Lara Beach (North of Alagadi)

Type "Lara Beach Cyprus" into Google and, naturally enough, the first results are the Lara beach in Antalya, followed by Lara Bay in South Cyprus. The secluded corner we mean is in Catalkoy, just two kilometres east of the Acapulco Resort, on the road to Alagadi, and it used to be known as Vakiflar Beach. The sand is mixed with a bit of shingle, but with huge rocks closing off both ends the cove is completely cut off from the outside world and, frankly, does its own thing. If you are looking around for a cafe, sunbeds or a lifeguard, don't bother: there is no business here, so there is no attendant at the entrance waiting to take your money either. You leave behind the packed-to-the-rafters crowd at Acapulco and enjoy nature with zero signs and zero operators. By car it is only a few minutes from the hotel, but you need to keep your eyes peeled so as not to miss that hidden dirt turn-off.

Between Acapulco and Alagadi

The coast road heading east out of Kyrenia town centre reaches Catalkoy first, about fifteen minutes by car. The Acapulco Resort sits on this village's shore and, with its kilometre-long beach, is the best-known point on the strip; Lara begins roughly 2 kilometres east of that same beach. Since the road keeps going in the same direction, the same lane takes you to "Alagadi Turtle Beach" a few kilometres further on. Alagadi is fifteen to sixteen kilometres from Kyrenia, whereas Lara sits a little closer to town. Further along, the road passes the Teknecik power station and links up with Esentepe at twenty-six kilometres. For anyone setting out from Kyrenia the order is therefore simple: Catalkoy, Acapulco, Lara, Alagadi. There is no measured figure for the distance between the two beaches; counting it as a few minutes' drive along the same coast road is enough.

The Last Stretch Is a Dirt Track

You can only reach the cove by car, and the final section that leaves the coast road is unpaved. Going by reviews and people's experiences, a low-clearance car may struggle after rain, and in the winter downpours this stretch gets a bit muddy. There is no official car park either; people park at the roadside near the entrance, without blocking the track. As for public transport, it does not come down to this cove in any form. The minibus line running along the Kyrenia-Esentepe main road stays, as the name suggests, on the main road and does not turn off towards the shore. If you have no car, that leaves a taxi, in which case it is worth agreeing a return time with the driver in advance, because there are no cars waiting at the cove. There is a practical yardstick for those arriving in a hire car, too. Once you pass the Acapulco entrance, keep an eye on the odometer; after 2 kilometres the dirt turn-off dropping down to the shore appears. And what happens if you miss the turn? Since the road carries on to Alagadi, a few kilometres later you will find yourself in the turtle beach car park.

Sand, Shingle and a Rocky Headland

The ground is a mix of sand and shingle, and rocks close off both ends of the cove. Walking barefoot on the shingle is hard going, so water shoes or thick-soled flip-flops will do the job; bear that in mind. The shore itself remains a narrow, short strip next to Acapulco's kilometre-long beach. The sea inside the cove is calm, because the rocky headland breaks the swell coming in from open water; that same swell is felt far more clearly on Acapulco's open beach. As the seabed is sand and shingle, the water does not cloud easily, though there are still stones at the entry point. The rocky ends look suitable for having a look with a mask, but there is no equipment hire at the cove; you will be bringing your own mask as well.

So does the cove ever fill up? With no sunbeds laid out, the beach never fills like a hotel beach; the crowds stay on the Acapulco side. How shallow it is and how quickly it deepens you can only see once you are there, since the cove has no business posting that kind of information. On a windy day, don't head out towards the mouth of the cove; beyond the rocky headland the waves can suddenly get much bigger.

No Facilities, No Fee

There is no cafe, kiosk, sunbed hire, toilet or shower at the cove. There is no shade either; instead of a tree or a pergola you are left with your own umbrella. Since there is no lifeguard, you go into the sea at your own risk. Entry, on the other hand, is of course free; nobody stands at the gate, because there is no gate. This free access is not a municipal decision; it is the natural consequence of there being no business. Article 38 of the TRNC constitution already bans charging for access to the first hundred metres of the coastline, and in a cove with no operator there is no sunbed line item to begin with. Anyone wanting sunbeds and a kiosk heads 2 kilometres back to Acapulco, where outside visitors buy a ticket at the gate. At Lara Beach Cyprus, the only money leaving your pocket is what you spend on water and food on the way.

Alagadi's Rules Don't Apply at Lara

A few kilometres after Lara, Alagadi Turtle Beach begins, and that is a Special Environmental Protection Area. The beach is closed between 20.00 in the evening and 08.00 in the morning, and night watching is only done in the company of SPOT (Society for the Protection of Turtles) volunteers. For Lara, there is no announced nesting programme or time restriction. The two coves sit on the same coastline, yet their statuses are clearly different: one is a supervised protected area, the other a free cove. Alagadi can be visited during the day; the restriction applies only to the night hours. At Lara there is no announced night-time ban either, but the rocky shore is unlit.

The same distinction carries over to the tours: anyone who wants to see turtles goes through Alagadi's registration system, and Lara is not part of that tour. The difference shows even in the parking: Alagadi has car parks at the entrances to its coves and no fee is charged, whereas at Lara you are left with the roadside. The same goes for facilities: Alagadi's large cove has a seasonal cafe and a basic toilet, Lara has none of these. Still, fitting both into the same day is easy; you can spend the morning at Lara and head over to Alagadi before eight in the evening. So if someone searching for Lara Beach Cyprus is expecting a turtle beach, the place they are looking for is a few kilometres further along.

What Goes in the Bag, and What Time to Go

Water and shade are the first two items on the list. Since nothing sells them at the cove, enough water for the whole day and an umbrella or a shade tent can go in the car. Water shoes are for the rough shingle mentioned above, and a thick mat also comes in handy for the stony part of the sand. As there is no toilet, those staying for a long time can take a break in "Catalkoy"; the businesses on the Acapulco side are the nearest point for that. Across the island the swimming season starts in May and runs until the end of October, and the same calendar applies to Lara. With no shade, the midday sun is heavy going, so early morning or late afternoon is more comfortable. Driving back over the dirt track in daylight also makes things easier. In the winter months the cove physically stays open, though since there are no services anyway, the only difference from summer is the temperature of the sea. Whoever comes to Lara Beach Cyprus carries their own supplies and sets their own time to leave.

For the protected turtle cove a few kilometres further along, see our Alagadi turtle beach page; for the sunbed-and-kiosk alternative 2 km back, our Acapulco Beach Kyrenia page; and for other free and paid shores across the island, the North Cyprus beaches guide.