The best beaches in Cyprus

Cyprus's sunny shores have beaches to suit all tastes, from sandy resort beaches with all the trimmings to still-undeveloped strands in places like the protected Akamas region.

With clean sands and clear water, the country boasts almost 80 Blue Flag-rated beaches. You'll find some of the best in the island's far west, between ever-popular Ayia Napa and Protaras, as well as at the other end of the island, at spots like Coral Bay and Lara Bay.

On the north coast, Chrysochou Bay has some of Cyprus’s best beaches – think long sandy stretches of coast that aren't solidly lined with hotels. Beaches in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus are a treat too, offering lots of family activities and large resorts to complement a coastline that boasts more than 160km (100 miles) of golden, sandy beaches.

All beaches in the (southern) Republic of Cyprus are free and most towns have clean, well-managed municipal beaches with loungers, showers and self-service café-bars. In the north, some large resorts have private beaches with access limited to guests only.

Whatever kind of coastline calls, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best beaches in Cyprus to help your perfect match.

Nissi Beach

Ayia Napa is famed as Cyprus's decadent party central. Nissi, within staggering distance of the resort's hotels and apartments, is the go-to beach for a day of chillaxing after a wild night.

Around 600m of white sand and blue water make this one of the best sandy beaches in Cyprus – and one of the busiest. You'll find all the watersports here, plus ranks of loungers, umbrellas and plenty of lively beach bars. In the middle of the bay, the tiny island of Nissi (meaning 'island' – how imaginative!) is perfect for snorkelling.

Fig Tree Bay

The island's east coast has some of the best sandy beaches in Cyprus. Most are clustered around Protaras, around 12km (7.4 miles) from Ayia Napa.

With its shiny yellow sands that helped earn it 15th place in TripAdvisor’s Best Beaches in Europe awards, Fig Tree Bay is one of the best of the miles-long chain of sandy, family-friendly strands that stretch either side of the resort. As well as the usual line-up of watersports and sun-loungers for hire, Fig Tree Bay has disabled access and lifeguards on duty.

Coral Bay

Both a resort and a beach, Coral Bay (Kolpos ton Koralion) has plenty of amenities for a day out on the sand – and at just 20 minutes by car from Paphos, it’s an easy day out too.

Coral Bay – and its neighbouring Laourou Beach – is one of the liveliest and busiest beaches in Cyprus, so get to this fine sandy strand early if you want to bag a sun-lounger. At weekends, it's a popular party spot for young Cypriots from Nicosia and Limassol.

Lara Beach

Some of the best sandy beaches in Cyprus lie either side of Cape Lara, around an hour northwest of Paphos. Lara Bay (not to be confused with Cyprus's other Lara, in the Turkish-occupied north) is far from undeveloped but its bumpy dirt-track access means it’s less thronged than many of the country’s other sandy beaches.

Sea turtles love the undisturbed 1.6km-long (1 mile) crescent of pebbles and fine white sand at Lara Beach; visit between May and August for your best chance of seeing baby turtles hatching.

Makronissos Beach

A little further from Ayia Napa than Nissi, but still within easy reach of the resort's hotels, restaurants, shops and nightlife, Makronissos – sometimes justifiably called 'Golden Sands' – is connected to Nissi and the resort by a cycleway and walkway.

There are lots of watersports to choose from here, and the beach even has its own archaeological site – burial chambers carved out of the rock behind the beach during the Roman era.

Asprokremmos Beach

Perhaps the best beach in Cyprus for those who want to avoid the crowds, Asprokremmos is a seemingly endless curve of sand and pebbles. It's been saved from development by its remoteness and its location on the edge of the Akamas National Park, so it's very much a BYO beach.

Find it between Latchi Beach and the mythical Baths of Aphrodite on the north coast.

Pissouri Bay

Midway between Paphos and Limassol, on Cyprus's southern coast, Pissouri is one of the best beaches in Cyprus for families. It's a long stretch of sand and clean white pebbles, hemmed in by cliffs at either end and fronting a low-key resort of small hotels, villas and family apartments.

There's a better-than-average choice of watersports too, ranging from stand-up paddleboarding and windsurfing to banana boat rides and waterskiing.

Geroskipou Beach

On the outskirts of Paphos, Geroskipou is a long sand-and-pebble strand that's favoured by locals, especially on summer weekends. There's plenty of space here, and it's less commercialised than many of Cyprus’s other beaches, with fewer obtrusive powered watersports.

There’s a beach bar on the sand if you’re feeling peckish, or you can follow the sand to Rikkos Beach for a few more options.

Chrysochou Bay

This long stretch of coarse yellow sand and white pebbles is a 15-minute walk from the small (but rapidly expanding) resort village of Polis, set on a hill above.

A top spot if you're looking for a patch of sand away from the crowds, there are just a couple of basic beach bars here. But there are plenty more at the little harbour village of Latchi, around a mile away.

Petra tou Romiou

What Petra tou Romiou (also called ‘Aphrodite's Rock') lacks in golden sands it makes up for in visual impact.

White limestone monoliths rise above a beach of grey shingle and charcoal sands – the largest marking the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty – creating what must be the best beach in Cyprus for an unforgettable Instagram pic.

Latchi Beach

Fishing boats jostle for space with yachts in the small harbour at Latchi. Either side of the harbour stretch some of the best beaches in Cyprus, with seemingly endless uncrowded stretches of yellow sand and grey pebbles looking out over Chrysochou Bay.

To the west is Latchi Beach itself, where you can rent sun-loungers and parasols; to the east, it’s linked with the sandy beaches of Polis and Chrysochou.

Pomos Beach

Pomos could be the best beach spot in Cyprus for those seeking an authentic escape from the omnipresent, high-density tourism.

This pretty coastline of sandy bays and pebbly blue-water coves beneath low white limestone cliffs is still one of the least-developed spots on the island – partly because it's almost 72km (45 miles) from Paphos and its airport, but also because it's sited very close to the militarised 'Green Line' that divides the Republic of Cyprus from the Turkish-occupied north. Don't let that put you off coming here.

Dasoudi Beach

One of the best beaches near Limassol, Cyprus's second city, and the nearest beach to the city centre, Dasoudi is undeniably urban (it's a popular picnic spot for locals) but its clean sand and water have earned it Blue Flag status.

It's also a handy spot for a cooling dip after exploring the ruins of ancient Amathus, around 5km (3.1 miles) away.

Acapulco Beach

Nobody seems to remember what this beach in Cyprus’s north was called before somebody renamed it. But with its yellow sand, shiny resorts and colourful aquapark, it's no wonder Acapulco Beach, in front of its namesake resort (or is it the other way?), is popular with visitors and weekend visitors from Nicosia alike.

There are plenty of bars and restaurants here – some of them serving authentically Turkish-Cypriot food – and more watersports than you can shake a stick at.