As the weather takes a turn, wind & rainfall and Christmas around the corner, I find myself reminiscing about our Summer holiday.
Who doesn’t love a beach day! Finding beaches off the beaten track in the UK is a favourite pastime so transferring that to our adventures in other countries is top of the list. And often, one of the first parts of our holiday planning.
Is there anything better than exploring in a new country? Finding hidden beach coves and quiet undiscovered sandy shores along the coast of Cyprus was really fun. We call them beach hopping days and always a favourite for our little family. So, I thought I would share our 10 best beaches to visit in Cyprus from our trip in August 2022. With crystal clear, bright blue water, the whitest of sand and calm seas you really must explore.
Unlike when we visited Crete in 2021, we found Cyprus to be a really small island in comparison. Which meant we didn’t need to travel further than 20 mins in the car. Summer is of course it’s busiest season which meant exploring beaches which weren’t necessarily accessible by all, added to our adventures. As a family we are early risers so it suited us to be up and out super early, I can say that most places were not nearly as busy pre 11am.
I would personally recommend hiring a car, explore and go off the beaten track. Beaches in Protaras and Ayia Napa were much bigger busier than those you had to seek out, often down a dirt track or hidden behind main streets. Driving in Cyprus was easy, so don’t let that put you off exploring beyond the area you are staying in.
10 best beaches to visit in Cyprus
1. Makronossis
There are 3 hidden gems on this list, Makronossis beach is one of them. One of the last beaches we visited, close to Ayia Napa and Nissi Beach. Despite only making it over towards the end of our holiday, it was one of our favourites. With 3 individual coves, two hidden behind the main beach it was very peaceful. Be sure to continue walking down the path behind the sun loungers. Incredible views, watersports, relaxing vibe, a gorgeous beach bar – much quieter than Nissi Beach – a great alternative.
2. Mimosa Beach
A beautiful beach, a small cove situated in Protaras. Peaceful and I’d go as far as saying free from tourists due to it’s location. And it’s a small cove where you can snorkel and swim with Turtles. A beach with awesome views. There are less than 20 sunbeds so very exclusive. Close to Green Bay which is also famous for Turtles, a great alternative with more space. It is a man-made beach which leads from a hotel. For the stronger swimmers, you can swim out to a floating board where you can jump and dive into the sea. The boys loved this beach.
3. Malama Beach
Located in Paralimni, just a short drive from our villa – we were so lucky to stumble across this one on the map as we explored. Sunk below a residential area. I think we all agreed this was a great beach day. It’s cliche but there was something for the three of us to enjoy. There were caves you could swim or snorkel too, watersports, a small cove so really quiet and a beach bar with incredible views and some fancy elevated sunbeds if the beach isn’t your thing! As it’s such a small cove the number of neds are limited to 20-30. We adored our day here, and my first try at watersports.
4. Fig Tree Bay
The largest beach in Protaras, therefore the most popular so can get extremely busy from late morning. The beach is long but slim so one to get to early or later on in the afternoon. Our top tip, is to walk on down the beachfront past the watersports towards the beach bars – there are many points which are quieter and therefore more enjoyable (in my opinion) than the main beach spot. The beach is lined with beach bars and restaurants. Watersports and viewpoints. We enjoyed riding the rings and Parasailing which was so much fun. Definitely a beach to explore. If you are a strong swimmer you can swim across to an island, if you enjoy exploring I would recommend walking the beach path.
5. Serena Beach
A second hidden gem, located in Paralimni. A seriously beautiful cove with an incredible beach bar above. Exclusive. Comfortable. Peaceful with what feels like your own private beach from the end of your sun lounger. We spent two whole days at Serena. It was in walking distance to our villa and was a lovely break in between day trips. You have two choices here, to sit on the beach or take a lounger (fee payable) up in the Beach Bar. There is access to the beach bar from the beach for drinks & snacks.
10 best beaches to visit in Cyprus continued…
6. Ayia Triada
The closest beach to our villa, a small cove perfect for families with its shallow water and beach bar. There’s a Church which hosts weddings and a small marina. We actually pitched up on the beach just to the right, perfect for snorkelling, you can also rent a boat here and go off on an adventure and a beach that allows football. The beach is a little quieter and has a gorgeous beach bar called Tulum. On the days when they aren’t serving food you can grab food from the beach bar over at Ayia Triada. Lovely to watch the sunset from as well as an awesome vibe during the day with music and the best Mojitos!
7. Nissi Beach
The main beach in Cyprus, much like Fig Tree it is a busy beach however it is much bigger and has a unique quality about it. You can actually walk between the main beach and the small island adjacent. The water is so calm. There were some really interesting sunbathing points, I will add that the beach did get very busy with young adults who were there to party.
8. Konnos Bay
This was my favourite beach of our holiday. My number one. It’s a gorgeous beach cove, shallow water, watersports, a gorgeous view as you walk down. And an insanely beautiful view from the cafe bar up above the beach. If you haven’t already picked up on it – we prefer much smaller coves that are a little less crowded. The beach did get busier after lunch, like with most of our adventures we enjoy heading out early and coming away mid afternoon.
9. Golden Coast Beach
A beautiful, calm and quiet little cove in Paralimni. A beach surrounded by a Church, two of our favourite restaurants and a beach bar with an incredible view. A must visit. You can explore watersports from this beach, enjoy shallow waters which is perfect for families and enjoy a much calmer trip to the beach than other nearby coves.
10. Green Bay
Shallow waters, incredible views and the location where we caught our Catamaran. Many visit for snorkelling and to swim with turtles, you’ll see families jumping off the rocks. It’s a small cove with a small cafe. The water is crystal clear so an awesome spot to explore.
And that’s our 10 best beaches to visit in Protaras, Cyprus. You can see a few clips from our trip in the Reels I made, as well as more photo’s over on Insta as I have saved highlights from our trip. We visited Paralimni in Protaras, Cyprus in August 2022. It was wonderful to continue experiencing travel again and feel very grateful for having the opportunity to explore.
If you are planning a visit to Cyprus you can read all about our Top Things To Do in Cyprus. I hope they help.
10 best beaches to visit in Cyprus
I’m Kerri-Ann or KA as my friends call me, always found with a cup of coffee in one hand and my camera in the other. I have a huge passion for photography, fitness, fashion and family travel. I started this blog in 2014. It began as my creative outlet after becoming a mummy to our little boy George Archie. I started out blogging about parenting and over the years it has evolved into a blog that covers lifestyle, fashion, family and travel. Today TheKAEdit is ultimately a life and style blog. Thank you for reading x x
