Fig Tree Bay

Fig Tree Bay is a compact crescent of sand at Protaras, named for a fig planted in the sixteenth century that still stands at the northern end. The water is shallow, calm and unusually clear, with a rocky islet a hundred metres out that swimmers use as a destination and snorkellers work round. It is a family beach rather than a party one, which is the distinction from Ayia Napa a few kilometres south, and the hotel strip behind is correspondingly quieter.

What you actually see

• The islet - a small rocky island a short swim offshore.
• The clear shallows - calm transparent water over sand across the bay.
• The fig tree - the sixteenth-century tree the bay is named after.
• The coastal path - a paved walk running north and south along the shore.

When to go

May to June and September to October are the best combination of warm water and space. July and August are crowded from early morning. Winter is calm and quiet with facilities closed.

Honest expectations

The bay is small and fills quickly in summer; free sand runs out by mid-morning. Sunbeds occupy most of the front. Parking in Protaras is scarce in season.

Nearby

Ayia Napa is south, and Cape Greco is between the two.