Welcome | Generally | The Beaches
In this web site, you will find useful information
about Ayia Napa in general and its Beaches.
Generally
About this place
Ayia Napa is on the Southeast of Cyprus. It used to be a small fishing and farming village, till the Turkish invasion in 1974
There was ca 600 people, most of them related to each other. They lived in small "stone and earth" houses which were made
of a big room and a smaller one which was the kitchen. The WC was usually outside the house, which was just a hole in the earth
with a cover on top. In the yard of the houses there was Chicken, Cows, Pigs, etc, whatever the family had.
And surely, the main animal of everybody, The Donkey. Donkeys were the most useful animal, it was the main transport
means and field cultivation assistance. The fields around the village were very productive as the soil was red.
Mainly potatoes, tomatoes cucumbers and other groceries were cultivated.
There was also rich Oranges, Lemons and Grapefruit fields.
There was just a couple of mini markets and a couple of cafes, the so called "Kafenion", where men gathered in the
evenings to watch TV, play cards and backgammon and talk to each other. Till 1970 there was only a couple of BW TVs.
Electricity, was a luxury till then. In most of the homes, there was petrol lamps, just the way we know it in the Western films.
There was a primary school for the kids. The High school was in Famagusta, where the local bus took the students.
The Ayia Napa Municipality
Here is where decision are taken. good or bad! There is a Mayor and 8 Counselors who are civilians, elected from the public,
which is once every 5 years. These people sit round the table, once every week or so and decide on issues about the city.
Unfortunately, since this is a small community, not always are this decisions fair and for the public interest.
Instead, personal interests and benefits come first. For the last 30 years or so, the head of the Municipality was a woman.
People think she has been there too long. So since last December 2007, people voted for a new Mayor, who is a Hotel owner, well educated and claims to have a vision for a change in Ayia Napa.
Well, the Mayor has been changed, but others who possess major posts are still
there, so what kind of change this will be, time will show.
The Tourist Boom
Before the war in 1974, there was just one hotel, the Nissi Beach Bungalows. The main hotel of
Nissi was half build, it was
then finished after the war. Grecian Bay Hotel was the second one. After that, more and more hotels were build.
But the main thing was, everybody started building Hotel apartments, in small blocks, whatever people had available.
Things were out of hand, with no developing policy. As tourism got more and more, Restaurants, Souvenir shops and everything
got more and more as well.
Don't look for an old town. The oldest thing you will see is the Monastery. Everything else has been
turned to commercial. Till 2002, then things started going back down.. Today, a large number of apartments , restaurants,
shops etc are closed as the tourist traffic has moved from the main town, down to the cost area.
About the Beaches
The Beaches are Public, not Private. Everybody can go with no need to pay. On the beaches there is Sun beds and Umbrellas.
These are for rent. Some of them run by the Municipality of Ayia Napa, and some are under license from it, run by individuals.
If you need to use them, they cost is 2 euro for each bed and 2 euro for each Umbrella. And that's for as long
as you want to stay for the day. If you want to go away and come back, you can always leave your towel or something,
showing that you will be back. Its good to tell the Sun beds man, just in case.
Unfortunately there is Public WC only on some places. But usually people can use the ones in the beach restaurants.
Its the same with showers. On most beaches there is a small yellow building. Its called the life guard tower.
Its the station of the life guards. They provide assistance in case of danger and first aid.
How ever, its always better if you don't have to need it.
Lifeguard Posts like this are on all the main Beaches.
There is signs like this saying what is not allowed on the beaches. No dogs, no football on the sand,
no food and drinks rubbish, no loud stereo devices, no fire, no cutting of flowers, no annoying people selling things.
Almost on all sandy Beaches of Ayia Napa, you will see this beautiful wild flower. Its called Alion, and it grows
mainly from July till October. In the evening it has a beautiful smell. Its not allowed to cut it.
