Hiking the Akamas in May — wildflowers, sea turtles and the Blue Lagoon

May in Akamas: the version they do not put on the boat-tour flyers

We went to the Akamas in the second week of May 2022, deliberately avoiding the boat trips and the organised jeep safaris. We wanted to walk. The Akamas Peninsula National Park is one of the wildest parts of Cyprus, and walking through it rather than riding over it in a jeep reveals a different version of the place.

What we found was extraordinary: a landscape in full spring bloom, almost entirely without other tourists, with wild orchids on the clifftops and a silence broken only by the Eleonora’s falcons that nest on the sea stacks offshore. If you want to know what the Akamas actually is — not just what it looks like from a boat — go in May and walk.

Getting to the peninsula in spring

We based ourselves in Paphos and drove north to Latchi harbour each day. The road follows the B7 coastal route, passing through Coral Bay and the resort strip of Agios Georgios before climbing onto the Akamas plateau. In spring this drive is itself worth slowing down for: the roadside is coloured with rock roses (cistus), the hedgehog broom (Genista sphacelata, endemic), and the bright yellow of Coronilla valentina.

The Akamas Peninsula covers approximately 230 square kilometres, much of it accessible only by footpath or 4WD track. The Cypriot government has been attempting to formally gazette it as a national park for decades; as of 2022, some protection was in place but the boundaries and permitted activities remained contested.

The Aphrodite trail: 7.5 km of coastal drama

The Aphrodite Trail starts from the Baths of Aphrodite car park, 4 km north of Latchi. The “baths” themselves are a small freshwater pool shaded by a wild fig tree — pleasant rather than spectacular, but the surrounding forest is beautiful and quiet in early morning. The trail climbs quickly from the car park onto the coastal ridge.

At its best, the Aphrodite Trail is one of the finest coastal walks in the eastern Mediterranean. At 200 m above the sea, the path runs along the edge of the plateau with views north toward Turkey’s coast (visible on clear mornings) and west over the open Mediterranean. The endemic flora is extraordinary: Cyprus orchid (Ophrys kotschyi), Cyprus tulip (Tulipa cypria), endemic sage (Salvia veneris) and the Akamas sun rose (Cistus creticus) cover every available surface in spring.

We walked the loop in about 4 hours at a slow pace with frequent stops. The trail is well-marked (yellow-green Cypriot Hiking signs), moderately strenuous (some steep sections on the descent back to the Baths), and entirely without shade on the exposed sections. Water is essential; do not underestimate the spring sun at altitude.

Lara Beach: turtle logistics in May

We drove north from Latchi on the dirt track toward Lara Beach — a 40-minute drive on progressively rougher surface. A standard hire car can make it in dry conditions; in May, the track was dry and dusty. A higher-clearance vehicle would be more comfortable.

Lara Beach is one of the two main nesting beaches for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) on Cyprus. The nesting season runs May–August, with the first turtles typically arriving in late April or early May. When we visited in the second week of May, there had been three nests laid in the previous ten days, marked with protective wire cages by the MEDASSET turtle conservation team stationed at the beach.

The beach itself is long, coarse-sand, and backed by dunes — very different from the developed resort beaches of Ayia Napa. No facilities. No shops. One conservation team hut. In May it was completely empty of tourists except for us and two other walkers who appeared from the cliff trail above.

Standing on an empty beach knowing that loggerhead turtles had dug nests in the sand twenty metres away the previous night was one of those quietly overwhelming experiences that travel sometimes produces unexpectedly. We sat for an hour, said very little, and watched a Griffon vulture circling on the thermals above the cliffs.

The Blue Lagoon in May: worth the walk

The Blue Lagoon (Kioni) is accessible from the beach at Fontana Amorosa, 2 km north of Lara Beach, or by boat from Latchi. In May, the boat services are running but not at peak frequency; we walked along the coastal track from Lara, which took about 45 minutes.

The lagoon in May, without the water-slide boats and their accompanying noise, is simply beautiful. The water is the colour that seems impossible in photographs but is exactly that colour in person: a shallow, clear, turquoise cove enclosed by limestone cliffs, with a sandy bottom visible at 4–5 m depth. We swam for two hours and saw nobody else until a single boat arrived at 14:00 with a small group.

I have also visited the lagoon in August on a group boat tour, and it is fine in August too — festive, social, loud. But the May version, reached by walking rather than sailing, is a different experience in the way that matters.

If you want the boat experience in May:

Paphos/Akamas: Blue Lagoon Bus & Boat Tour with Water Slide — the bus and boat combination from Paphos is running in May with smaller groups than summer. The water slide is operating; the atmosphere is relaxed.

For those who want a guide for the interior of the peninsula in any season:

From Paphos or Limassol: Akamas National Park Jeep Safari — the jeep safari covers Avakas Gorge and Lara Beach as well as the lagoon; good for families or those who prefer not to walk the full distances.

What we ate, and where

We picnicked most days — cheese, bread, olives and tomatoes from the Latchi market — because the walking days were long and the only food option in the Akamas itself is the café at the Baths of Aphrodite car park (acceptable coffee, basic sandwiches).

Evenings in Latchi: the village is small and the restaurants face the sea. Latchi Restaurant at the harbour is reliable for fresh fish; we ate there twice. The mullet (barbouni) and the sea bream (tsipoura) were both excellent. One evening we drove back to Paphos and ate at the Ktima covered market area — cheaper and more local in character.

Paphos food tour option:

Paphos: Full-Day Cyprus Food Tour — if you want a structured introduction to Cypriot food culture, this food tour from Paphos is a good rest-day activity between hiking days.

The Avakas Gorge: a half-day addition

On our last day we walked the Avakas Gorge rather than going back to the plateau. The gorge cuts through the limestone on the eastern edge of the Akamas, 20 minutes north of the B7 road. The trail follows the stream bed (dry in May) for 3 km to the narrowest point, where the walls close to 2–3 m width and rise 30 m overhead. Bee-eaters were nesting in the sandy banks above the gorge entrance.

The Avakas is not strenuous — the terrain is rocky but flat — but scrambling over large boulders in the narrow section requires confidence. Allow 3 hours return. No shade needed: the gorge walls provide it.

What May Akamas actually demands of you

A few practical notes for anyone who wants to replicate this approach:

Physical fitness: The Aphrodite Trail (7.5 km, 350 m elevation) is moderate. The track to Lara Beach and the lagoon adds 10 km if walked from the Baths car park. We walked 15–20 km on our longer days. Trainers are adequate but proper walking shoes are better.

Sun: The plateau is fully exposed. Factor 50, hat, at least 2 litres of water per person per day.

Timing: Leave by 08:00 to complete the ridge walk before the midday heat. The trail is pleasant from 07:00 to 11:30; in May, the temperature rises quickly from 11:00 onward.

Snakes: The Akamas has the endemic Cyprus whip snake (Hierophis cypriensis) and the blunt-nosed viper (Macrovipera lebetina). Both avoid contact with people; both will bite if startled. Watch where you put your hands on rocks. Wear long trousers on the rocky sections.

Wildlife: Beyond the turtles, we saw: Eleonora’s falcons, Griffon vultures, Cyprus warbler (endemic), Cyprus wheatear (endemic), common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon), Persian squirrel, and the tracks of the Cyprus mouflon (Ovis orientalis ophion) on the plateau trail.

Why May is the best month for Akamas

The wildflowers peak in late April and mid-May. The turtle nesting season begins. The sea is warm enough to swim (22°C in May) but the beach crowds have not arrived. The walking trails are in their best condition after winter rains. The boats to the Blue Lagoon are running but not full. The hotels and restaurants in Paphos and Latchi are at shoulder rates.

If you are planning a trip centred on nature rather than beaches, May in the Akamas is close to ideal. The 3-day essentials itinerary covers Akamas on Day 2 and gives good options for both the walking and the boat tour approach.

We came back from that week with muddy walking shoes, sunburned forearms, and the specific satisfaction of having understood a place rather than merely visited it.