I agree 100% mike!

Even though it was our first ( & probably last) vacation to the island we couldnt believe how expensive it worked out. Yes we were aware that it was going to cost more than previous holidays but we didnt realise how much more it would cost.

A couple of the local shops were charging £2.50 CYP (over £3) for a bottle of squash & £2 CYP (2.60) for a large bottle of water! Admitingly we found shops on the othe side (around Tssokos complex) selling the same water for a £1 CYP. We even bought some back one day, carried it for a mile! ...never again!

In all we had a good holiday but it came with a heavy price. wherever we go we tend to take £2000 for 2 weeks (2 adults 3 children) & we usually do a variety of excursions ... jeep safaris, waterparks,marinelife parks,theme parks, go karts, medievil nights,pirates adventures, boat trips and even Zoos. We even manage to come home with a couple of hundred quid!. As Cyprus (in my opinon) doesnt have enough variety of excursions available to families we only done the waterpark,jeep safari & a half day trip to Famagusta. We ended up spending the lot & im still scratching my head wondering where the rest went as we spent a few days taking advantage of our friends all inclusive basis at the elctra village.

Lloyd

Mike.
I posted on this very subject,Cyprus is the destination of choice for me in the Med BUT for how many more years I dont know,they really need to take a long hard look at the prices charged,when I go on holiday I dont want to be driving to find a place to eat and drink.The Cyprus ecomomy depends largly on the tourist trade,and unless they have a serious rethink they will end up losing out.This was widely reported 3yrs ago in the Cyprus papers.

We had a week in Cyprus in May (our first visit) and we were shocked at the prices charged in bars and restaurants compared to resorts in Greece, Turkey, Spain etc. We are lucky enough to have 3 Mediterranean beach holidays every year so we know roughly how much spending money we need, but during the week in Cyprus we spent double what we usually spend
I'm relieved that others feel the same about high prices in Cyprus. When people have posted about high prices before I think they've been made to feel like a bit of a skinflint, or that you have to expect these sort of prices in resorts.
Cyprus was lovely but we won't be going back as we know there are just as lovely places in other parts of Europe where you don't need a bank loan to cover your spending money

I can't believe the amount of people that think Cyprus is expensive.
It's still cheaper than the UK and that does me when the island is also a paradise.

In Protaras it's approximately in sterling £1.90 per pint (£3 in central Cardiff), £5 for a steak dinner (£12-£15 in central Cardiff), £2 for a packet of cigarettes (£4-£5 anywhere in the UK).

Thats still not bad to be fair.

The only downside for me is the price of the flights which have shot up.

I can't believe the amount of people that think Cyprus is expensive.
It's still cheaper than the UK and that does me when the island is also a paradise

I don't think anyone is denying the place is a great holiday destination nor great beaches etc. But in comparison to other Med destinations it is very expensive for drinks especially. I dread to think how much a family holiday costs to Cyprus these days An absolute fortune compared to a single traveller.

I've been visiting the East of Cyprus for the last 18 years on an annual basis and I've seen everything go up dramatically and more than inflation

Greece is a good comparison, great beaches, lovely people and very similar weather but you can spend half the amount you do in Cyprus on food & drink, excursions etc.

Even the "yoof" market are having second thoughts about Ayia Napa and most are planning to go elsewhere in 2007 according to other boards on the net. They all complain of the complete mickey take on pricing in bars.

I'll be there in 3 weeks for my annual fortnight holiday and will be going prepared with lots of spending money But next year for the first time I'll be giving it a miss and going back to the Greek Isle of Zakynthos.

God help us when they take up the Euro......and all the prices get rounded up as has happened elsewhere in Euroland

I'll be in Prortaras 4 weeks tomorrow for my 2nd trip there this year.

I won't even contemplate going elsewhere.

I still think the pricing is fine.

Yes other places maybe cheaper but at the end of the day those places are not Cyprus.

Hi Cardiff lad,
I dont think about anywhere else in the Med in Sept either BUT for travellers who go with a family of 4 its an expensive holiday,I wouldnt know the price of a pint in the UK havent drunk there for years,and you could say its cheap compaired to Dubai or Qatar where I live and work,but compared to other Med countries (Turkey for one)it is, and they will end up pricing themselves out of the Family holiday market.We travel again on the 3rd Sept,its going to worth checking the volume of tourists this year,we have noted a marked downturn every year over the past 5yrs.

I'm with Ian on this one apart from the price of flights, we travel to Protaras on the 3rd of October, flights with BA £161 each, 4 star hotel on the beach 45cy per night B&B or 63.75cy half board, booked 7 nights B&B and 7 nights half board. Taxi transfer return 50cy

Total cost for two weeks for two adults and a child £1448 working on .84cy to the pound

A pint of Keo in the hotel 1.60cy, bottle of water from the shop over the road from the hotel 35 cents, a bottle of wine for sitting out on the balcony after a nice meal 2.45cy from the same shop

Maurice

after going to tenerife for years we generally spent £50 a day on food and beer which equates to £700 for the fortnight. in cyprus we did find that we spent around £80 a day and were struggling to keep within that. however my wife blames it on me for overtipping the lovely monica at the zodiac bar. i think its more expensive to drink imported bitters than your keo etc but apart from nothing else stood out as being more expensive than tenerife. it could be that as my children are growing up we're having to cover them eating more etc. all in all loved protarus last year and more expensive or not will be back in 6 weeks.

hi spent last years hols in ayia napa, it being my 10th visit over the years, this year took us to lindos in rhodes and it was far and away more expensive than ayia napa, struggled to stretch out 100pounds per day without going crazy, much more than ayia napa last year, and thats with me hunting out and drinkin in the cheaper bars, 2 adults was the party

Cant say getting clipped for expensive drinks in a club where you cant hear yourself think is my idea of a holiday these days. I must seriously be getting older!

Quite glad about this resort shift in Ayia Napa as maybe the scene will have to change and revert to something more akin to a holiday resort than what it has become of an evening. Which is a national embarrassment for both the British and the Cypriots.

Of course, in the short term it means a bit of a dent in the Cypriot economy - though its seems to be of there own doing by raising the bar prices too high.

Now, the rest of Cyprus seems to be a fair bit cheaper than the UK and that suits me fine for what you get in terms of scenery, weather, friendly locals etc etc. I'm happy with the way things are now - the prices seem to have scared off the annoying binge drinker element whilst keeping the prices reasonable enough for a prepared family / couple, especially outside of Ayia Napa.

If you want a really cheap holiday then yes, you will have to look elsewhere - but the prices in most of Cyprus really dont warrant the backlash they get from some people on these boards. Really, its not that expensive compared to blighty if you stay out the obvious rip off joints / clubs.

Frankly I'm glad the "party" crowd are moving elsewhere - I just dread to think where else in the wrold is next going to end up converted into some alcohol fuelled technicolour disaster zone.

Hi all

We go out to Cyprus in two weeks to Tasia Maris by Nissi beach.Unusally for us we have already booked up half board for next Sept quite a bit cheaper than this year ,good reason for booking last week.
With going half board with really good meals don`t need to eat out so much, but we do get out and about(mountains etc) for four days in hire car.

We don`t seem to spend too much. I know theres no children involved but I don`t think it`s that bad price wise , and the weather in September is the thing we are there for, and the friendly locals.

We loved Barbados earlier this year (in really plush hotel), but would not swap it for a yealy dose of Cyprus

see you out there soon
Pete

Hi Valiantman,
Will miss you this year at the Tasia we travel on Sunday 3rd,booked for 2007 9th Sept.

Ahh nissi beach, i just love that place

I don't think that Cyprus is that expensive,weve been going for years and found it a lot more expensive about 5-6 years ago when the Cypriot pound was only .64 to the £1,I think at the moment its about .83 to the £1 which is good,over the years we have seen the Cypriot pound range form .64 - .90 to the £1.
I'm one of these people who when I go away I really don't care what I spend as long as I have a great time.....we normally spen about £1400 for the 2 of us for 2 weeks,we stay B&B.Counting the days down to next years holiday......Yippee
I know this might sound mad/sad but I have already started buying my toiletries,that way it doesn't cost a small fortune all in one go.

I don't think Cyprus is overly expensive compared to the UK, but it is definatley a lot more expensive than other countires.

I also find it very expensive to get to as well, especially flying from Scotland as the flight supplememts are a little bit higher.

I'm planning to get married in Ayia Napa in 2008, going over in May 2007 to look at venues have been pricing for the week and we are looking at paying at least £750 for basic accomodation. Compare that to the £1100 we've paid for a holiday this September which is 4* half board in Rhodes, it does seem a little steep, especially for the beginning of May.

I agree with your thoughts on the costs of going to Cyprus, however, has the rate ever been as low as 0.64 CYP to the £ in the last few years?

I just did a quick check for summer rates in the last 8 years and it hadnt dropped below approx 0.80 CYP to the £. Its pretty low at the moment in fact, compared to previous years. I know in the summer of 2002 it was just shy of 0.90 CYP to the £, as that was the last time I went.

Of course, other vagaries might have meant you got a bad deal on exchange rates, or I have got the wrong data!

It has definatley been as low as .60 something but I think that might have been longer than 5 years but I certainly remeber it being as low as that so if it 0.80+ it a bonus.

I'm sure you are right, and I take your point. Its NOT a bad rate at all at the moment really.