Nissi Beach

Nissi is the beach that made Ayia Napa's name: five hundred metres of fine white sand, water that stays shallow and turns a pale turquoise over it, and a sandbar you can wade across to the little island the beach is named after. It is also, in July and August, a full-volume party beach with music from midday and foam parties, which is either the attraction or the reason to come in another month. Out of high season it is simply a very good beach.

What you actually see

• The sandbar - a shallow wade out to the small island offshore.
• The white sand - fine pale sand that gives the water its colour.
• The island - a rocky islet with paths over it, reachable on foot.
• The bay - shallow turquoise water sheltered by rock at both ends.

When to go

May to June and September to October give the same water without the crowds and the volume. July and August are extremely busy and loud from midday onwards. Winter is quiet with most facilities closed.

Honest expectations

In peak season this is a party beach with amplified music all day and it is not a quiet family spot. Sunbeds fill by mid-morning and the free sand is limited. Parking is difficult from June to September.

Nearby

Ayia Napa monastery is in the town, and Cape Greco is east.