My personal beach ranking in Cyprus

1. Makronissos Beach, near Ayia Napa

Great coarse sand and turquoise water. But it gets crowded, and it’s a long drive from Limassol. Finding parking is tough, and it’s a long walk to the parking lot.

2. The beach by Malindi

Fewer people here. The sand isn’t great, but it’s still good enough for digging. The shallow water is a plus when you’re there with kids. There’s parking: from memory, €1–2 or around €30 for an annual pass. It’s best to check the current price. Sometimes the wind brings in carrot scraps or other bits of stuff like that, which takes away from the experience.

Landmark: Malindi Beach Bar & Restaurant.

3. Lady’s Mile

The road isn’t great, and the sand is hard, but the water looks clean. It’s often windy, and sometimes the water is colder than at other beaches. If I could get there from home in 15–20 minutes, I’d even move it up to second place.

4. Kourion

It’s a bit far to get to. The beach is mostly rocky, which makes swimming less enjoyable for me. The view of the cliffs is pretty cool, though. I’ve also seen people kiteboarding here.

5. Dasoudi

I didn’t like the little stones in the sand. And for some reason, I don’t like the water at a city beach as much. That’s a personal impression, not a conclusion about its safety.