Cape Greco and Blue Lagoon Boat Safari with BBQ Lunch from Larnaca

Larnaca Marina and the Zenobia shipwreck

The boat leaves Larnaca Marina at 09:00, right beside the palm-lined Finikoudes promenade, and within ten minutes you are over the Zenobia. This Swedish ferry sank on her maiden voyage in June 1980, a short distance off Larnaca, and now lies on her side at a depth of about 42 metres with her cargo of lorries still inside. She is considered one of the best wreck dives in the world, and from the surface you can watch divers' bubbles rising while you snorkel over the shallower parts of the hull.

You spend about thirty minutes here swimming, snorkelling and photographing the divers, with masks and snorkels available on board against a refundable deposit. The guide tells the story of the sinking and of the wreck's new life as an artificial reef full of fish. It is the first of several stops on this Larnaca boat trip and a very different start from an ordinary coastal cruise.

Cape Pyla and the Red Cliffs

Sailing east for about forty minutes, the boat reaches Cape Pyla, where the low coast rises into layered cliffs of red and ochre rock dropping straight into the sea. Sea caves open at the waterline, and the cliffs are a nesting area for sea birds including the eagles that give the spot its name among local skippers. The water is calm and transparent, so the second swimming stop of the day is made right here, with thirty minutes to swim from the boat or float above the rocky seabed.

After the swim, fresh fruit is served on deck as the boat continues past a fish farm where sea bream, a Cypriot favourite, is raised in large round pens. Keep your eyes on the water: dolphins are sometimes seen in this stretch and the captain slows down whenever they appear. Then the white-sand beaches of Ayia Napa come into view along the coast, and a short guided stop at a viewpoint gives time for photos.

Cape Greco, the Love Bridge and the Pirate Caves

Cape Greco is the south-eastern tip of Cyprus and a protected national forest park, a limestone headland of pale cliffs, sea caves and juniper scrub where the water turns an intense blue. From the boat you see the natural rock arch known as the Love Bridge, the sea caves once used by pirates and smugglers, and the small white chapel of Ayioi Anargyroi perched above the shore. Many visitors asking how to get to Cape Greco find that seeing it from the water is the easiest and most spectacular way.

The boat slows for a guided commentary and photo stops along the cape, which takes about ten minutes, then turns into the cove everyone has been waiting for. On a clear day the colours here are the best of the whole route, so have your camera ready on deck. The cape is also where the coast changes direction towards Protaras, with Konnos Beach tucked into the next bay.

The Blue Lagoon and the BBQ lunch on board

The Blue Lagoon near Cape Greco is a sheltered cove of turquoise water over white sand and rock, and the main swimming stop of the day. The boat anchors here for about forty minutes while you swim, snorkel among small fish and jump from the deck into water so clear that the anchor is visible on the bottom. Snorkelling equipment is on board, and the sunbeds on the upper deck are ideal for drying off in the sun afterwards.

At 13:00 the Cypriot buffet is served: homemade dishes with BBQ meat and chicken, salads, fresh bread and fruit, with water and soft drinks included throughout the cruise. Lunch is eaten on board with the lagoon in front of you, which is why this Blue Lagoon Cyprus boat trip is so popular with families. Afterwards the boat passes the chapel and Konnos Beach as it heads towards Protaras.

Protaras, the view of Famagusta and the Golden Coast port

The last stretch follows the coast towards Protaras, with its long sandy beaches, Fig Tree Bay and the hotels along the shore. Beyond them the boat approaches the Famagusta district, and the guide points out the skyline of the fenced-off district of Varosha, a resort quarter left empty since 1974 and visible across the water. It is a short, factual photo stop that adds a piece of modern Cypriot history to the day.

The cruise ends around 14:00 at the small fishing port on the Golden Coast near Protaras, where the boats tie up next to the fishermen's shelters. Buses are waiting here to take everyone back to their pickup points in Protaras, Ayia Napa and Larnaca, so the day is a true one-way boat trip from Larnaca to Protaras without doubling back. Transfer times can vary with traffic, and the route may change if the captain decides the sea is too rough for any stop.