Lara Bay

Lara is a curve of coarse pale sand on the undeveloped western side of the Akamas peninsula, and it matters because it is one of the most important nesting beaches in the eastern Mediterranean for green turtles, along with loggerheads. Through the summer females haul out at night to lay, and a conservation project marks and cages nests against foxes, with hatchlings emerging from late summer and making for the sea. Because of that the beach has been kept free of development, there are no sunbeds, bars or buildings, and vehicles, umbrellas and night access are restricted in season. It is reached by a rough track that keeps the numbers down, and outside the middle of a summer day it is often empty apart from the caged nests in rows above the tideline.

What you actually see

• The nesting beach - caged nests in rows above the tideline in season.
• Green and loggerhead turtles - the two species that nest here.
• The undeveloped coast - the Akamas shore with no building at all.
• The approach track - the rough drive that keeps the beach quiet.

When to go

Nesting runs roughly June to August with hatchlings from late summer into autumn; the beach is open by day year-round. In nesting season night access is restricted and organised watches, where they run, are the only responsible way to see anything after dark.

Honest expectations

The track in is rough enough that hire-car agreements often exclude it, and people damage cars here every summer; a high-clearance vehicle or a boat trip is the sensible answer. There are no facilities of any kind, so bring water and shade. Never dig near marked nests, drive on the sand or use lights on the beach at night, which disorients hatchlings.

Nearby

Avakas gorge is south along the peninsula; the Akamas trails run north towards the Baths of Aphrodite.