The first time I visited Cyprus, I immediately fell in love with the place. It was a summer vacation and the fabulous weather together with the warm and inviting waters of the Mediterranean were instantly captivating. There is also a close connection between Great Britain and the Greek part of Cyprus, so it also feels more like home than other Mediterranean destinations.
We arrive at Larnaca International Airport, which is fairly well connected to various UK airports. From there our waiting taxi took us east to our hotel in the popular resort of Ayia Napa. It has a well-deserved reputation as a party place, especially during the summer months, but we had booked a hotel about 2 km from the center on Nissi Beach.
Our hotel was the Aeneas Hotel which is a very good 5 star hotel located across the road from Nissi beach. The hotel is set in beautiful gardens and the main pool is the largest single pool I have ever seen in a hotel. We stayed in a standard room which was clean, modern and comfortable and some of the superior room types opened directly onto the main pool. During the day the pool, or rather a section of it, was central to the excellent entertainment team who worked around the clock to keep guests entertained.
Breakfast at the hotel was a choice of traditional English or continental breakfasts. There was a good selection of good, as well as plenty of fresh fruit which is always a welcome sight on vacation. In the evenings we always ate outside the hotel as there was a great selection of bars, cafes and restaurants within walking distance or a short taxi ride into the heart of Ayia Napa. There is a wide variety of dining options in and around the Ayia Napa resort. One night, we even tried crocodile meat.
While in Ayia Napa I also spent a couple of days diving with a dive center at the resort. The water was warm and clear, but unfortunately, there is not the same level of marine life that I was used to in Egypt. We also made a couple of visits to the nearby Waterworld water park which is a great day out for kids of all ages.
Another place to visit is near Protaras. The Ocean Aquarium Park has over 400 species of marine life on display and outside in the gardens there are also enclosed ponds where you can see turtles and crocodiles.
However, this holiday in Cyprus was primarily a beach holiday and we spent many hours of the day either walking across the road from the Aeneas Hotel on Nissi Beach or in and around the hotel’s huge pool. We were not able to explore all of Cyprus during our stay. That will have to wait until we come back next time.