The beautiful island of Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, southeast of Greece and south of Turkey. The island enjoys a temperate climate and has a rich natural heritage.
The following are just a few of the many natural attractions that visitors can explore during their Cyprus holidays.
Beaches
Cyprus offers a variety of different beaches for all tastes. These include beaches of golden, white and dark sand, pebble and rocky beaches, isolated in green or desert environments, lagoon style to rough waters like the sea; This list goes on and on. All the beaches are very clean and more than 50 have been awarded the Blue Flag. More than 30 of the islands’ beaches have facilities for disabled visitors.
Ayia Napa Nissi Beach, Protaras Bay Beach, and Konnos Beach in the east have soft golden sands and calm crystal clear waters, while Larnaca’s beaches have much darker sands. Limassol’s beaches have many hotels right on the coast, while in Pissouri there are high cliffs on both sides of the bay. The beaches of Paphos are similar to those found in Limassol, but if you are looking for more secluded beaches, you should go to Latchi or Polis. For complete seclusion, the Lara coast, west of the Akamas Peninsula, will provide you with the complete solitude you are looking for. Some of the beaches east of Limassol are quite amazing with a combination of white rock and dark sand. Note that on the west coast, north of Paphos, the sea tends to be much rougher than in other parts of the island.
To the west of Paphos in Ayia Napa and Cape Greko there are some very interesting sea caves with excellent surroundings to explore. It should be noted that if you enter the caves you must make sure not to disturb the bats and other animals that use the caves as a refuge.
Walks and hikes
Walkers and hikers have many options in Cyprus. The Troodos Mountains and Paphos Forest offer many walks in lush green surroundings, such as the Platy Valley, the Cedar Valley and the Caledonian waterfalls. The Akamas Peninsula offers the perfect environment where you can walk along the coast in the northwest of the island. Between Ayia Napa and Protaras is Cape Greko Park which, although quite small, is ideal for the whole family to explore. As you walk through the Troodos Mountains, you will find some interesting (man-made) Venetian bridges, small waterfalls (the best are in the Platres area), and old trees. Approximately 30 of these trees have been declared as ‘natural monuments’, all of them are more than 100 years old and some are more than 1000 years old.
Dams and lakes
Many visitors to Cyprus do not realize that the island has many wetlands and dams. Many of the wetlands attract avid bird watchers, while the dams attract fishermen. The most important wetlands are in Akrotiri and Larnaca, and some of the most interesting dams are Lefkara Dam, Evretou Dam, and Xyliatos Dam.
Many hikers find the summer heat too hot for too much exercise and prefer to visit the island in early spring, when the mountains are green and verdant with fruit trees in full bloom. Temperatures in spring are in the sunny 20’s, perfect for discovering Cyprus on foot. There are always plenty of last minute Cyprus vacations on the internet, perfect for discovering the island’s natural wonders.