Turtle Watching at Lara Beach

Lara Beach lies on the remote northwest coast of the Akamas peninsula, north of Paphos. It is one of the Mediterranean's most important nesting beaches for the loggerhead turtle and the rarer green turtle, and the Cyprus Department of Fisheries and Marine Research has run a conservation station and hatchery here for decades, relocating at-risk eggs into a protected enclosure and releasing hatchlings to the sea.

Nesting runs through the summer, roughly from late May into August, with hatchlings emerging from around August into the autumn. The beach is deliberately undeveloped, with no sunbeds, bars or sealed road, which is exactly what has kept it suitable for the turtles. That same lack of access means you reach it by rough track, on a 4x4 tour or a long walk.

Visiting responsibly

This is conservation first and a beach second. Caged nests are marked on the sand, and visitors must keep clear of them. Many people see the site by day on an Akamas jeep safari, which is the easiest way to get there. Do not dig, do not drive on the nesting sand, and follow any signs or guidance from staff.

• The same coast holds the Blue Lagoon, reachable by the Latchi boat cruise.
• The nearby Avakas Gorge is a common pairing on Akamas tours.
• Keep lights and noise low if you visit near dusk in nesting season.

Visit in the nesting and hatching months for the best chance of seeing activity, bring water and sun cover as there are no facilities, and treat the nests and any guidance with care.