The most beautiful beaches in Cyprus: from turquoise Nissi Beach and family-friendly Fig Tree Bay to Aphrodite’s Rock and wild Lara Bay with its turtles. An overview of beaches in the south and north of the island, with tips on hotels a short walk from the sea.
Cyprus is an island of sunshine – you can swim from May to October, and there are beaches for everyone: lively ones with music, quiet coves for families and wild beaches with no facilities. Most of them are in the south, where I spent a whole season as a tour rep. If you are looking for a resort instead, have a look at resorts in Cyprus.
The list of Blue Flag beaches is published on the official Cyprus tourism website.
Fine light sand, shallow turquoise water and a small islet you can wade to when the sea is calm. Nissi Beach on the western edge of Ayia Napa is one of the best-known beaches in Cyprus – people swim here during the day, and in the afternoon and evening there is music in the beach bars.
Sand, a gentle slope into the sea, a fully equipped beach with sunbeds for a fee. In season it gets crowded – it is quieter in the morning.
right on Nissi Beach.
West of Nissi Beach lies Makronissos – several smaller sandy coves separated by rocks. It is quieter than Nissi, and a short walk from the beach you will find ancient tombs carved into the rock.
Sand, a gentle slope into the sea, sunbeds for a fee. It suits those who want to be close to Ayia Napa but without the biggest crowds.
right by Makronissos beach.
The main beach of Protaras, with light sand, crystal-clear water and an islet a short way from the shore that you can swim to. It is named after the fig tree that grows by the beach.
Fine sand, a gentle slope into the sea and usually a calm sea – ideal for children. Sunbeds for a fee; in season it gets crowded.
an apartment hotel about 200 m from Fig Tree Bay.
opposite the Tsokkos hotel, a short walk from the beach and Fig Tree Bay.
right on the beach in the centre of Protaras.
A small cove between Protaras and Ayia Napa, surrounded by the rocks and pine trees of the Cape Greco national park. The water is calm and shallow, so people come here with children too. The surrounding coast with its sea caves is great for snorkelling.
Sand, a gentle slope into the sea, sunbeds for a fee. From the car park you walk down the slope – in season, arrive early.
In the centre of Larnaca, Finikoudes beach stretches along the palm-lined promenade – swimming and cafés within easy reach. Further south, near the airport, is the livelier Mackenzie beach with bars. Quieter beaches with hotels lie east of the town towards Dhekelia.
Darker sand and a gentle slope into the sea, sunbeds for a fee. A good choice if you want both the sea and the town.
on a quieter beach east of Larnaca.
by the beach on the same stretch of coast east of the town.
Limassol’s most popular town beach lies in the tourist area of Germasogeia. Trees a short way from the beach give welcome shade in summer, and a promenade with cafés runs along the coast. West of the city stretches the long and wilder Lady’s Mile beach.
Sand with pebbles, in places a stonier way into the sea. Sunbeds for a fee, showers and refreshments.
on the beach in Germasogeia, a short way from Dasoudi.
by the beach in the quieter part of Germasogeia.
The rock in the sea where, according to legend, the goddess Aphrodite was born. The pebble beach with its dramatic coastline is at its most beautiful at sunset. Don’t forget to look for a heart-shaped pebble here – and if you are looking for a place in Cyprus to propose, this is it.
Pebbles and a stony way into the sea – bring water shoes. There are no sunbeds on the beach; you will find a car park and refreshments by the road.
in Pissouri Bay, about 15 minutes’ drive from Petra tou Romiou.
About 10 km north of Paphos lies Coral Bay – a cove with light sand and calm water, one of the most popular beaches in the west of the island. Despite its name, don’t expect coral reefs here.
Sand, a gentle slope into the sea, sunbeds for a fee and plenty of facilities. In summer it gets busy.
right above Coral Bay beach.
on the coast a short way from Coral Bay.
On the Akamas peninsula lies Lara Bay – a wild beach with light sand, where sea turtles lay their eggs in summer. The beach is protected, the nests are marked, and you should not go there at night.
No facilities – bring water, food and shade. It is reached by a dirt road; check whether your hire company allows it.
Of the northern beaches, I know Famagusta personally. The beaches of new Famagusta are accessible, and you can swim with an unusual view of the abandoned hotels of the ghost town of Varosha. Entry to the closed parts of Varosha is forbidden and guarded.
Sandy beaches with a gentle slope into the sea. To travel to the north you need an identity document (we recommend your passport), and you pay in Turkish lira, often in euros too – more in the comparison South or North Cyprus?
people most often go to the north on a package holiday – the tour operator arranges the flight and the transfer across the border.
At the very end of the Karpaz peninsula stretches Golden Beach – a long beach with golden sand and dunes, without big hotels. The journey here is long, but the reward is peace and unspoilt nature.
A remote beach with minimal facilities – bring water and food. With a hire car from the south, expect that at the border you can only buy compulsory third-party insurance (more in the article Driving in South Cyprus).
High-factor sun cream and a hat are a must – in summer temperatures stay above 30 °C. On most beaches you pay for sunbeds and umbrellas; for the smaller coves, bring your own.
Sea turtles: do not disturb the nests at Lara Bay and on Karpaz, and do not go onto the protected beaches at night.
Hire car: on dirt roads and to the north only if the hire company and your insurance allow it. More in the article Driving in South Cyprus.
Trips I recommend as a tour rep. You book through GetYourGuide and the guides mostly speak English.
In the east of the island, Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa and Fig Tree Bay and Konnos Bay near Protaras; in the west, Coral Bay and protected Lara Bay near Paphos.
Fig Tree Bay and Konnos Bay have fine sand, a gentle slope into the sea and usually a calm sea. In the west of the island, Coral Bay is a good choice.
Most beaches in the east are sandy; around Limassol and at Petra tou Romiou they are more pebbly – water shoes come in handy there.
On organised beaches yes, sunbeds and umbrellas cost a fee. On wild beaches such as Lara Bay there are no facilities.
Yes, for example in Famagusta or at Golden Beach on Karpaz. For the north, take an identity document (we recommend your passport) and expect to pay in Turkish lira.
Cyprus has beaches for everyone – from lively Nissi Beach to wild Lara Bay. Whichever you choose, the sea here stays warm well into autumn.
