The path is easy.

The real pain points (worth reading first)

Shade: very scarce on the beach. Bring an umbrella or hire one as you land.
Facilities: very basic. One bar, one public toilet (with a queue in August). Running drinking water from midday onwards, not before.
Food: the beach bar is honest and above board, but small. Bring a picnic if you are with a group or hungry children.
Mobile signal: patchy. Warn people before you go if you are expecting a call.
Pets: NOT allowed. It is a nature reserve and the animals are sensitive.
Goats: friendly but wild. Do not touch them or feed them (and a peacock can peck you too).
Snorkelling: very good. Clear water, plenty of fish, rocks on the south side. Bring fins and a mask.
Plan B if there is a southerly: if it blows hard, the caiques can cancel the return. Carry 30€ for emergencies and let your accommodation know if you get stuck.

The ideal half day

9:30 Leave Aegina Town by bus for Perdika (30 minutes).
10:30 Coffee on the Perdika marina, buy sandwiches at the port supermarket.
11:00 Caique to Moni.
11:30-16:00 Swimming, snorkelling, a walk to see the goats, lunch (beach bar or picnic).
16:30 Back to Perdika.
17:00 Early fish dinner on the Perdika marina.
19:00 Bus back to the port.

For around 20-25€ per person (transport plus boat plus a simple meal), you get one of the most distinctive days in the Saronic. It is far and away the best sea activity Aegina offers, and the one that pairs best with a more cultural day at the Temple of Aphaia and Agios Nektarios the next day. And unlike the cruises from Athens, here you are actually in the water, not on a boat with 80 tourists and a buffet.