Best beaches in Cyprus

Visiting the beach is one of the top things to do in Cyprus. It’s a tough ask to select just a few top beaches, since the island lays claim to so many. Here are just a few of the most popular beaches:

• Nissi Beach (Ayia Napa) – Famous for its turquoise waters and party vibe
• Fig Tree Bay (Protaras) – Soft, white sand, calm, shallow sea and great snorkelling
• Coral Bay (Paphos) – Calm, sheltered and excellent for swimming and sunbathing
• Konnos Bay – A picturesque slice of paradise with a sandy shore and shallow sea
• Mackenzie Beach (Larnaca) – Lively, family-friendly, with bars lining the promenade
• Lara Beach – Windswept and remote with dunes and a turtle nesting site

Cyprus is a family-friendly island, so you’ll find most beaches to be well kitted out for young children. In the south, close to Paphos, you’ll find everything you need for a family day out at Coral Bay – a sandy shore, water sports, lifeguards, and shade and loungers to rent. Nearby Pissouri Bay is also ideal for a quiet family day. Although pebbly, the bay is very sheltered and calm, and spacious too, and there are restaurants and shops just behind the shore. There’s also plenty of parking if you aren’t staying close by. Mackenzie Beach in Larnaca is another family favourite, also with plenty of parking, loungers and a sandy beach. Further north, Fig Tree bay is a petite, sandy cove that’s blissfully sheltered and shallow. It promises fantastically clear waters and ideal snorkelling conditions, with a little islet not too far out that attracts myriad colourful fish.

While you’ll struggle to find a completely deserted beach on the well-explored isle, Cyprus has a few quieter spots. If you’re seeking seclusion, avoid the sandy south and look to the rockier north-west coast, which tends to be free from crowds, attracting adventurous couples and solo travellers.

Lara Beach is a windswept and beautiful bay, accessed via a rough road with next-to-no facilities once you arrive. It’s a turtle nesting spot, so be respectful and follow all instructions at the conservation station. You can book tours/informative visits, and perhaps even watch a turtle hatch.

The Blue Lagoon stays relatively quiet as it’s tricky to reach except by boat. Most people simply slip off their vessel to enjoy the crystal clear, shallow water and perhaps snorkel, before returning aboard for a snack and drink with a view. Alternatively, feel like you’ve taken a step back in time at quaint Pomos Beach, perched on a headland in a tiny village. The postage-stamp rocky beach has a far-flung feeling, with shallow waters and just a few loungers for rent (although it’s easy to pitch up your own towel undisturbed).

Cyprus has something for everyone – including water-sports enthusiasts. Mackenzie Beach, in Larnaca, is one of the island’s top spots for windsurfing and wingfoil, with a large surf school offering lessons, courses and rentals. Slightly further north, at ever-popular Nissi Beach, there are plenty of inflatables and jet skis to rent, as well as kayaks and SUPs. Pissouri beach promises calm waters, and the opportunity to rent paddleboards, kayaks and fun family favourites like pedalos with slides. Those keen to try wakesurfing or wakeboarding should make a beeline for dreamy Fig Tree Bay in Protaras (although you can also try more sedate options like SUP or small catamarans).

Cyprus is encircled by fantastic beaches and a famously warm sea – with a long bathing season from May right through to October. So, wherever you choose to holiday in Cyprus, you can’t go far wrong. Here are our best resort towns for every holiday style:

Ayia Napa

Formally a party hotspot, Ayia Napa may not have its late-night reputation of decades past but it retains a fun-loving, youthful energy with lots to do. Plus great sandy beaches and some waterparks.

Protaras

Protaras is a family-friendly resort with great sandy beaches, beautifully clear water and a good choice of luxury hotels (as well as budget-friendly options). Everything you want for a relaxing beach holiday.

Paphos

Paphos has it all – culture and ancient ruins, shopping and a thriving city and fabulous beaches. The harbour is popular for eating out with a very relaxed atmosphere for families and couples.

Larnaca

Larnaca is an easy bus ride from the airport (with great direct flights from the UK). Once you arrive it’s a walkable resort with urban beaches and antiquities too. There’s a great choice of hotels for all budgets.

Polis & Latsi

Polis and its neighbouring port town Latsi have a charming, rural-coastal feel and a much quieter atmosphere than the bigger resorts. Expect good, pebble beaches, a bustling harbour-front (Latsi) and great seafood.

Cyprus has been a family favourite destination for decades, so beaches here are thoroughly geared-up for tourists. It’s home to over 50 Blue Flag beaches from Coral Bay in the south, to Protaras in the east and Polis on the north coast. Many of the popular beaches in Cyprus also have seasonal lifeguards and colour-coded flags to indicate safe bathing conditions.

You’ll find shade and loungers for rent at most beaches in Cyprus, especially those close to hotels, on bus routes or on the south coast. If you head off-the-beaten track in a car, you may find quieter beaches with fewer facilities (like Lara Bay).

Cyprus is a great destination in spring, summer and autumn, although peak summer can get very hot. For the best combination of sunshine and value, aim for May/June or late September. September is an ideal time for visiting beaches in Cyprus as the temperatures are good and the sea has had all summer to warm up. Spring is cooler with a higher chance of rainfall, but early October can still provide a fantastic dose of autumn sun.

Beach safety tips:

• Check for Blue Flag beaches
• Always look at the warning/safety flags, for example, red flag can mean it’s too wavy to enter the water
• For peaceful swimming, look for beaches which don’t have many water sports as they are often more sheltered.
• Always pack your suncream, sun hats and bring or rent an umbrella where possible
• If you want to try a water sport or snorkelling for the first time, book with a reputable company with the correct qualifications and safety equipment.