Super Paradise is one of Mykonos’s famous party beaches, a golden cove on the south coast known for its lively beach-club scene and its long-established, welcoming LGBTQ crowd, with venues like Jackie O’ Beach Club. This guide covers what the beach is like, the party, the gay scene, who it suits, how it compares with Paradise, how to visit and tips.
Super Paradise is a livelier, more inclusive sibling to Paradise within the Mykonos travel guide. The sections below cover the beach in full.
What is Super Paradise beach like?
Super Paradise is a beautiful golden cove of sand and clear, sheltered water on the south coast of Mykonos, famous as a lively party beach with a strong, welcoming LGBTQ presence. It blends swimming and sunbathing with beach clubs, DJs and a party atmosphere that builds through the day into the evening.
Super Paradise is one of the island’s best-known beaches, sitting in the next bay along from Paradise on the sheltered south coast. It is a beautiful cove of soft golden sand and clear, calm water, protected by the surrounding hills so swimming is lovely even when the meltemi blows. But Super Paradise is famous above all for its atmosphere: it is a celebrated party beach with beach clubs, DJs and a buzzing, social crowd, and it has a long, proud history as one of the most welcoming and inclusive LGBTQ-friendly beaches in the world, drawing a beautiful, mixed, international crowd. Once a hidden gay escape, it has evolved into a world-famous party destination that still keeps its open, inclusive spirit. The beach has two characters in one: relaxed swimming and sunbathing alongside a full-on party scene, set within the wider Mykonos beaches. The party builds through the day.
What is the party scene like?
The party scene at Super Paradise builds through the day, calm at midday and increasingly lively from mid-afternoon as the music gets louder and the beach clubs fill, peaking in the late afternoon and often running into the evening. Beach clubs and DJs drive the energy, making it a lively, music-filled beach rather than a quiet one.
Super Paradise runs to a daily rhythm that is part of its appeal. Late morning and midday tend to be calmer, good for swimming and sunbathing, but as the afternoon wears on the energy builds noticeably: the beach fills up, the music from the beach clubs grows louder, the drinks start flowing and the social atmosphere intensifies. By mid-to-late afternoon it becomes a full-on party, with DJ sets, dancing and a charged, celebratory mood that can spill on into the evening in peak season, so it is a beach to enjoy for the scene as much as the sand. The beach clubs, with their sunbeds, bars, restaurants and stages, drive the experience, offering food, cocktails and music from morning until the party peaks. It is loud, lively and fun rather than relaxing, so it suits those who want a music-filled, party beach day, set out alongside the guide to Mykonos nightlife. It is a landmark of the gay scene.
What is the LGBTQ scene at Super Paradise?
Super Paradise is one of Mykonos’s most famous LGBTQ-friendly beaches, openly gay-friendly rather than exclusively gay, with a strong, visible presence alongside a broad party crowd. The right-hand side near the famous Jackie O’ Beach Club is the gayest section, loved for its lively daytime parties, drag shows and sunset events.
Super Paradise has been a beloved destination for LGBTQ travellers for decades and remains central to Mykonos’s reputation as one of the world’s top gay-friendly islands. It is openly gay-friendly rather than strictly gay, with a strong, visible and well-established LGBTQ presence mingling with a broader international party crowd, in an atmosphere of easy acceptance. The right-hand side of the beach, as you face the sea, is the gayest section, anchored by the renowned Jackie O. Beach Club, among the island’s best-loved LGBTQ-friendly venues, loved for its daytime parties, drag shows, sunset events and fabulous, inclusive energy. Mykonos generally is regarded as one of the safest and most welcoming destinations in Europe for LGBTQ travellers, with the beach-club staff professional and used to a diverse clientele, and Super Paradise is at the heart of that scene, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Mykonos. It compares closely with Paradise.
How does Super Paradise compare with Paradise?
Paradise is the larger, more mainstream party beach with the biggest beach club and Cavo Paradiso nightclub above it, while Super Paradise is slightly more relaxed and famously LGBTQ-friendly, with its own beach clubs and the celebrated Jackie O’. Both are lively south-coast party beaches; the choice is one of crowd and nuance.
Super Paradise and Paradise are the two great party beaches of Mykonos, sitting close together on the south coast but with subtly different characters. Paradise is the larger, more mainstream party hub, home to the famous Paradise Beach Club and the Cavo Paradiso nightclub perched on the cliff above, with the biggest, most full-on day-and-night party scene and the camping and budget crowd. Super Paradise, in the next bay, has an equally strong party reputation but a slightly more laid-back, glamorous and inclusive feel, with its own beach clubs and the celebrated, LGBTQ-friendly Jackie O’ driving the scene, drawing a beautiful, mixed crowd. Both share golden sand, clear sheltered water and music-filled afternoons, so the choice comes down to nuance: Paradise for the full-throttle, mainstream party and the big nightclub above, Super Paradise for a slightly more relaxed, stylish and famously inclusive party scene. Many visitors sample both, set out alongside the guide to Paradise Beach. Getting there takes a little planning.
How do you get to Super Paradise?
You reach Super Paradise in about 15 minutes by car from Mykonos Town, with parking behind the beach, or by water taxi along the south coast. Public buses do not go directly, but a beach-club shuttle runs from the Fabrika terminal in town, so the water taxi, the shuttle, a taxi or driving are the ways in.
Super Paradise takes slightly more effort to reach than the most accessible beaches, but it is still easy. By car it is about a 15-minute drive from Mykonos Town, with a parking lot behind the beach, though spaces fill in peak season. The regular KTEL public buses do not serve Super Paradise directly, but there is a dedicated shuttle linked to the beach club that departs from the Fabrika bus terminal in town at intervals through the day, a handy option for those without a car. In summer, the south-coast water taxi is one of the most enjoyable ways to arrive, hopping over by boat from Platis Gialos, Paradise and the other beaches, so you can combine Super Paradise with a beach-hopping day. A taxi is another option, though taxis are scarce. Because of the late, lively scene, the water taxi or the shuttle are often the most practical ways to get to and from the beach, set out alongside the guide to getting around Mykonos. Knowing what to expect helps.
Who is it best for and what should you expect?
Super Paradise is best for party-lovers, a young, social crowd and LGBTQ travellers wanting a lively, inclusive beach with music and beach clubs, rather than families or those seeking peace. Expect beautiful swimming by day, a building party from mid-afternoon, high beach-club prices and a charged, fun atmosphere into the evening.
Super Paradise is a clear-cut choice depending on what you want from a beach. It is ideal for party-lovers, groups of friends, a young, social crowd and LGBTQ travellers seeking a lively, welcoming and inclusive beach with music, beach clubs and a buzzing atmosphere, and it is one of the best places on the island to combine swimming with a day-into-evening party. It is not the beach for families with young children or for travellers wanting a quiet, relaxing day, who are far better served by the calm bays of Ornos and Platis Gialos. Expect a beautiful cove with lovely swimming, especially in the calmer morning, a party that builds steadily from mid-afternoon, high prices for sunbeds, drinks and food at the beach clubs, and a charged, celebratory mood that can run into the evening in peak season. Come for the scene and the energy, set out alongside the guides to the beaches and the best time to visit. A few tips help.
What tips help for visiting Super Paradise?
The tips are to arrive in the calmer morning for swimming and a sunbed, to budget for high beach-club prices, to use the water taxi or shuttle rather than driving given the late scene, and to bring sun protection and cash. The party builds in the afternoon, so come early and stay for the energy if you want both.
A great day at Super Paradise rewards a little planning. To enjoy both sides of the beach, arrive in the calmer morning when the water is at its best for swimming and it is easier to get a good sunbed, then stay as the party builds through the afternoon. Budget for Mykonos beach-club prices, as sunbeds, cocktails and food are expensive, especially near the water, and bring some cash for quicker service. Because the scene runs late and lively, and parking and direct buses are limited, the south-coast water taxi or the beach-club shuttle are often the easiest, most relaxed ways to get to and from the beach, leaving you free to enjoy yourself. Pack strong sun protection, a hat and water for the long hours in the sun, and keep an eye on your belongings in the busy crowd. Come for the music, the inclusive, fun atmosphere and the beautiful cove, set out alongside the guides to nightlife and a Mykonos itinerary. One more point is worth knowing.
How busy and expensive is Super Paradise?
Super Paradise gets very busy in peak July and August, especially from mid-afternoon when the party builds, and it is expensive, with high beach-club prices for sunbeds, cabanas, drinks and food. Arrive earlier for a spot and calmer swimming, budget for the costs, or visit in the shoulder season for a less crowded, cheaper experience.
As one of Mykonos’s most famous party beaches, Super Paradise can be both crowded and pricey, so it helps to know what to expect. In the peak season of July and August it fills up quickly, particularly from mid-afternoon onwards as the music gets louder and the party crowd arrives, so the beach and its sunbeds are in high demand and the atmosphere is busy and energetic. Like the island’s other beach clubs, it is expensive: sunbeds and umbrellas command high prices, rising the closer you sit to the water, private cabanas cost considerably more, and drinks and food at the beach clubs are firmly premium. To manage this, arrive earlier in the day to secure a good spot and enjoy the calmer morning swimming before the crowds and prices peak, set a budget for the beach-club costs, and consider visiting in the gentler shoulder months of June or September, when the beach is less crowded and the whole island is cheaper, set out alongside the guide to Mykonos on a budget. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Super Paradise beach in Mykonos like?
Super Paradise is a beautiful golden cove of sand and clear, sheltered water on the south coast, famous as a lively party beach with a strong, welcoming LGBTQ presence. It blends swimming and sunbathing with beach clubs, DJs and a party atmosphere that builds through the day into the evening.
Is Super Paradise a gay beach?
Super Paradise is one of Mykonos’s most famous LGBTQ-friendly beaches, openly gay-friendly rather than exclusively gay, with a strong, visible presence alongside a broad party crowd. The right-hand side near the famous Jackie O’ Beach Club is the gayest section, known for daytime parties and drag shows.
How do you get to Super Paradise beach?
You reach Super Paradise in about 15 minutes by car from Mykonos Town, with parking behind the beach, or by water taxi along the south coast. Public buses do not go directly, but a beach-club shuttle runs from the Fabrika terminal, so the water taxi, shuttle, a taxi or driving are the ways in.