If you are going to visit just one beach in Ayia Napa, then here is where you should come. Nissi beach is a symbol of Ayia Napa, and in many ways one of the best beaches on the island and beyond. It takes its name from the small rock found towards its west side (Nissi means island in Greek). Theoretically, there are 2 beaches, Nissi beach and Nissi bay, but as they are not very large (together they are less than 1 km in length), so close together and difficult to distinguish their “border”, we are treating them as one. It is about 3 km west of Ayia Napa center. The sea and pure white sand are just amazing. There is a high proportion of young visitors here. There is excellent road access and amenities here. The beach has been awarded the Blue flag eco-label (www.blueflag.org) and has handicap facilities. There are good snorkeling and watersports possibilities and you should explore the rocky islet on the west side of the beach. You can hike on the 4 km long Makronissos beach to Vathia Gonia beach trail passing through here. The bay is not very exposed to the wind and as a result, in summer after midday when there is usually wind blowing from the south, the sea doesnot get big waves. Because of the currents the water can at times get murky though. The beach gets really packed in summer, and you should come early in the morning if you want to avoid the hordes of visitors.