Sarpa Beach, Perdika: I Came for the Cove and Stayed for the Island of Peacocks Just Offshore

Greece | Perdika | Aegina, Saronic Islands

I won’t pretend Sarpa itself is some vast, sprawling cove — it’s small, about 120 metres of sand and pebble tucked just before the village of Perdika, the kind of beach that ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack when measured against the other 439 beaches across Attica. What made the visit worthwhile wasn’t really the beach at all. It was looking out from the sand and realising the small green island sitting opposite, Moni, has no human residents whatsoever, and instead is home to peacocks, deer, wild kri-kri goats, and squirrels that apparently approach visitors without much fear at all.

Moni belongs to the Monastery of Chryssoleontissa on Aegina — moni simply means monastery in Greek, which is the whole explanation for the name. In the 1970s, the island ran as an organised campsite under the Hellenic Tourist Organisation, and the crumbling concrete bases and rusted iron still scattered under the pine trees are what’s left of that period. Higher up, on the conical peak, the remains of a German watchtower from the wartime Occupation sit at the end of a genuinely strenuous scramble over boulders and shrubs — built, from what I understand, to keep watch over this stretch of approach to Athens. I didn’t make the climb myself, but everyone I spoke to who had described the view from the top as worth the effort.

Getting There: 20–25 Minutes From Aegina Town by Car or Scooter, a Short KTEL Bus Plus a Walk

I drove down the coastal road from Aegina Town toward Perdika, and the whole trip took about 20 to 25 minutes — the road is paved the entire way and opens up genuinely nice views of Moni as you get closer. Just before entering Perdika itself, a small sign points left toward Sarpa.

Without a car, the local KTEL bus runs from the port to Perdika, and from the village drop-off, Sarpa is a pleasant walk of 10 to 15 minutes along a scenic path. I’d also seen a few people arrive by private boat, anchoring just off the beach, though I’d only attempt that myself with favourable wind.

The Beach: 120m of Sand and Pebble, Gentle Entry, A Beach Bar, and Tamarisk Shade

The descent into the water was gentle enough that I’d recommend water shoes more out of comfort than necessity. A small beach bar rented sunbeds and straw umbrellas at one end, with a relaxed, slightly bohemian feel to it, while a good stretch of the rest of the sand stayed free for anyone happy to lay a towel under the tamarisk trees instead. I went in with a mask for ten minutes and saw silver bream and a couple of wrasse moving around the rocks at the edge of the bay — nothing spectacular, but enough to make the short swim worthwhile.

There’s no restaurant directly on the beach itself, so if you want a proper meal rather than a coffee from the bar, you’ll need to walk the kilometre or so into Perdika village.

Moni Island: Boats From Perdika, an Organised Beach, and Animals That Come Looking for Snacks

Boats to Moni leave from Perdika’s small port and take roughly 7 to 10 minutes, arriving at an organised sandy beach on the island’s north side. A beach bar and restaurant operate there from late May through the end of August, with sunbeds and umbrellas available to rent. Beyond the beach, a pine forest climbs the slope, and the island’s animals — genuinely the main attraction, by my reckoning — wander close enough that I watched a child feeding a peacock from an outstretched hand without it flinching.

The rest of Moni is bare rock, rising to that conical peak with the old watchtower. The contrast between the lush pine half and the barren rocky half of the same small island is sharper in person than any photo I’d seen beforehand suggested it would be.

Sarpa Beach near Perdika is a modest 120-metre cove of sand and pebble, gentle entry, a small beach bar, and free tamarisk shade for anyone who doesn’t want to rent a sunbed — but the real reason I’d send someone here is what sits directly opposite: Moni Island, uninhabited by people, home to peacocks, deer, and wild goats, the ruins of a 1970s campsite under the pines, and a German watchtower from the war at the summit. 20–25 minutes from Aegina Town by car, a bus and short walk from the port, boats to Moni from Perdika in 7–10 minutes. If you’ve already covered the thermal history at Souvala Beach Aegina Greece on the island’s north coast, Sarpa and Moni make the natural southern counterpart for the same trip.

Drive to Perdika. Swim at Sarpa first. Take the boat to Moni and let the peacocks come to you.