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Ayia Napa
ABOUT AYIA NAPA
Nestled on the southeastern coast of Cyprus, Ayia Napa is a vibrant destination that perfectly blends sun-soaked beaches with a lively nightlife. Known for its stunning turquoise waters and golden sands, this charming resort town attracts travelers seeking both relaxation and adventure.
HOW TO REACH
We flew from Abu Dhabi to Larnaca with Wizz Air. The flight takes 4/4.5 hours. From Larnaca airport, there are multiple bus services with the fastest taking about 1.5 hours to our hotel. We opted for a pre-booked taxi through booking.com, which cut the time to 37 minutes. Note that last minute bookings will most likely cost at least double the price.
WHERE TO STAY
During our super short trip to Ayai Napa, we stayed in Luxury Rooms Nissi. Location was great and a short walk from supermarkets and the spectacular Nissi Beach. In October, the area was lively at night with a few restaurants in the area so there were always people out and about.
We booked a family room with a balcony. The room was pretty decent for two travellers. It came with extra beds which makes it suitable if you are travelling with young ones. My only complaint was that it can get a bit noisy at night. Communication was a bit slow at times since they did not have a reception. We were flying late and wanted to borrow towels for the beach. We met a nice cleaning lady who made this happen. The building has an extra shower which can be used after checkout.
Ayia Napa, Cyprus
Where to eat
With the help of HappyCow, i had an idea of the places/items i wanted to try. My weekend was filled with delicious baked goods from two local bakeries - Zorbas and Sigma. Some items had 'fasting' or vegan labels, but the majority did not. Communicating with staff was easy as most did understand English so eating out was definitely not a problem. Worth noting that the best pastries i had were from Panapolis at theairport's arrivals hall. More notes on vegan finds in bakeries:
- Sigma: labelled sandwich, a sweet pastry, chia pot, salad, granola yogurt pot, oat pots and ice creams. Unlabelled savory pastries and hot food items.
- Zorbas: vegan range varies greatly by location. Our favorite was located at 17 Nissi Ave. It had labelled baklavas, biscuits, kantaifi, cheese bake and cherry cake. Unlabelled vegan items include olive pie, spinach pie, tahini pie and the most amazing almond pastry. All branches seem to have a salad bar and a coffee counter with seriously good coffee. They use Alpro.
We tried Raphael near the harbor but it was nothing to write home about. In contrast, we had a DELICIOUS lunch at Taverna Nissi which left us with full bellies and big smiles.
Supermarkets have a range of accidentally vegan goods including tahini buns/pies. You can also find a variety of halvas and baklavas. The fruits we tried were also of outstanding quality. At this part of the island, Halcyon seems to be the only grocery chain stocking non-dairy milks & cheese, specifically the harbor branch.
At Larnaca airport, there is a food hall that is located after at departure's after security. Several outlets have at least one vegan options such as spring rolls, noodles, dolmades, falafel wrap, smoothie bowl and chia pot. You pick what you want and pay at a unified counter. There are a few scattered cafes which seems to be serving the same vegan pastries which includes a labelled carrot muffin and a leek pie. Coffee with non-dairy milk was not a problem.
Things to do
From picturesque coves and exhilarating water sports to a bustling nightlife scene filled with bars and clubs, Ayia Napa offers something for everyone. Whether you’re wandering through the quaint streets, exploring historic sites, or indulging in delicious local cuisine, Ayia Napa promises an unforgettable experience for every type of traveler.
Given the limited time we had, it was spent mostly sunbathing in Nissi beach. I will confidently say it is the most beautiful beach in the area. From there, we rented a 'space buggy' for 30 minutes. The 60 euro price tag was well worth the experience. While i cannot describe how breathtaking the sea was, i will let the pictures do the talking.
Considering how popular the beach is, it is advised that you arrive early to be able to grab a sunbed. In October, it seemed that sunbeds get almost full by 8:30am/9:00am. A sunbed costs 2.5 euros per person plus another 2.5 for an umbrella (7.5 for two with an umbrella). Payment is taken by an assigned staff member and they accept both cash or credit. They didn't seem to make an appearance up untill 10:00am. Make sure to take your breakfast with you or leave your towel and head to Zorbas bakery nearby. They have several cafes that do smoothie bowls for breakfast -same menu everywhere-, but i was there much earlier than their opening hours. So, i grabbed an avocado and bought olive bread from Zorbas = avocado smash.
We also got on a 90 minute Yellow Submarine tour for 15 euros. The booking process was very easy and can be done directly through their website. They made one stop at a cave and performed a 'diving' show where a diver feeds fish underwater and observers get to see that from the lower deck. It can get overcrowded so make sure to go down early to find a spot. Otherwise, the boat had plenty of space at the top. While i did not know what to expect, i certainly thought we would make multiple stops.
This resort town is famous for its nightlife, but i can neither confirm nor deny as this writer cannot function after 10:00pm. What i can tell you is that they have a range of not-so-cheap type of carnival games. A bit of a pocket burner but amusing nonetheless.
Nissi Beach
