Keep a tally using all of your fingers and toes, and you’ll still run out of digits to count up the Blue Flag beaches around here. There are more than 20 in total, with the bulk of them hitched alongside Protaras and Ayia Napa. Among them is Nissi Beach, where palm trees teeter above the sands and a watersports centre bobs in the bay.
The Larnaca region’s put in the hard yards to earn its place among Cyprus’ family holiday elite. Hotels have sprung up along the island’s east coast, ready to shepherd in the latest throng of chill-seekers from Larnaca International. And between lazy sessions in the sun, a meaty to-do list waits in the wings. The Hala Sultan Tekke mosque sits on the shores of a vast salt lake, and there’s an ancient monastery in Ayia Napa that breaks from the party town image.
Waterparks, pillow-soft sands, historic sites – Ayia Napa’s flush with the lot, and that’s before you’ve even considered the nightlife. Bars and restaurants do a roaring trade when the sun’s out, with beachgoers popping to the sea-view promenade for a tipple and a tasty bite. Later on, the volume dial’s spun around to full whack, and bars and clubs go big and brash for your attention.
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