Cyprus - South East
Two major towns dominate South East Cyprus, Larnaca and Limassol.
Larnaca is covered in its own page elsewhere on the site click here.
Limassol, doesn’t really deserve any space on this site at all and, to be quite frank, if you don’t bother visiting the place you will not be missing much.A vast, soulless urban sprawl with few, if any, redeeming features. The beach, what there is of it, consists of dirty black sand.
The predominant language spoken is neither Greek or English but Russian, as the place is overrun with Russians, with an overwhelming majority of them seemingly using the town as a financial washing machine as they launder their ill-gotten gains. Indeed, it is said it is only Russian money keeping the island solvent, if the Russians were to leave then Cypriots would soon join their Greek cousins as citizens of a failed, bankrupt state.
The south east of Cyprus concentrates on the beach resorts and there are some lovely beaches.
Sadly, the mecca for many British tourists isn’t one of them. Ayia Napa is Blackpool in the sun and those of you who have read my review of Blackpool (click here) will know I am no lover of the place and my despising of Blackpool is equally reflected in Ayia Napa. An overbuilt sprawl with tacky souvenir shops, dominated by British and Irish pubs and bars, where most of the eateries sell burgers and fish and chips. If you’re one of those who like to spend their holiday in Little Britain, surrounded by lobster coloured, beer swilling louts then Ayia Napa is the place for you. If you want to experience proper Cyprus then avoid this place like the plague.On the east coast of the island you will find the best beaches, with golden sand and turquoise water.
For many years these were hidden delights but now they have been discovered the developers have moved in. Pernera was a sleepy backwater, now the seafront is cluttered with hotels and apartments and the town looks like degrading into a second Ayia Napa, although it hasn’t quite got there yet.
As I said there are some lovely beaches on this stretch of the coastline but the most beautiful has to be Fig Tree Bay. It isn’t the largest beach on the coast, indeed it’s probably not much more than a quarter of a mile long but it seems to have avoided the tackiness, it has a beautiful golden beach and when the sun shines the water is a clear turquoise. An island a few hundred yards offshore protects the beach, so the water is safe.Along the coast between Larnaca and Ayia Napa are a number of small isolated beaches. One of the most delightful is Liopetri Beach, close to the A3 and just to the east of the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area. It’s accessed by an uninspiring looking dirt road but persevere and you will come to a quiet, unspoiled beach. There are a few fishing jetties and shacks and a couple of restaurants, along with one of the smallest churches you will ever find. There is a large patch of land used as a car park, which suggests this is not such a secret place in the summer, but with a couple of miles of beach this could still be the spot for those looking for a quieter, less tacky resort.
Cape Greco forms the south eastern tip of the island. Accessed by a dirt track leading to a small car park you then have to walk the final half mile or so but a climb to the southern tip is worth the effort as you will be rewarded with a stunning view of the southern coast. If you’re feeling brave there is a bench very close to the cliff edge, which was quite reassuring in this health and safety conscious day and age – back in the UK it would be fenced off and inaccessible.
The town of Deryneia is nothing to write home about but it is situated next to the Green Line and “no man’s land” separating southern Cyprus from occupied Northern Cyprus and from here you have a stunning view of Famagusta ghost town, left as it was when invaded by the Turks in 1974. It’s surreal looking at a large town but knowing it is deserted.If you don’t like beaches, there are some lovely towns in and around the area and there are so many to visit. Here are a few of my favourite ones.
Pyla is situated in no man’s land and it’s one of the few towns in Cyprus where the Greek and Turkish Cypriots live side by side. The town has two mayors and two local administrations but everyone gets along well and they are, for example, quite happy to use each other’s shops, they don’t care if it’s Greek or Turkish owned.
There is a tourist route of attractive towns in the area between Larnaca and Limassol and three worth visiting are Tochni, Kalavasos and the coastal town of Zygi, home to some very good seafood restaurants.
However, the best village to visit in the area, and arguably one of the best in Cyprus, is Lefkara, also known as Pano Lefkara. A word of advice though, try and park on the outskirts of the town, the roads in the town are very narrow and hilly, I made the mistake of driving through the town, let’s just say it was interesting and I’m glad I had a small hire car. It would be easier if some of the narrow streets were not two way!!Lefkara is home to lace makers and silver smiths and shops selling their wares abound, they will try and attract you into their shops but a friendly smile and a sorry seems to satisfy them. The highlight of the town, for me must be a café / restaurant called Tasties. It looks unassuming from the outside, inside it is something else – I won’t spoil it for you but if you’re in Lefkara I urge you to visit the café, you will not be disappointed. As an added bonus the owners are lovely people.
For nature lovers there is a Salt Lake near the RAF base at Akrotiri, bigger than the one at Larnaca, although not as accessible.
If you like birdwatching, especially in summer when the salt lakes have dried up, then Oroklini Lake, east of Larnaca is worth a visit. Part of a conservation area water levels are managed throughout the year to protect the habitat and provide breeding facilities for the birds and other wildlife. Here you will see species not found elsewhere on the island. The lake also attracts flamingos in the winter and because it is smaller than the salt lakes you can get a better view. Hides are provided at the southern and northern edges of the lake.
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