PROTARAS and its neighbour PERNARA were once separate village but are now linked by a plethora of holiday hotels, karaoke bars and fast-food restaurants following an explosion of tourism along this once sleepy stretch of coastline.
Protaras is a less frenzied version of Ayia Napa, more suited to couples and families. though that hasn't prevented the inevitable downmarket slide into tackiness that seems an inevitable partner of popuarity.
Most of the all-in holiday hotels are packed along the shoreline strip and heavily geared to satisfying the needs of the package tour market. The long, sandy beaches at Protaras are the main attraction and are as good as anywhere on Cyprus. Sands are more spread out than at Ayia Napa so it doesn't feel quite as overcrowded and claustrophobic, but sleepy village resort this isn't.
The facilities in Protaras are squarely aimed at the fun-loving and there are as many hotels as you can shake a stick at - around 200 at the last count. Shops, restaurants and bars clutter the main street that runs right through Protaras centre and though adequate, restaurant menus are uniformly unimaginative and the service justifiably jaded given the huge numbers being served.
What is sadly missing from Protaras is any sort of natural shade. Blistering heat pours from the vast acreage of concrete with barely a tree in sight. At night the resort is a cacophony of sound as pubs and clubs compete for attention in a contest that no one will ever win, but no one wants to lose.
On the outskirts of Protaras is the church of Ayios Ilias, a small attractive stone building on top of a rocky crag. It is well worth a climb to the top where there is a panoramic view of Protaras and the surrounding countryside.
Protaras Fig Tree Bay
Protaras Fig Tree Bay
Protaras hotel
The resort of Protaras on the southeast coast of Cyprus has all the fun-loving facilities of the bigger, more frantic Ayia Napa nearby, but is more tailored to the needs of holiday families than the hedonistic demands of youngsters. It also boasts some of the best beaches on Cyprus, if you don't mind the ranks of holiday hotels that run their whole length.
The main Protaras beaches are at Pernera to the north, Fig Tree Bay to the south and Kepparris near Paralimni. There are other small coves on the rugged coastline to the north and towards the southern headland at Cape Greko that offer good snorkelling and swimming but you won't find any that haven't been explored.
Protaras is actually a purpose-built tourist town erected on flat, featureless scrubland next to the village of Paralimni, expressly to cater for British holidaymakers. It is basically a tight grid of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and tourist shops surrounded by scores of holiday hotels and apartment blocks.
Landscaping is not a strong point and the layout is a themeless bag of kitch architectural styles set in a sea of concrete. It can get blisteringly hot in high summer and the town area is no place to find yourself in the noonday sun.
The lack of atmosphere, dire architecture and barren landscape doesn't appear to bother holidaymakers who flock here by the thousand, lured by the package hotel holiday offerings and the magnificent golden sand beach that stretches along the coast for more than 15km. Shallow water and a gentle, shelving coastline make it ideal for families with children as does the almost endless array of watersportss that include paragliding, windsurfing, diving, snorkelling, jet-skis and waterskiing.
Protaras pub
Paralimni cove
Protaras has scores of international restaurants and fast food outlets that mainly cater for the tourist taste for pizza, curry, burgers and chips. Many of the local bars and cafes are run by British ex-pats with the odd home-grown Cypriot restaurant found here and there, mainly offering fresh seafood. For meals and shopping it's not long before visitors find that the village of Paralimni has far more to offer than the tourist trinkets found in the resort centre. Paralimni is a working Greek town with several traditional tavernas
Many Protaras holidaymakers enjoy a stroll along the clifftop coastline, especially along the pleasant coastal path that connects Protaras beach with Ayia Napa beach, passing magestic sea caves at the Palaces and dramatic cliffs at Cape Greco. The walk is notably good in in spring when the land is awash with wild flowers.
The more energetic hike up the steep crag on the outskirts of Protaras to the chapel of Agios Ilias, from where there are spectacular viewsa. Local operators also offer day trips, sea cruises and excursions to places of interest, though the latter tend to be some distance from this barren sheet of flat scrubland.
The 300-step ascent is rewarded with far reaching views of Protaras and the coast. The vista is particularly impressive when the spring flowers are in bloom. The beautiful Cavo Greko National Forest Park, with its myriad opportunities for cycling, horse riding and hiking is another must-see attraction. Boat trips from Protaras provide a leisurely vantage point from which to snap the coast and the Cavo Greko sea caves.
The sands at Protaras are considered by many to be the best on Cyprus. To the south of Protaras they are exceptionally good but also very popular and usually packed with sunbathers. Most are crammed with umbrellas and loungers, especially at the most popular sands of Fig Tree Bay.
This beach is made up of about 50m of flat, hard-packed sand with some rocks and some cliffs behind that have suffered collapse from time to time. The bay is very sheltered and there is good snorkeling here among the rocks. There are several good local restaurants nearby.
This small, sand bay is popular with the locals. The beach is about 100m long but narrow with trees behind to provide some natural shade. The beach if fine sand but not very suitable for families with children as it banks very sharply into the sea. The is good parking nearby and a large hotel behind. There are several restaurants and cafes nearby.
This is basically a northern extension of Protaras beach near the resort of Pernera and is often preferred to Pernera Beach. There is 400m of curving sand, well protected by rocks dumped at sea to make an artificial bay. The beach has dome natural shade from treed and the sand is very soft and the water clean. There are plenty of water sports here including family rides on banana tubes, paragliding, water-skiing annd jet skis. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented at a price.
The most popular beach of all the beaches in Protaras, along with nearby Fig Tree Bay. This is long and sandy beach studded with umbrellas and awash with water sports. As well as the main strip there are access lanes from the main street in Protaras and all along the beach, making it easier to find a less crowded spots.
Basically the most popular part of Protaras Beach, it was named by the British after the single fig tree that stands at the back of the beach. Local stories have it that the tree was brought from the east in the 17th century. The beach has fine sand, clear water and any number of recreational facilities like water-skiing, paragliding and more. Despite its popularity it is not particularly easy to find as there are no signs from the inland road and it is well hidden by a long chain of restaurants. Your best bet is to head for the Salparo Hotel for the north end of the bay and the Nausicaa Beach Hotel for the southern end.
Again, this beach is not particularly easy to find. This may account for the fact that Green Bay Beach is rarely as crowded as the other beach strips although it is still a good beach with fine sand. The beach divides into two parts. The northern end has the umbrellas and loungers while the southern end has rocks and small outcrops of sandstone platforms.
Protaras has developed rapidly in the last few years and now the whole tourist area of Paralimni Municipality is more usually referred to as Protaras. This stretches from Kapparis in the north tp Konnos in the south. Other areas along the coast such as Ayia Triada, Vrysoythkia and Pernera have been similarly swallowe up by Protaras. Accommodation is almost wholly large tourist hotels designed for the package holiday trade and apartment complexes to serve a similar market. Those looking for more traditional Cypriot accommdation in small hotels and studios will find some in Paralimni.
The restaurants in Protaras are firmly pitched at the tourist market with anything on the menu - from Thai, Italian, British, Indian, American and even the odd Cypriot dish of fresh seafood. Most restaurants have outdoor dining terraces and many overlook the beach and the sea. Those who prefer more traditional meals will head for Paralimni where there are many good tavernas offering local food.
Protaras has a wealth of bars and clubs to keep the resort buzzing into the early hours, with ever more opening as the main season gets under way. For a seriously wild night out, however, many head for nearby Ayia Napa which has an international reputation for clubbing.
Protaras can easily be explored on foot. It also has a fairly comprehensive local bus service, although the frequency of buses varies. A handy local route runs from Ayia Napa to Paralimi via Protaras. Longer distance buses link the resort to Larnaca, Larnaca Airport, Limassol and Nicosia. Hire cars are the best way to explore the holiday island. Taxis are readily available.
A handy local route runs from Ayia Napa to Paralimni via Protaras. Longer distance buses link the Protaras resort to Larnaca, Larnaca Airport, Limassol and Nicosia. Hire cars are the best way to explore the holiday island. Taxis are also readily available.
There are several cash macines in Protaras - most of the main banks on the strip has an ATM. There are three cash machines in Pernera which is about 2km from Protaras resort centre.
Beautiful Cyprus is renowned for its spectacular scenery, magnificent mountain backdrops, stunning sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and superb weather all year round. Holidays to Cyprus are perfect for groups, couples or families wanting a family getaway. Whatever you are looking for in your getaway, you will no doubt find it with Cyprus holidays.
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Larnaca International Airport is the main entry point for those travelling to Protaras. British Airways and Cyprus Airways fly direct services from London to Larnaca. Cyprus Airways also runs flights from Manchester and many other European cities. KLM flies direct from Amsterdam and Swissair has flights from Zurich. There are also several direct connections with various cities in Turkey with both Turkish and Cypriot carriers.
The airport is very busy in the peak tourist season from May to November, but fairly empty the rest of the year. The airport’s single terminal has all the basic facilities with ATMs, currency exchange and three banks in the public concourse and in the Arrivals Hall. There are cafes, duty-free shopping and a post office.
There are regular bus services (No 22 and No 24) from the airport into Larnaca centre from 6.20am to 7pm but they don't run on Saturday afternoon or on Sunday. Taxis are also always available outside the airport. A board displaying the fares to major destinations can be found in the Arrivals Hall. Shared taxi and minibus transport can also be arranged by Cyprus Airport Transfers (+357 0263 23422) or Acropolis Transport (+357 2462 2000).
There is aiport parking - spaces for up to 500 cars - in front of the terminal. Parking charges are by the hour and there is no long-term parking but prices are low. Journey times to Ayia Napa are about 45min. Distances to the main resorts are Ayia Napa - 46km, Nicosia - 9 km, Limassol - 70km and Paphos - 139km.
Protaras has a couple of small quays for a few boats but is not a ferry port. There are any number of boat trips and excursions along the coast, especially to the sights at Cape Greco.
The roads in Protaras are of a good standard standard with wide pedestrian routes running alongside. The entire length of the main coastal road in Protaras from Paralimni to Ayia Napa (about 15km) is lined with a walking path that is ideal for both walkers and bikers.
www.cyprus-beach-guide.co.uk
