Great ‘Cheap Holidays & Excursions’ Hunt: Cyprus

HTH if you're visiting Ayia Napa anytime soon! You will get a better deal on Car Hire from 'Champion' Car Rental than most of the others, as they will include any 'extras' (eg 2nd driver, upgraded insurance etc...) within the
quoted car hire prices! This saved us anything up to an additional 12euros per day!
Also, the Euro exchange rate it approx 4cents better in Protaras than Ayia Napa. (helps if you are changing a large amount!)

Edited to add... if you're looking for flights to Cyprus for next Summer 2010, Cyprus Airways have started loading theirs on their Website, with the Economy one way flights starting at 57euros plus taxes etc....ends up approx 95euros!

I just booked car hire from Larnaca airport for 13 days in July through arguscarhire.com, who are a broker/trawler, when rental came through it is Avis. £182 for a group D car (eg Nissan Micra, A/C), including CDW. Seems like a very good deal, especially for Avis. Hope it helps someone.

Just got back from Cyprus myself. It was a little pricey and I'm afraid I don't have much advice but can give you an idea of prices...

We stayed near Paralimni, but visited Protaras and Ayia Napa. We had self catering, so we ate in most nights which kept the costs down quite a bit. We found a meal out cost around 25 Euros per head for 1 starter, 1 main for 4 people, 2 beers and a bottle of wine.

If you happen to be in Kapparis, try Faliros restaurant as the food there was excellent.

Pizza hut was pricey at 26 euros for 2 of us, I'm sure it's cheaper in the UK (2 cokes, 1 garlic bread, 1 medium farmhouse and 1 small pepperoni).

Waterworld

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We went to Waterworld, it costs 32 euros for adults and 18 euros for children. I've been to a few water parks in Europe and I think it's one of the better ones. I would have gone again if we could have afforded it.

Look out for vouchers, we found one in a pub for 4 euros off which helps. You cannout take any food or drink into the park - food and drink prices varied, but I thought it was quite reasonable considering a captured market, some examples:
1.10 euro 500ml bottle water
2.25 euro 500ml coke/lemonade bottle
6 euro for hotdog meal (inc chips and drink) at homers
6 euro for burger meal, slightly more I think for a cheeseburger meal.
1.50 euro for 1 scoop icecream in a cone.

You don't pay for parking or sunbeds. But you have to pay 5 euros (non-refundable) for a locker key.

Watersports

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Watersports at the beaches seem to be the same prices...don't forget to haggle, hardly anyone was using them so I bet they are desperate for some business.
40 - 45 euro for 15 mins jet ski
10 euro for 30 mins pedal boat

Boat Trips

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There were loads at Ayia Napa and quite a few at Protaras too. Prices ranged from 5 euro per person to 50 euro per person. The more expensive ones including dolphin watching. Some last an hour, some last a full day with lunch. Again haggle with them - some boats seemed to go out less than half full. I would suggest checking out trip advisor to see if there are any reviews on there about which is the best.

Sunbeds/Umbrellas

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It costs 2.50 per bed and per umbrella on most beaches, some were 2 euros.

Hope that helps someone.

bob4jane wrote: »

I am going to be staying in Protoras, and want to hire a car and have a go at driving it in Northern Cyprus. I don't want to miss out on half the island just because of some silly little UN border. :A
So my main question is:
Wil I have to pay loads extra for a car I can take over the border? And how much is "loads" ?!

Now, if this is difficult, or dangerous ( in terms of insurance/paperwork etc) I would be willing to take some kind of excersion to the North.

So, can anyone help me?
I would like to know how tricky taking a Southern car over the border is.

I'd also be interested to know if tours/excersions to the North take place - bear in mind where I'm staying, but I would be willing to travel to a larger town, or the border for the start of an excersion.

in 2008 we booked an excursion with thompsons to go over the border was 50 UKP, first we stopped in nicosia went to a museumy type place then went on to a resturant included in the price then went over the border to kyrenia castle then had an hour or so to wander about then up to ballapais abbey
well worth it imo, the tour guide was great and very informative
when we went back last year thomas cook were selling a similar tour but we didnt bother

bob4jane wrote: »

I am going to be staying in Protoras, and want to hire a car and have a go at driving it in Northern Cyprus. I don't want to miss out on half the island just because of some silly little UN border. :A
So my main question is:
Wil I have to pay loads extra for a car I can take over the border? And how much is "loads" ?!

Now, if this is difficult, or dangerous ( in terms of insurance/paperwork etc) I would be willing to take some kind of excersion to the North.

So, can anyone help me?
I would like to know how tricky taking a Southern car over the border is.

I'd also be interested to know if tours/excersions to the North take place - bear in mind where I'm staying, but I would be willing to travel to a larger town, or the border for the start of an excersion.

"In theory" you are not allowed to take most hire cars from the Republic of Cyprus into northern Cyprus. But it is fairly commonly done. What happens is you get to the checkpoint and will pay a nominal "car insurance" fee of around twenty euros. I don't know anything about cover etc so obviously this is at your own risk! As I said though, commonly done, and not all car hire companies get funny about it

It is worth doing though, I enjoyed visiting.