Cyprus Beaches
So what's your definition of the "best Cyprus beach"?
Many Cyprus beaches are crowded so for me, it has to be a place of tranquillity; a place where you can chill out and relax, a place where you can smell the rich sea air, watch the waves lapping on the shore and, preferably, have the beach completely to yourself!
Sand or pebbles? I don't mind! Athough hubby and I probably prefer pebbles - the water is clearer and you don't get your feet burned when it gets really hot!
Trouble is, most of the best Cyprus beaches are spoilt by tourist crowds.
Chrysochous Bay, Argaka
The idyllic sandy beaches you see in the tourist guides are always jam packed in high season, especially the popular, scenic beaches in Ayia Napa and Protaras like Nissi beach or Fig Tree bay.
What fun is there in squeezing onto a tiny patch of beach to top up your tan with 1000s of other people sitting on your towel?
There are, however, some far less crowded spots...like this gorgeous beach just 5 minutes from where I live...and very eacy to access if you have a car...
Looking for the best Cyprus beaches to get away from it all?
Maybe just to walk by the shore looking for colorful pieces of sea glass, take a favourite book to chill out for a few hours or even to simply watch the world go by in your own little corner of paradise.
Tip: Take my advice and head for the west of the island where mass tourism is absent and peace and tranquillity awaits.
If you are looking for relaxing beach holidays to Cyprus, all you need to do is "Go West!"
Here's my pick of the best beaches Cyprus on the west of the island
Lara Bay - Akamas peninsula
Idyllic Lara Bay
Lara bay can be found on one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Cyprus - the Akamas peninsula.
Home to the Green Turtle, one of the few places in the Mediterranean where this turtle returns to breed, Lara is shaped like a horse shoe and is a mixture of soft sand and rocks. Proposed as a National Park, the Akamas has a wild and rugged beauty unlike anything else on the island.
Lara bay sits on the Paphos side, approximately 8 km from Ayios Georgios and is accessible only by a 4x4 vehicle and a very bumpy ride!
Long may it stay that way to prevent mass tourism and the concrete mixers from invading!
Rocky cove on the Akamas
The fragile beauty of the Akamas is forever under threat from greedy developers and hoteliers. Limited development has already begun on the Latchi/Polis side of the peninsula, fuelled by the building of a luxury spa resort, the Anassa, in the late 90s.
Beyond Lara bay, there are many rocky coves that are completely deserted and just waiting to be discovered so it's a great day out if you like adventure in a 4x4.
My advice? Come and visit soon before the concrete mixer spoils this haven of natural beauty forever. The best time to visit is in spring and autumn as the beach is sometimes restricted in high summer when the turtles are nesting.
Chrysochous Bay, Polis
Chrysochous Bay at Argaka
This is really one long beach stretching from the edge of the Akamas on the Polis/Latchi side to Pomos further around the bay.
There is something for everyone here from Latchi bay with lots of well spaced sunbeds, breakwaters for safe swimming and watersports, to more deserted sections of the beach between Polis and Pomos.My favourite bit of the beach is at Argaka (see the picture opposite).
Tip Hire a bicycle and cycle along the FLAT coast road from Polis to Pomos. When you spot a section of beach that takes your fancy, stop, grab your towel and enjoy your own "private" section of beach. There are several tavernas to keep you fuelled en route such as Santa Barbara tavern or Lisa's Place.
Relax Beach, Pomos
Relax beach at Pomos
This tiny Cyprus beach is tucked away in front of the equally tiny Pomos fishing harbour with its colourful fishing boats.
Small but perfectly formed amid the rocks, the only other visitors you are likely to see will be a few locals outside of the busy summer months.
The water is crystal clear, there are sunbeds available for hire and you can truly relax here!
Two tavernas at either end of the bay will entice you with the fish caught that day.
Mansoura Beach
Mansoura bay
Here's my best Cyprus beach tip for truly getting away from it all.
But I will warn you, determination is required to reach this little gem as it is situated near Kato Pyrgos at the Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot border.The long, windy, wild but spectacular road, which is the only route up and around the Turkish enclave of Kokkino, leads you to the village of Mansoura, which consists of only a couple of houses.
One of these is owned by Choulla and Andreas who run the Mansoura taverna.
Make the effort and you will be rewarded by the freshest fish imaginable, caught only a few hours before by Andreas. Then, just relax on your deserted beach and watch the world go by...
Tip On a clear day, the road down to Mansoura offers spectacular views of Morphou bay and the Kyrenian mountains in the Turkish controlled North of the island, so don't forget your camera. You can now cross the border at Kato Pyrgos for easy access to the North too.
Golden Bay, Karpaz peninsula
Work began to improve the road between the border at Kato Pyrgos and Nicosia at the end of 2010 and the border crossing opened shortly after.
That means easy access to truly unspoilt beaches like this one in Turkish controlled Northern Cyprus
This coastline on the Karpaz peninsula reminds me of deserted beaches like the El Nuro coast in Peru.
Where is YOUR favourite Cyprus beach?
I haven't had time to visit all the best beaches in Cyprus yet.
So I would love you to add your own favourite beach in Cyprus, especially if it's on the EAST of the island - hubby and I don't get over there that often.
Share your Best Cyprus beach with me and help to add more great information for all my visitors.
YOUR Best Cyprus Beaches
Click on the links below for best beaches recommended by other visitors to Cyprus, all written by those who've been on this page.
Larnaca - very soft dry sand beach 
I love this beach so much because the sand is always cleaned everyday and is very flat and safe for children to play. As the sea laps the shoreline it …
Mansoura Beach South Cyprus and Golden Beach North Cyprus
The turtles are there, not many people there, the water is great:))) This year we want go again to South Cyprus. We search for appartment/hotel by mansoura …
LIMANAKI Beach Maroni Larnaca
Very close to the three main cities and easily accessed from the highway.
Camp site at Polis
You walk through a wooded campsite and step out on to a lovely quiet beach.
It is mainly sand with a pebble strip at the seas edge.
There is an area …
Petra tou Romiou near Paphos
I love this beach so much because it isn't crowded at all - although I like crowded beaches - and it has pebbles, not sand.
It has an amazing, colourful …
Pachyammos Beach
Pakyammos actually means "broad sands" and its a blue-flag beach. Although the beach is wave-battered and seaweed-littered, it's the only beach whilst …
Corallia Beach in Cyprus
I loved Coraillia beach. The hotel was just outside the beach, and the water was lovely and warm! Another great thing is the space, even in July and August …
Nissi beach at Ayia Napa
Nissi beach in Ayia Napa is probably the best beach on the island as it is simply gorgeous! Pure white sand, clear blue waters and close to all the nightlife …
Relax Beach
We have stayed in Chriseleni Villas which is between the small towns of Polis and Latchi for the last 5 years, but each trip wouldn't be complete without …
Nissi Beach Ayia Napa Not rated yet
We've only been to Cyprus in the off-season, so we've never had to deal with a tourist season crowd. Having the beach to ourselves often on a December …
Related Pages to Cyprus Beaches:
How to find Cheap Flights to Cyprus
Favourite Things to Do
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