Larnaca Salt Lake, the flamingos' winter home

The salt lake is what I recommend most in Larnaca to anyone travelling in winter. About 2 km from the centre, between the city and the airport, thousands of pink flamingos stop to feed on a sheet of water with the Hala Sultan mosque behind. Outside that season the flamingos aren’t there, so timing matters.

Four lakes

The Larnaca Tourism Board explains that it isn’t one lake but four. The main one, with the trail and the bird hide, is called Aliki. Then come Orphani, Soros and the Airport lake, stretching to the villages of Pervolia, Meneou and Dromolaxia. The board gives a surface area of 2.2 km², and the UNESCO entry speaks of about 1,761 ha for the whole complex with its shores.

Given its ecological value, it’s one of the most important wetlands in Cyprus. It’s a Ramsar wetland of international importance, a Natura 2000 site, a Specially Protected Area under the Barcelona Convention and a BirdLife Important Bird Area. Its salt was harvested from Roman times until the 20th century, and in the Middle Ages Larnaca was even called Salinas.

The flamingos

It all starts with a dark red alga that grows in the lake. Small shrimp feed on it, and flamingos and other migratory birds feed on the shrimp, more than 85 species according to the board. The flamingos arrive with the first rains, usually in November, and stay until March. When the lake is full there can be tens of thousands, and their honking, which they use to keep the flock together, follows walkers along the shore. The main photo shows them wading through the water.

There’s one firm rule. Wading into the lake to get closer is forbidden, because it does them real harm. You can see them perfectly well from the shore.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Larnaca before prices climb.

The trail

The trail is 4 km long and part of the European E4 long-distance path. It has two starting points. One at the Kamares aqueduct and the other at the salt collection area on Artemis Avenue, towards the old airport, 150 m past the District Court. The board notes that Artemis and Aphrodite-Astarte were worshipped here, and that a sculpture of Artemis was found in the area, with a copy now on the Artemis Avenue roundabout. It also praises the deep red sunsets.

Pairing it with other places

Across the water stands Hala Sultan Tekke, and since 2016 the mosque and the lake have shared a place on UNESCO’s Tentative List. Central Larnaca is about 2 km away and Mackenzie beach 1.5. If wetlands interest you, compare it with Akrotiri Salt Lake in Limassol. The rest of the area’s wetlands and villages are in Larnaca district.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Larnaca Salt Lake and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Larnaca on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Larnaca before prices climb.