Cyprus

[Darkness]

Anyone ever been? Whats it like.. Especially the resort of Ayia Napa?

I would be travelling alone in June and hoping to meet new people whilst I was out there...

 

[eggyoke]

I've been to Ayia Napa... well about 11 years ago.

It was very nice and incredibly hot when I went. It was one of my favorite resort type holidays I've been on. Although I normally don't care for those types anymore.

Don't know if anythings changed now but Ayia Napa was a lovely place.

 

[Moredhel]

Not been to Ayia Napa but I lived in Cyprus for 2 years, it's a nice place, the locals are generally very friendly and most of the people, except the old folk speak excellent English alongside Greek. The island in general is a nice place, if under heavy development in lots of places. Going up in dirt tracks around the mountains is always fun if you've got a 4x4.

Summer time can be VERY hot, last summer for us it hit 50c at times, even the locals struggle with that. Make sure you take precautions when going out, lots of water etc, and be sure to take flip flops or sandals, people end up in hospital with 1st degree burns every year by walking around barefoot at the height of summer.

 

[Snakedoctor]

It's kind of like a building site. The sandy beaches are full of ciggerette butts. The sea is lovely and clear and its very very warm there. I loved it despite the fag butts and building work. I went the very next day after 9/11 (or should it be 11/9?) so my trip did not allow me to do all i wanted to, such as visit Egypt. You have to see the Ghost town if you get a chance. It's wierd to see.

Food, booze and ciggys are very cheap too. Coca cola tastes funny there.

 

[MAPeX]

I went to Agia Napa last year for 2 weeks. It was superb, lovely weather but during the end of the second week the heat was getting unbearable. On the day we left it was 52 degrees.

Apart from that it was a great holiday and everyone seemed friendly. I would definately go again

 

[wesley]

hi

went to ayia napa last year with my girlfriend, we stayed at Aktea Beach Apartment which very close to Nissi Beach, very nice, very friendly, very hot

we're going back there again on 16th july for 2 weeks

edit: make sure the hotel u're staying got air condition or you wont sleep at night, trust me

 

[Moredhel]

It's kind of like a building site. The sandy beaches are full of ciggerette butts. The sea is lovely and clear and its very very warm there. I loved it despite the fag butts and building work. I went the very next day after 9/11 (or should it be 11/9?) so my trip did not allow me to do all i wanted to, such as visit Egypt. You have to see the Ghost town if you get a chance. It's wierd to see.

The building really is only the touristy areas. Once you get out of the towns and into the (non ex-pat) villages you stop seeing new villas etc. going up everywhere, and more of the unspoilt areas. We lived in Paphos, on the other side of the Island, so managed to avoid lots of the touristy places.

Some of the locals seemed to have no qualms about fly tipping etc, which can make some places look a little unsightly though.

 

[kai]

young lad boys holiday its awsome plenty of clubs proper **** fest.

 

[Booner!]

I have been to Larnaca and would recommend it, plenty of english speaking, great sun food etc. Beach is a bit rubbish though!

 

[Freefaller]

I'm part Cypriot so I have a somewhat biased view. I for one hate Ayia Napa and what it's become - I remember it being a couple of chalets one or 2 hotels, and a quiet little town. It's now unrecognisable. I go there at least once a year normally aim for twice a year - however I lived there obviously for a while too.

I love Cyprus. The people, the climate, the food, the lifestyle, the history... everything. It's just "me". Mediteranean lifestyle just suits me and so do the characteristics of the Cypriot people.

I don't know much about the touristy areas as I keep away from them - but if you want a fun holiday destination with good weather, nice people and a great atmosphere Cyprus is the place to go.

Unfortunately owing to the west and Russia getting it's hands on it a little, crime, corruption and drugs have found their way there. However in spite of this crime is very very low (by Cypriots) most of the issues are by foreigners unfortunately. I used to leave the car unlocked, banks were open plan with no screens, and there was so little crime that a pick pocket was the talk of the town for weeks on end. Much of this is still the case, but it is becoming more western and as a result greed, corruption and western influences (of which some are very negative and bad for the island) have started to change things. Overall it is still relatively unspoilt if you go to the non touristy areas, Paphos, Larnaca and Ayia Napa hardly represent "true" Cyprus IMO. However my family is from Lefkosia anyway so that's where I feel at home, though Larnaca's quite nice, as is Limmasol.

I do spend time in my legally owned house (i.e. I have title deeds from both the Greek and Turkish Land registries) in Kyrenia which fortunately has received a decline in tourism, but an increase in Mainland Turks and Kurds... However it's still very pleasant and miles away from excessive civilisation which is perfect. I can retreat and disappear off the radar - love it.

Try and learn a bit of Greek too - or at least make the effort to say please and thank you. Thanks.

Cyprus rocks.

 

[FirebarUK]

Depends if your a chav or not.

 

[Wicksta]

Food, booze and ciggys are very cheap too. Coca cola tastes funny there.

Actually I was surprised how expensive food, booze etc was when I went last year, it seemed on a par with England.

 

[MoratJG]

I lived there for two years whilst serving as a military copper. Our main duty in summer was patrolling Napa so I know the place well. It is what it is; if you want a lads holiday, then it's all there. You would, however, be doing Cyprus and the Cypriots and great dis-service by not seeing the rest of the island. Personally, I wouldn't want to stay in Napa; it's a generic package tour town with nothing that different from any other generic package tour town on the Med.

Freefaller got it spot-on. Cyprus has a dark and seedy side which I have seen all to much in Napa. Go out and see the rest of the island - it's steeped in history and has some great places to visit beyond the concrete uglies along that coast.

And yes, be prepared for serious heat. The sun is utterly merciless.

 

[Makunouchi]

Cyprus rocks.

I have family there and go there regularly , at least once a year. I concour with the above statement. That is as long as you stay away from the tourist cess-pits.

Also theres great diving, the Zenobia is one of the most impressive wreck dives in the world.

Also, you should definately drive to the mountains, one of my best memories of cyprus is just sitting in a small garden in the mountains eating lamb cooked on a spit for hours on end.

 

[Rwac]

When you say new people - it sounds like you are going on your tod? If so, i'm not sure you will have much fun in agia napa unless you want to meet lots of drunk people

If you want a mix between a bit of night life, bit of history and relaxation, I would suggest Pafos

 

[Zogger]

I would be travelling alone in June and hoping to meet new people whilst I was out there...

When you say new people - it sounds like you are going on your tod?

I think the giveaway is where he says he will be travelling alone

Yes paphos is probably more cultured but still quite touristy, on your own you probably wouldn't want to be in too quiet an area so some touristy is good, but equally if you did want to go to agia napa or limassol while staying there it might be a bit of a trek.

In terms of prices, when I first went to cyprus in 2000 (I think) they still used cyprus pounds and the exchange rate was pretty much 1 to 1. We went to a restaurant and got a big 2 course meal for £4 each, went back more recently (2007 iirc) and the price had gone up quite a bit. I think being part of the EU has probably increased tourism etc. quite a lot.

 

[Zefan]

I lived there for 3 years at RAF Akrotiri. I was far too little to remember much of what we did there (we left when I was 5 ) but I do remember that it was exceptionally hot. I can't really comment on the resort side of things as our family just isn't the sort of type that would go there, and the beaches on base we went to were so quiet they may as well have been our own private coves

 

[Moredhel]

Actually I was surprised how expensive food, booze etc was when I went last year, it seemed on a par with England.

It depends what you buy. Fresh stuff is very cheap there, but pre-packaged things can be pretty expensive, almost England prices as you say, which is bad because the average wage out there is much much lower.

 

[Ace Modder]

Well, I can vouch for Paphos - I went there last May and got married over there.

The town was very nice, the bars were fun - but not full, the locals were nice, and inviting. No pressure to get you to go into their restuarants and bars - unlike many other European tourist area's.

I did find that the beach's were good in places, and poor in other places. So it would depend on the exact location. The bars and pubs are typically of an english nature

 

[Raumarik]

Lovely beaches but not much else, towns aren't much to look at although near Aya nappa there's a restaurant called "Yo Thai" which was absolutely brilliant! Fit waitresses too!