STAYING SAFE AND WELL IN AYIA NAPA
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For many workers, coming to Ayia Napa is the first time they’ve lived away from their parents and learning to look after yourself can be a big step. You won’t have your mum there to sort out your dinner and your washing and fix things that might go wrong. We’ve put together some guidelines which should help you stay safe and healthy whilst in Ayia Napa. We know you want to have the best time possible in Ayia Napa and to make the most of every moment but your good times could be cut short if you don’t take care of yourself.
At night Ayia Napa is still one of the safest holiday resorts in the Med, and women especially find it a much more liberal place to be than some other places. Cyprus is still quite strict on some things though and nudity and indecent behaviour in the streets isn't welcome and may end in police action. By all means get your kit off off at the beach but keep your clothes on around the town. That said many workers do often wear just a bikini or underwear to work due to the extreme heat and dress code of the venue they work at.
At night Ayia Napa is still one of the safest holiday resorts in the Med, and women especially find it a much more liberal place to be than some other places. Cyprus is still quite strict on some things though and nudity and indecent behaviour in the streets isn't welcome and may end in police action. By all means get your kit off off at the beach but keep your clothes on around the town. That said many workers do often wear just a bikini or underwear to work due to the extreme heat and dress code of the venue they work at.
Ayia Napa Workers Survey Results*
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Ayia Napa Workers Survey Results*
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Alcohol OverloadFree or low cost drinks can be too tempting to resist. But all that cheap alcohol is going to do some damage to your insides. We know most workers won’t be able to afford premium brand spirits and are happy to drink whatever comes their way and as much as they can in some cases. Most people will generally be able to process 1 unit of alcohol per hour so drinking a lot in a short space of time can stop the body from functioning properly.
Expect day-glo hangovers of epic proportions on a regular basis but if you’ve been hitting the drink hard it can be more serious and you may find yourself with alcohol poisoning. This usually means a stint in the hospital, your system may need to be flushed, stomach pumped and you put on a drip. Take it easy on the booze, pace yourself and drink plenty of water. Avoiding alcohol through the day and eating proper meals will also help your body handle the onslaught of whatever you pour into it each night. Even if you don’t suffer any ill effects yourself you are likely to come across someone who has, so knowing what signs to look for and what warrants a trip to hospital can save lives. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include confusion, loss of balance and co-ordination, vomiting, slow or irregular breathing, seizures, feeling cold, pale clammy skin, semi-consciousness, unconsciousness, and being unresponsive. If you are in a situation where you believe someone may have alcohol poisoning never leave them to sleep it off, don’t give them coffee which will dehydrate them further and don’t make them sick. Their gag reflux will most likely not be working properly by this stage and they may choke on their own sick. You may be tempted to put a friend under a cold shower to sober them up bit alcohol lowers the body temperature so this could actually cause hypothermia. Keep them sat upright if awake or in the recovery position if passed out. Try and get them to drink some water, keep them warm. If they don’t get any better then get them to hospital straight away to be treated. Call 199 or 112 for emergency and ambulance services. The Napa Olympic hospital can be called on 00357 23723222. Sea & Pool SafetyAccidents around water are very common, from slipping on wet tiles round the pool and cutting bare feet to the more serious diving accidents.
Common sense will prevent many problems but please take note of the following tips. Be aware of depth markings – don’t dive in shallow water. Don’t swim out of your depth. Don’t swim when drunk. Only use plastic cups and bottles around the pool or at the beach. Don’t run around pools where tiles can be wet. Don’t dive into the sea from the beach. If swimming with friends keep close contact at all times. Obey flag systems on the beach. Red flag – don’t swim. Take note of where lifeguard stations are located. Don’t swim at night.
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Sexual HealthThe one souvenir you definitely don’t want to be taking home from Ayia Napa is a sexually transmitted infection. You’ve had a few drinks; you’re having the time of your life…. you may do things you wouldn’t normally do at home including having one night stands with people who could have been anywhere.
The local doctors are used to dealing with chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes and more so visit the doctor straight away to get treatment if you find yourself with an unwanted itch, sores, a burning sensation or unusual discharge. Our advice is simple - use condoms. Every supermarket, 24 hour kiosk and chemist sells them so you should always be able to find somewhere open to buy them. Ear InfectionsSpending a lot of time in the pool or sea can cause ear infections where water becomes lodged in the ear canal which then becomes painful and swollen. It can be treated with eardrops available from the doctor but you may have to stay out of the water for a week or two.
Tap WaterThe tap water in Cyprus is safe to drink but it is highly treated so bottled water is recommended. You can buy bottled water in any supermarket but it is more expensive in tourist shops in the resort centre. Cheaper water can be bought in large supermarkets or if you have empty bottles you can refill them for just a few cents at the water dispenser machines. There are 6 machines in Ayia Napa which can be found in the streets not far from the town centre. You can purchase 20 litres of spring water for €1 from these machines which are used by most local people.
Eating WellThe staple food for many workers in Ayia Napa is noodles, the dried ones that you pour water over. Available in a range of flavours and at around 50 cents a pack they are as cheap a food that you are likely to find. They will fill you up, provide something to soak up the alcohol and make you miss your mums cooking.
Living on noodles may be economical but it won’t do your health much good. Lack of nutrition, on top of partying all night, lots of alcohol and sunshine means that you will start to feel rubbish pretty quickly. Try and eat something fresh each day, even if it’s just an apple. Bring vitamins with you and remember to take them. Ayia Napa has a fruit and veg shop which is the cheapest place for fresh food. There are bigger supermarkets in Paralimni village about 15 minutes away as well as a Lidl in Protaras. It is much cheaper to stock up on food at the bigger supermarkets than buy things from the smaller shops in Ayia Napa. So get the bus or share a cab with friends and go do a big shop. Sunburn & SunstrokeSunburn will spoil your fun and is a common risk factor for new arrivals. Especially those arriving in April and May when there can be a nice breeze so you don’t realize how hot it actually is. Suncream won’t stop you tanning but it will prolong the amount of time you can spend in the sun before you burn. Don’t use oils or anything else to try and tan faster, you’ll just be frying your skin.
If you do get burnt, take a luke warm shower. Use plenty of after sun lotion or aloe vera gel but for redder sunburn apply natural yoghurt which will help take the heat out of the skin. For serious burns and skin which has blistered please see a doctor as this can quickly become infected. The sun is very hot until quite late in the afternoon, you can still burn at 5pm or later. Common effects of sunburn are red and tender skin, blisters and peeling skin. Don’t apply vaseline or butter to burnt skin as it will burn it more. Too much sun can cause heat exhaustion which can then develop into heatstroke or sunstroke which is very serious. Symptoms of heatstroke include very hot flushed skin, heavy sweating, dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, rapid heartbeat confusion, and darker stronger urine. If this happens sit somewhere cool and drink water, taking quick action against these symptoms should result in normality within half an hour. Sunstroke happens when the body becomes too overheated and dehydrated. It can take several days to develop and is much more serious, requiring hospital treatment. Symptoms include high body temperature, usually 40 degrees or above, heavy sweating that suddenly stops as the body is unable to produce any more sweat, fast heartbeat, muscle cramps, rapid breathing, confusion, lack of co-ordination, seizures, anxiety, hallucinations, spots in front of the eyes, and passing out. If a friend has these symptoms call for an ambulance on 199 or 112. Give them some water and sit them somewhere cool while you wait for it to arrive. You could also cool their skin with damp flannels or sheets or spraying them gently. Don’t put them in a shower or submerse them in water as it could raise their blood pressure dangerously. SmokingA smoking ban came into force in Cyprus in January 2010, meaning it is not permitted to smoke inside public buildings including bars and clubs. Even though this is the law, most local people do still smoke inside and venue owners normally allow people to smoke. Occasionally the police will come round and issue some fines but this seems to happen less each year.
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Driving and Road Safety
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In the height of summer the roads in Ayia Napa are very busy with bicycles, mopeds, quad bikes, buggies, pedestrians, delivery trucks and cars, some of which will be driven by people who are not used to driving on the left. Whether you are driving or walking, be careful and pay attention to what is going on around you.
Some workers, especially ticket sellers hire mopeds or quad bikes to get around town. Workers can get reduced monthly rental rates although the number of vehicles is limited so they are often all rented out by mid June. If you have never driven a moped before, peak season in Ayia Napa is not a great place to learn as it is so busy on the road. Having an accident whilst on a moped or quad bike can be much more serious than if you are in a car as it’s much easier for the driver or passenger to hit the road or other hard surfaces, which at speed are going to do lots of damage. Cyprus has a very high road death rate. It is the law in Cyprus that helmets are worn by drivers and any passengers of mopeds, scooters and quad bikes. The police have an on the spot fine of €85 for anyone they stop without one. During the summer the police are in Ayia Napa issuing fines every day. As well as €85 being a lot of money, wearing your helmet can save your life in an accident. Driving after you’ve been drinking should never be done. Accidents are much more likely though in holiday resorts on unfamiliar streets where road users don’t always follow the same rules of the road. |
The drink drive limit is lower in Cyprus than in many European countries and police do work through the night stopping people on any type on vehicle who they think may be drunk. The lowest fine is €100 if you have an alcohol level of between 22 and 35 micrograms and higher for larger amounts. If you are considered drunk in charge of a vehicle you will usually have to appear in court.
The local traffic police are always out and about around Ayia Napa and are eager to make as much money as possible in fines. Here are just a few of the offences that they currently make fines for. Other offences are also going to incur fines and penalty points may also be issued.
Drunk driving - 23 to 35 micrograms - €100 Drunk driving - 36 to 55 micrograms - €200 Drunk driving - 56 to 70 micrograms - €300 Drunk driving - over 71 micrograms – determined by the court Speeding - up to 30% over the limit - €1 per km / h Speeding - between 31% and 50% over the limit - €2 per km / h Speeding – between 51% and 75% over the limit - €3 per km / h Speeding – over 76% over the limit – determined by the court Using a mobile phone whilst driving - €85 Not wearing seatbelts - €85 Not wearing helmets on mopeds/quad bikes - €85 Mopeds not having dipped beam headlight on - €50 Mopeds carrying a passenger in front of the driver - €25 Moped passengers not sitting astride the vehicle - €25 Mopeds driving on the highway - €85 |
* Find out more about our Ayia Napa Workers Survey
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