Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Europe > 🇬🇧Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Should You Hire a Car in Akrotiri and Dhekelia? This can be broken down into two similar questions - do you need a car in Akrotiri and Dhekelia (in other words, will your holiday be ruined without one), and is it worth hiring a car in Akrotiri and Dhekelia - i.e. is a car better value than using public transport? We'll weigh up both questions and give you a response generated by Chat GPT, together with our own curated opinion before finally giving a yes or no verdict at the end.
CITYIATAScore
Akrotiri and Dhekelia aren’t typical tourist destinations — they’re British military bases with limited civilian settlements. However, parts of these areas are open to the public, including beaches, nature reserves, archaeological sites, and some Cypriot villages located within the boundaries.

So the big question: Do you need a car to visit them?

🚫 First Things First – Are You Even Allowed In?

  • The bases themselves are not open to casual visitors.

  • However, public roads, beaches, and villages located within the Sovereign Base Areas are accessible just like any other part of Cyprus.

  • You won’t go through border control — they are not separate countries.

➡ So yes — you can pass through and visit the parts open to the public without any special permits.

🚗 Should You Use a Car?

Yes — if you want to actually explore anything.

Akrotiri and Dhekelia are spread-out coastal areas, not walkable towns. They include:

  • Lady’s Mile Beach

  • Akrotiri Salt Lake (flamingo spotting!)

  • Kourion Archaeological Site

  • Cape Zevgari Nature Areas

  • Villages and farmland

There is almost no public transport in these zones. So if you plan to visit, a car is highly recommended.

🚌 Can You Get Around Without a Car?

You can, but it will be very limited.

Option Reality
Taxi Works, but not always available on demand
Walking Only practical within one small area (e.g. around Lady’s Mile Beach)
Cycling Possible, but distances are long and it can be hot
Public buses Very limited or nonexistent in some SBA zones

➡ If you don’t drive, it’s best to join a tour that includes Akrotiri or Kourion as a stop.

🏁 Final Recommendation

Traveller Type Car Needed? Why
Visiting beaches & salt lake ✅ Yes No buses, spread-out coastline
Interested in nature & archaeology ✅ Yes Sites are remote
Just passing through from Limassol ❌ No You’ll stay on main road
Military personnel or family Depends Many use cars due to distances on base

✨ Final Take

  • Akrotiri and Dhekelia are not traditional travel destinations.

  • They are drive-through regions with a few beautiful stops, especially for nature lovers and archaeology fans.

  • Therefore: If you want to actually experience them, you should absolutely rent a car.

Should You Hire a Car in 🇬🇧 — or Not? Advice on this page has been written using Chat GPT, backed up by 20 years experience in the travel industry. This site is planned for full launch on 1st January 2026. Full terms, advice, FAQs, disclaimer etc to follow. UN flag is a placeholder

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