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Clifford Mould recommends Cyprus for your 1999 holiday destination

We've always stayed with ex-pat relatives in an old village (similar to picture, right), but when we visited last October, we decided it was time to check out some of the tourist spots. Some of these are my most unfavourite places in Cyprus. On the whole we're not very keen on the area to the East of Larnaca. The countryside behind the coast is very flat and bare and the resorts are concrete jungles. Aya Napa is the major fleshpot, full of noisy clubs and 18-30 style beach bashers. So if you're young and haven't a lot of money to splash out, this is where the tour operators will send you.

Cyprus as a Holiday Destination

• The Greek Cypriots are a friendly, welcoming people who don't try to rip you off or expect constant tipping
• Excellent climate, though very hot in August and can be cold from November to February. Many hotels aren't as well geared up for cold weather as they are for hot!
• Interesting ancient sites, beautiful mosaics, Byzantine churches
• Charming delapidated old villages and remote hill towns
• Wonderful unspoiled mountain scenery in the Troodos
• Good beaches, but you have to know where to look. The Turkish invaders pinched many of the best ones in the Northern part.
• Good food, though can be lacking in variety. The trouble is we've got too familiar with it in England! It's often very cheap, but remember you get what you pay for!
• Plenty of hotels to suit every pocket, though over development has spoiled resorts like historic Paphos
• Disappointing wine, but efforts are being made to improve it. At least it's cheap!
• Better to drink the good local beer, and the Cypriot brandy and gin are terrific value for money
• Most people speak English, certainly those in the tourist trade

The Cyprus tourism industry has been actively trying to disassociate itself from the "Costa" style of tourist, and many of the more recently built hotels are a lot more upmarket. Many of these are located towards the South West of the island around the sprawling city of Limmasol. But even there you will find what seems like an endless Blackpool mile of hotel after hotel, complete with its hinterland of tourist-tat shops and cheap fast food bars that cater for the hordes of gastronomically challenged visitors that have to be fed.

Arranging your own holiday in Cyprus

Where to stay - Dine Online's recommendations

The Deck * Fine fusion style dining at The Annabelle
The Annabelle * Hotel review and details
Anassa * Cyprus' newest and most exciting hotel complex on the Western tip of the island

Cheaper prices don't necessarily mean downmarket - if you follow our advice

Getting to Cyprus

Return fares from the UK start at around £200Stg return for a special deal on flights with either Cyprus Airways and British Airways who are the main scheduled carriers. The flight to avoid is the red eye special, which leaves Cyprus at about three in the morning. Cyprus is one hour ahead of European time and two hours ahead of the UK.