Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on January 7, 2024
Konnos Beach is a stunning and popular beach located in the eastern part of Cyprus, near the resort town of Protaras. Cyprus is known for its beautiful beaches, and Konnos Beach is often considered one of the most picturesque. Snorkelers are drawn to the beach for the exciting underwater world waiting to be explored. Konnos Beach is also one of the best snorkeling spots in the Ayia Napa region to encounter green sea turtles, which often frequent its calm and crystal clear waters.
Konnos Beach is located between Protaras and Ayia Napa on the southeast coast of Cyprus. By car, the driving time to reach the beach is less than 10 minutes from Protaras, 20 minutes from Paralimni, and 15 minutes from Ayia Napa.
After leaving the main road, that is well sign-posted, there is a winding road on which several parking areas are found. This road descends to Konnos Beach. It offers beautiful views of the cove.
Once you are on the beach, we advise you to walk to the second beach, which is behind the rocky point (see map). You will be closer to the best snorkeling areas. Water entrance is easy, from a gently sloping sandy beach.
Once in the water, you can first explore the area facing the beach (area 1 on the map). Surrounded by rocks, it is very sheltered and offers moderate depths (↕3 to 12 feet).
This is a good area to observe the fish that live in the island’s coastal waters: wrasse, spinefoot, seabream, pipefish, and occasionally small schools of barracuda. You will also notice beautiful hatpin sea urchins.
Beyond the rocks, the slope descends rapidly on sandy bottoms punctuated with large boulders (↕25-40ft). It is in this area that green sea turtles frequently visit. Most of them are quite small and tend to be shy.
The turtles are mainly encountered during summer (June to September), but sightings are also possible in spring and autumn. If you don’t see turtles in Konnos Bay, you can try your luck in Green Bay, just10 minutes away, where they are more abundant.
If you go further than the designated swimming area, take a diving flag with you. Regardless, do not go further than the large mooring buoys. Boats and jet skis traffic is quite heavy beyond.
You can purchase snacks at a spot that overlooks the beach (see map).
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
