One night in Napa
Ayia Napa was once Europe’s party town. The crowds have now largely moved on though and the resort is a shadow of its former self
After a two-year hiatus from visits to Ayia Napa, I was keen to find out what was going on in Cyprus’ notorious party town. Had the European clubbers who flocked there several years ago moved on? Had they scared away families with small kids for good? Was it too early in the year for the square and its surrounds to be crammed with locals? It was Friday night and after a quiet dinner, it was time to head to the square to check out the action in one of the resort’s busiest spots.
10pm
Pure disappointment. What was going on? Where was everybody? It was a sight I was not accustomed to after years of partying in Ayia Napa. Standing in the middle of the square, which felt like standing in an empty amphitheatre, I looked around. Apart from a grilled sweetcorn stand (extremely delicious, by the way), a lady reading people’s auras, a development on the ubiquitous portrait painters and men selling luminous glasses, the square was missing that buzz it once had. Tourists with young families were present though although from the grizzling coming from pushchairs it was obvious they weren’t going to last long.
Although in the past the square had been transformed into a boxing ring many times with notorious, violent fights, tonight it was a far cry from that, there was no need to hold grimly onto friends for fear of losing sight of them.
That was not all that had changed: the dress code seemed somewhat different too. Youngsters dressed to the nines while wearing almost nothing, were walking through, stopping at the various stands but then moving on.
We decided to take a seat at one of the square’s pubs to see when the action started. It didn’t, although some tourists next to us were getting louder and louder as they worked their way through the cocktail menu.
11 pm
I could hear music coming from the main pub and club street situated above the square and moved in that direction in the hope of finding some more signs of life. But again I was let down as a strange quiet seemed to hang over the area. If you were an Ayia Napa regular three years ago, you would probably be quite amazed to discover that you can actually run through that street without bumping into anyone; an impossible task previously. It was Friday, however, so most of the people there were tourists as opposed to Cypriots who still tend to visit Ayia Napa in the hot summer months but normally on Saturdays. Seated at the end of the street, which connects the square and pub scene, it was indeed the best spot in town. Ayia Napa may have changed but those who were visiting from abroad were still partying to their heart’s content. Girls in shorts, boys topless and even making full use of the hotel’s facilities by decking themselves out in togas made from sheets, were all looking for some action while fighting off the advances of club PRs desperately trying to get them inside by offering free shots and drinks.
If you do get hassled by a pretty PR woman or a sweet-talking PR man, make them happy by stopping at the bar by all means and have a drink but whatever you do, don’t go for the £1 cocktails as you’re likely to wake up IN the bar the next day! Unthinking of the next day’s suffering young Brits were more than happy to get as much down their throats as possible at a fraction of the price it would’ve cost them elsewhere, so at least everybody was happy. I was still convinced that it was too early to expect much but as the clock came close to striking 12, I knew that this was it.
12 am
We decided to take a stroll around and see what was happening on the other side of the street. The sight of so many bars and clubs closed or shut down was quite amazing. I remembered a few of them from way back when, when they were heaving and you had to stand on the pavement, a far cry from the sight of tables sitting on top of each other gathering dust and dampness. Their lifespan was over and from the look of things, these places will perhaps never be revived again. Wandering around the streets, it is apparent that tourism arrivals to the island have fallen even if it is almost impossible to make a last minute booking at a nearby hotel.
The few bars that were open, were desperately competing with the rest; even Bedrock wasn’t that busy even though the crazy entertaining duo were still up to no good! Jasmin, Rock Garden and Jammin were probably the busiest but they have been for years. In fact, I would say that the streets were busier than most of the bars and pubs with young tourists running around in their knickers and bikinis, looking like they had already had too much to drink. Some things never change; a bunch of girls danced in the middle of the road. Another group of people looked like they were in a bit of a pickle, standing around with their suitcases as they were presumably leaving early in the morning but still drinking and dancing to music blaring out of Senior Frog’s, one of the busiest pubs in town and perhaps the only one that hasn’t lost its touch.
1 am
Nothing much had changed since 10.30. Although most bars were still playing host to groups of drunk young tourists, a lot of people were heading to the two main clubs in town, Castle and Ice. However, by 1.30 most bars were emptying and the streets were packed with people sitting on pavements looking sorry for themselves or making their way home. It was time for us to go too as the heat of the night was getting to me; it is so much more humid near the coast and going out in Ayia Napa is essentially an outdoor activity. On our way to the car, one thing that struck me was a house situated a stone’s throw away from the pub area, which hadn’t changed. I remember it from years ago, back when I used to pass by with my friends drunk as skunks and making the old people living there turn around to look at us with jaded and almost disgusted looks. Tonight, they had already gone to bed, leaving nothing but a light on in the midst of what was once party chaos.
WHERE ELSE TO GO
Despite the lacklustre performance of the square on our visit, Ayia Napa hasn’t lost all its glory, you just have to know where to go and what to look for. Here are a few pointers that will make your holidaying there worth it:
Waterworld Waterpark
How can anyone not love it? Ever since it opened, it has offered tourists and locals a perfect way to wind down, relax and above all, cool down in their world of fun and sometimes scary rides. I always go for the Lazy River!
Entrance fee £16 for adults and £8 for children.
Thalassa museum
This might catch your interest and is located just off the main square. It was closed when we went but previous visits have revealed that it is packed with ancient fossils and even boasts a copy of the notorious Kyrenia boat.
Tel: 23-816366.
Sushi La Bar & Lounge
Possibly the best new opening in Ayia Napa. Had I known about it earlier I would’ve most definitely jumped at the chance of enjoying their Japanese cuisine, small but ever so beautiful interior and above all excellent electronic music. Don’t like the taste of raw fish? You can still pop in for a drink!
Tel: 23-725125.
Ayia Napa harbour
Always quiter than the square, Ayia Napa harbour offers some pleasant views and a cooling breeze. We enjoyed our dinner there in a beautiful, peaceful area near the centre of town.
Try Zissis Cappuccino Inn for crepes, waffles, fresh fruit and smoothies and over 30 different types of coffee. Tel: 99-470462
The beach
As for beaches, I wouldn’t recommend Nissi Beach especially if you have kids and are fussy about swimming without rubbish getting tangled in your legs, or if you don’t want to be on first name terms with the person on the adjacent bed before you leave. Instead try Makronissos, situated o
n the Hotel Asterias beachfront. Although parties are regularly arranged, they aren’t often, so you can still find a peaceful spot. Toilets, basic drinks and sandwiches are available. For the livelier, Mix FM organise foam parties every Sunday afternoon outside the Nissi Beach Hotel.
Where to stay
If you’re not a regular Ayia Napa visitor and have no idea what and where to look for accommodation purposes, try Petrosana (£41 for studio and £46 for 1 bedroom, 3 people), Napa Prince Hotel Apartments (£25 for a studio and £30 for 1 bedroom accommodating 2 persons). Petrosana: 23-725444 and Napa Prince: 23-721484
