Blue Lagoon, Akamas and Baths of Aphrodite Day Trip from Paphos

The Blue Lagoon on the Akamas coast

The Blue Lagoon is a sheltered bay with shallow, clear turquoise water and pale sand and rock on the seabed, reached by boat from the harbour near Latchi. It is the highlight of most Blue Lagoon trips from Paphos, because the water is calm, the colours are vivid and the coastline is empty of buildings. Sunlight makes the bay look almost tropical.

The boat ride along the shore takes you past cliffs and small coves that are invisible from the road. You then have time to swim and relax. Bring swimwear, a towel and sun cream, because towels are not provided, and consider your own snorkel mask if you like to look at the fish. If you are asking whether a Blue Lagoon cruise from Paphos is worth it, the setting alone answers that.

The Akamas Peninsula, wild north-west Cyprus

The Akamas is a protected peninsula of pine forest, gorges, limestone cliffs and quiet beaches, and one of the least developed parts of the island. Rare plants grow here, and green and loggerhead turtles nest on some beaches in summer. The area is a national forest park, so there is little building, and the roads are rough in places.

That is why a day trip to Akamas from Paphos is best done with a guide and a driver. The trip combines the coastline with the boat, and your guide explains the geography and the wildlife along the way. The Akamas is also popular with walkers, but this tour keeps the walking light so you can see the highlights in a single day.

The Baths of Aphrodite near Polis

The Baths of Aphrodite is a small natural pool in a grotto shaded by a fig tree, fed by a spring that trickles from the rock. Legend says the goddess of love and beauty bathed here, and that she met her lover Adonis nearby. The story is why Paphos, her mythical birthplace, is so closely tied to the goddess.

The pool is protected, so it is a place to look, photograph and hear the myth, not to swim in. It sits at the start of a nature trail through the Akamas, and your guide tells the story on the spot. Visit early in the day if you can, because tour groups gather here and the light is soft in the morning.

From Paphos to the coast with hotel pickup

The default option starts with hotel pickup in the Paphos area, and the pickup time is confirmed before the trip. The drive to the north-west coast takes around an hour, on a good road through hills, villages and orange and olive groves. A full-day trip of about eight hours leaves time for the boat, swimming and the grotto.

If you are researching how to get from Paphos to the Blue Lagoon, remember that public buses do not reach the boat harbour or the Baths of Aphrodite easily, and the roads on the Akamas are rough. A guided trip with air-conditioned transport removes the hire-car stress. The best time to visit the Blue Lagoon is late spring to early autumn, when the sea is warm.