Camping holiday in Cyprus - recommendations?

[martianskippy]

My good friend from Poland is planning to travel to Cyprus for a few days at the beginning of July and is looking for some recommendations. I thought what better place to ask than here :)

He is after something non-touristy and planning to go the camping route rather than hotel or B&B. He is ideally after some recommendation on which parts to aim for to experience real Cyprus, with local food and some possibility to set up his tent for the night. He prefers camping in the wild rather than at "civilized" campsites - assuming that it is legal to do so in Cyprus?

Many thanks!
Martin

[carelesschucca]

How long till Lou starts ranting :)

[maviczap]

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

Although she might be out there at the mo with Peg

[dizzyblonde]

Cheeky sod Chucca.........and as you put me forward..... by sending me a messenger ping :lol:




Firstly will your friend be hiring a car? Or will he be literally hitching a ride where ever he goes? Never seen a hitchhiker in Cyprus! If he is to hire a car, I can recommend a local one that we use regularly.
Fly into Paphos or Larnaca. Not to the other pseudo one in the occupied areas.


There are so many places that are worth a look in to really experience real Cyprus. I could ask cousin Mixhalis, who lives off the grid above Paphos somewhere, I could also bend a close friends ear who lives in Ayios Vavastinias. Now that's a truly gorgeous place, and I know a nice little café in the village which is almost untouched by modern day.
Kourium beach is rather lovely, I reckon he could camp down there and have a nice camp fire by the sea! Akamas Peninsula is bloody awesome, but really not sure about camping up there.

If he wanted to go to the north, its a little more complicated, I could give you the co-ordinates of Pegasus' land up there, he'd give permission to camp on it, but I'm not so sure the Turkish army would be so friendly :smt019


One thing......its frickin roastin in July....like about 40 degrees :p


Give me a day or two, and time to have a chin wag with my many contacts in Cyprus and I'll get something more solid to work on with regards to the camping bit. What I come back with will likely to be from a proper Cypriot recommendation, so the real deal. We have a massive family stretching all over the island, as well as quite a few friends to add.
How long exactly is your friend likely to be staying?

[Biker Biggles]

I once picked up a hitch hiker in Cyprus.Up in the mountains somewhere between Kykos and Polis.Thats a lovely part for camping I would think,but you need your own food and water supplies.Its quite remote.

[dizzyblonde]

I once picked up a hitch hiker in Cyprus.Up in the mountains somewhere between Kykos and Polis.Thats a lovely part for camping I would think,but you need your own food and water supplies.Its quite remote.


Beautiful up there. We were up at Kykkos in February. Took a magical mystery tour in the car. Began on a bright but breezy day in Konia, up to the Monastery, had snow en route, and was back in time for family lunch and a bit of summer sun for the afternoon :cheers:

[dizzyblonde]

You can't get much better than this for stunning. Up in the mountains where my friend goes to hide :D https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10686839_10204317392991279_3950731739841350360_n.j pg?oh=a997ee4b1c1ad4dc9e91ca701eb2ed24&oe=55B8E9DB&__gda__=1434140109_faa80c140be676bdee8a6f3a02eb13e 5




















https://scontent-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10620666_10204317490673721_787144762521435301_n.jp g?oh=56fbd654bb4f667fef9388197ebfccd0&oe=5572EF6D

[Biker Biggles]

Beautiful up there. We were up at Kykkos in February. Took a magical mystery tour in the car. Began on a bright but breezy day in Konia, up to the Monastery, had snow en route, and was back in time for family lunch and a bit of summer sun for the afternoon :cheers:

Its been a few years since I was there but I can remember going in April and crunching about in snow up at Troudos,then driving down to Lara for a swim in the sea that afternoon.Nicely deserted beach:cheers:

[dizzyblonde]

Its been a few years since I was there but I can remember going in April and crunching about in snow up at Troudos,then driving down to Lara for a swim in the sea that afternoon.Nicely deserted beach:cheers:

You swam in Lara.....a bit brave. The current in that part of the coastline is pretty dangerous! But not for turtles ;)


I was pregnant with Oli when we were down there in 2010 .
Should look familiar :)

https://scontent-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/1470394_10201982327976113_1247281767_n.jpg?oh=91c2 0620cd777ab61377fd74dac951ce&oe=55B56C8E


I feel sad now. We've been twice over the last 6 months. I cried both times on leaving day. Can't get decent priced flights out there now.......restricted to school holidays and get well and truly shafted for it with high prices. We really want to go back :(

[Biker Biggles]

That does look familiar.I much prefer the Akamas peninsula to the more touristy beaches further East.You do need to be a good swimmer though.

[martianskippy]

Lou, you're a star!

He is only there from 5-7 July as he has a small business to run and can only ever spare 4-5 days at a time when going on holiday. He is most likely to hire a car so if you could give me the details of the place you use I'm sure he will be very grateful.

Some great recommendations there already - many thanks!

[dizzyblonde]

OOps sorry, almost forgot you!
Here is our car rental. They are pretty reasonable, pick up/ drop off at either airport. Family run business, easy peasy, no frills cars,....they aren't Avis!


http://streetwise.com.cy/


As for camp sites, that's been quite tricky. Two have closed down in the Larnaca area, one is on a beach ( Polis campsite) and the locals are a bit iffy of sending someone into the unknown up Troodos, because of venomous snakes as well as a few other excuses.
There is an environmental study centre in this village http://www.esc.com.cy/04kritou/kritou.htm and I have been told to try dropping an email because there may be opportunity for someone to take your friend into the wilds if he wishes to accept a little guidance terra@cytanet.com.cy . Its not far from Paphos either, on the Akamas Penninsula . A friend of a friend has a relative that works there. They've said not to worry about the dated website, and to use the email


There is a campsite up Stavros forest Station, and there are others, but it seems perhaps those are a little too big and commercial for your friends desires.

I hope this not too helpful info helps!