Adventuring: Cyprus

Paphos in Sunny Cyprus has long been a getaway for British Travellers. With its currency being the euro and cars driving on the left, it’s also the perfect holiday for anyone Irish. Paphos has been named one of the top cheapest destinations for 2019. After, spending a week there last August, I can definitely see why. Located in the mediterranean, Cyprus is a small island near Turkey and Syria. In August, temperatures were well above 30 degrees and without air conditioning I don’t think myself and my 4 friends would have survived. We did most of our sight seeing in early morning or late evening when the heat was much more tolerable. I’ve compiled  a list  of our favourite adventures.

Top Things To See And Do

Just north of Paphos, about an hour’s drive, you’ll find the lagoons where many people swim and snorkel. The best way to explore these is to rent a boat and stop at each of the bays to take a look at what’s hidden underneath the sparkling blue. We were given a quick demonstration of how to drive the boat and how to anchor it when stopping for a swim. It was scary once the instructor left us off on our own. Just five girls in a boat with absolutely no experience with the waters. After a bumpy start (literally! – the waves are rough in the sea), we got the hang of it and weren’t long reaching the first lagoon. The water in the lagoon is so calm and peaceful, it’s lovely just to relax. We brought a picnic with us because we had the boat rented for four hours. The most popular lagoon is the last one which is crowded with other boats and actually isn’t very worthwhile. Only sand lies beneath the water. In fact, I think it was the first or second stop that had the most magical coral and sea life by the caves. It truly was an incredible experience!

We originally had planned to go snorkeling with our Instructor Michael but due to sea conditions we unfortunately had to pass on that opportunity. Instead, Michael kindly offered to take us on a jeep safari and see what hidden gems Cyprus had to offer. Getting a tour from a local is a great way to find the most beautiful spots where tourists don’t typically venture. Our first stop was at a shipwreck with this gorgeous coastline. From there, we headed to see some caves, followed by Lara Beach. There is a great conservation there to protect the turtles. Scattered along the beach, are protective closures to keep the turtle nests safe. While you can’t actually see the turtles, because nests are buried in the sand, there were some baby turtles in a water tank nearby. Afterwards, Michael drove through some dirt roads, that only doon buggies are fit for, and brought us to an absolute gem of a restaurant on the eden of a mountain overlooking  vast landscapes by the sea. We sat at a table right at the edge. It was wonderful to try local cuisine in such a phenomenal place. And last but not least, our safari ended with a hike through a canyon. Whilst the heat was almost unbearable, the nature certainly made up for it. Overall, I was pretty thrilled that sea conditions weren’t good enough, for what we got to see instead was a wonderful surprise.

Renting a car allowed us to see so much more of Cyprus than Paphos. We loaded up the car one day to venture south along the coast. The destination was Mazotos. Along the way, we drove through beautiful desert countryside and vast stretches of mountains. The views were breath taking. In my opinion, the journey was actually even better than the destination. At Mazotos, we went to a camel park. It was a really nice quaint park with a variety of animals, from camels to goats, kids games and a swimming pool. In the gift shop, you could buy dried bananas to feed the camels, who were all eager to get as many treats as they could get. Our main goal was to go on the came ride. We clambered onto the camels which rose so high when they stood up our heads were almost in the clouds. One of the keeper’s guided the camels around the park while we clung on for dear life. Getting off was the hardest part. When the camels knelt down we went falling forward and had to do everything in our power to stay up right. It was a very cool experience. The swimming pool was tempting in the blistering heat but a long journey lay ahead to get back to Paphos.

An Archaeological Park in central Paphos was our first taste of the country on Day One of our holiday. In the baking heat we arrived at 9am to see this ancient site that is still in excavation. From the House of Aion to the House of Theseus, it was fascinating to see what is left of the mosaic floors and shells of walls. However, by 10am, our pale Irish skin couldn’t handle the sun and we had to head home. In cooler weather, I would say you could spend many hours exploring houses of these Greek God’s. On another day we took a detour to see Aphrodite’s Baths. Aphrodite was the God of Love and fertility and you can bring away some of the water to improve your fertility (… yeah no thanks ). It was a nice little spot to stop at that doesn’t take too long to visit.

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Where To Stay

The five of us shared an apartment just outside the city. It was easy enough to access the town and other places because we rented a car. Just like Ireland and England, in Cyprus people drive on the left so it was very easy to travel around the country. The apartment had three bedrooms with 6 beds in total (two of them were double), as well as a swimming pool just 4 houses up. The lady next door, who minds the house, was so lovely and helpful. It was a perfect place for us to stay and at a very reasonable rate.