Cyprus, located to the south of Turkey and just southeast of Greece, has a mixed population of Turks and Greeks. The national languages reflects this with both Turkis and Greek regularly used. The history of the island is fascinating with many historical sites to visit. Tourism is by far the biggest industry in Cyprus and the most valuable asset is the beautiful beaches.

The following is a list of the 10 best Cypriot beaches.

Diana Beach This is an artificial sandy beach with a rocky bottom. Get out those surf shoes folks when walking in the water here because of the rocky bottom. Sun beds and umbrellas are available for hire, as are scooters which can be hired for travelling about.

Alagadi Turtle Beach

Alagadi Beach is a sandy beach with a rocky sea floor, however the water is shallow for quite a distance out making it great for swimming. Green and Loggerhead turtles come up to the beach and lay eggs during the egg-laying season. During this time a portion of the beach is closed off to tourists.

Escape Beach

This beach has been carefully maintained and for this reason it is a favorite resort for families and singles alike. The fee to get into Escape Beach is 10YTL. There are all manner of water sports available here as well as volleyball. The nightlife is fantastic and there are many outdoors clubs with well established DJ's.

Protaras Beach

This is the most popular beach in the Protaras municipality and there are a variety of water sports here for visitors to enjoy.

Ladies' Mile Beach

This is a golden sandy beach with shallow, clear, and very calm waters. This beach is very safe for kids and is plentiful with water sports

Curium Beach

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches in Cyprus. High above the beach is a Roman Amphitheater that has been restored. From this vantage you can watch the boats and water sports. The sea can be very rough at times but the beaches are gentle and favorable for swimmers. This beach can get a little crowded at times due to its popularity.

Pissouri Beach

This is a sandy shingle beach that is located in the village of Pissouri. There is a full compliment of water sports offered and there is even a scuba diving school for those that are inclined to dive. This is a beach that is rarely over crowded except on the weekends.

Governor's Beach

Located between Larnaca and Limassol, this is a shallow beach that is great for small children to play and swim. There is also a white rocks area that is beautiful with great fishing and sailing at this beach.

Nissi Beach

Nissi Bay This is a beach located in the calm Nissi Bay, which provides shelter from the wind. This beautiful beach comes with magnificent views as well as having great, cafes, pubs, and a variety of water sports.

Fig Tree Bay Beach

This beach is aptly named because of a lone Fig Tree that grows just up from the Beach. This is a very popular beach in the Protaras District. Tourists find this beach difficult to locate as times because there are restaurants and hotels lining the beach. Look for the Salparo Hotel to the north and the Nausicaa Beach Hotel Apartments to the south.