Canyon Beach

Canyon beach: a completely unknown gem

Canyon Beach is located in Akamas National Park in the northwest of Cyprus, which makes it harder to reach and unknown to most visitors. This isolated beach can only be reached after a long trek, by boat, or by rented ATV. It lies about a kilometer from the Blue Lagoon, so it is not far from a busy and popular tourist spot. Yet it remains undiscovered and deserted.

What makes the beach stand out is its appearance – a narrow strip of sea between two high reefs and next to it a cave that opens directly into the sea. Do you dare to cross it?

Canyon Beach

To get to the beach, just turn on Google Maps navigation. Enter Canyon Akamas as your destination, but be careful not to change it to Avakis.

Once you’re close, you’ll need to keep your eyes on the road for the best way to get to it, and where to park your ATV if you need to. You won’t find any help because the beach is so unknown that we were completely alone there. It is almost impossible to find it from the sea.

This beach reminded us of Seitan Limani in Crete, but with the difference that Canyon is smaller, without waves and unfortunately without sand. You’ll appreciate the water shoes, especially if you go into the cave as well. It would be very difficult without them.

Cave

Throughout your visit, the cave will lure you into its spars. And it’s worth giving in. When you enter, you will walk on purple stones and with every step you take, the view of the sea will open up more and more.

After the first narrow tunnel, you will find yourself in a chamber where you can choose which path to take. Either continue walking towards the canyon, or swim under the stone and plunge into the sea. Our kids were scared of the second option, so we just continued walking.

As the sun slowly broke through the rocks, we couldn’t wait to see what view awaited us after the next step. We could still walk and we didn’t have to swim, which was convenient because we could enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.

Gradually the canyon receded, revealing all shades of blue. Also, the kids discovered the so-called IG corner, which meant lots of photos… Traveling with teenagers is sometimes more challenging than with small children.

Then we could finally throw ourselves into the water and let ourselves drift away from the cave. There was not a single ripple in the sea. And then came the way back and another IG corner .

Amidst nature

Throughout Akamas National Park, you won’t find a sun lounger, bar or restaurant. You have to bring everything with you, but it’s worth it. Most people come here on organized boat trips and only see the Blue Lagoon, which is a shame. The whole park is gorgeous and Canyon Beach especially. It is deeply etched in our memory. While it’s not a place to spend all day, it definitely deserves more attention than it gets.