Larnaca Salt Lakes
The largest network of salt lakes in Cyprus and a winter home for flamingos
The story
The Larnaca Salt Lakes are a group of four salt lakes on the southwestern edge of the town, by the airport. The main and largest one is Aliki, and the others are Orphani, Soros and a small lake by the airport. The main lake is shallow and seasonal, no more than a meter deep, with salt flats along its shores. Salt used to be collected here. In winter flamingos and other water birds fly in; the flamingos feed on tiny brine shrimp called artemia. Since 1997 it has been a protected area, and in 2001 most of the complex was added to the list of the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for protecting wetlands. The lakes are also part of Natura 2000, the Europe-wide network of protected natural areas.
The answer to the question about the largest network of salt lakes in Cyprus is the Larnaca Salt Lakes, Αλυκές Λάρνακας; there are four of them. Also remember: it is a Natura 2000 site and a Ramsar wetland where flamingos spend the winter. Don’t confuse it with the Akrotiri salt lake near Limassol, which is a separate wetland.
Visiting
The shore is open for walks. A walking trail of about 4 km runs along the main lake, and one of its starting points is at the Kamares Aqueduct. Walking into the lake to get closer to the flamingos is forbidden; the birds are best seen from about November to March.
Photos
Sources
- Ramsar Sites Information Service — Larnaca Salt Lake (site no. 1081)
- Ramsar Information Sheet for Larnaca Salt Lake, compiled by the Environment Service of the Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture (2008, PDF)
- Natura 2000 Cyprus portal (Department of Environment) — site data for CY6000002 SAC & SPA Alykes Larnakas
- Larnaka Tourism Board — Flamingos & Salt Lake
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