Makronissos Beach is the quieter western counterweight to Nissi Beach, with the same clear, shallow water but a little more breathing room. The sand is pale and soft, the swimming is easy, and the beach is really a cluster of bays, so you can usually find a slightly calmer corner even when Ayia Napa is busy.
It works especially well if you want a beach morning without committing to the resort strip all day. The Makronissos Tombs are just inland, giving the place more interest than another line of loungers, and buses or taxis from the centre of Ayia Napa make it simple to combine with Nissi, Landa, or Ayia Thekla.