Almost as soon as you get off the aeroplane at Paphos International Airport in Cyprus you will spot posters featuring a giant happy frog wearing red shorts with the mysterious instruction: "Follow the Frog!"
"Follow the frog? Follow it where?" I hear you ask. Well it turns out you need to follow the frog to Aphrodite Water Park, Paphos where there are watery delights galore to entertain all ages.
I toured the park while I was out in Cyprus a couple of weeks ago. I was absolutely gutted not to be able to squish myself into my swimsuit and try out some of the attractions but freak weather conditions meant I actually visited on a rare rainy day! Just my luck!
But even in the rain I could imagine myself basking on sun beds, drifting round the lazy river or scrambling up the watery super-volcano. I looked longingly at the cleverly designed cavern with a beautiful waterfall to swim through to a shady area where you can lounge in a hot-tub.
That is one of the best things about the Aphrodite Water Park. They have realised that not everyone can cope with sun, sun, sun and have dotted loungers and kiosks all around the park, some out in the full sunshine and many under natural or manmade cover. I particularly liked the man-made caves - perfect for little people to explore and get out of the rays for a while.
There are slides and rides for all ages and levels of dare-devil-ishness. I am not a fan of steep fast slides but if that's your thing there is a choice with names like Zero Gravity and Kamikazi! There are special areas for tiny tots and a huge wave pool.
If you've considered visiting this park and read online reviews you may have been put off by negative reviews. I read them before I visited and had them in mind when I looked round. On the whole I think the park owners have addressed most of the problems highlighted in the past.
The park was clean, and seemed well maintained and I couldn't see anything looking tatty or broken. The Park has been undergoing a period of intense change with management determined to make it a first class attraction for tourists and locals.
It might seem expensive - entrance is 30 Euros for adults and 17 Euros for under 12s but under 3's go free and I reckon with some clever planning you could easily spend hours and hours enjoying the facilities making it a full day out.
You do have to buy food and drinks and ice-creams onsite - they run a wristband system and you pay at the end. No picnics etc are allowed so allow for that in your budget and make sure the children aren't flashing their wristbands, getting an ice-cream every ten minutes and running up a huge bill.
Food prices are kinda what you would expect with a captive audience. A family of four would probably end up spending an extra 50 euros on top of the entrance price if they had a burger, chips and a couple of drinks each. Changing room access is free and there are lockers available for a small charge.
The park runs lots of offers and you can save money buying a two day pass (47 Euros for adults/28 Euros for under 12s, under 3's still free!) or even an annual pass for 100 Euros for over 12's and adults - if you live in Cyprus, visit a couple of times a year or are staying more than the usual week or two. If you are really clever you can save 10% booking online in advance of your visit!
The park is easily accessible in the Kato Papho tourist area off Poseidonos Avenue and there is plenty of free parking, or you can catch a bus from the centre of town, along the route passing most of the major hotels or from Coral Bay.
The park opens from May to October - from 10.30-17.30 May-June, 10.00-18.00 June-Aug and 10.00-17.00 Sept-Oct.
I have written a new post about the water park after spotting that reviews on Trip Advisor are now much more positive. Check out that blog post HERE.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.
"Follow the frog? Follow it where?" I hear you ask. Well it turns out you need to follow the frog to Aphrodite Water Park, Paphos where there are watery delights galore to entertain all ages.
But even in the rain I could imagine myself basking on sun beds, drifting round the lazy river or scrambling up the watery super-volcano. I looked longingly at the cleverly designed cavern with a beautiful waterfall to swim through to a shady area where you can lounge in a hot-tub.
That is one of the best things about the Aphrodite Water Park. They have realised that not everyone can cope with sun, sun, sun and have dotted loungers and kiosks all around the park, some out in the full sunshine and many under natural or manmade cover. I particularly liked the man-made caves - perfect for little people to explore and get out of the rays for a while.
There are slides and rides for all ages and levels of dare-devil-ishness. I am not a fan of steep fast slides but if that's your thing there is a choice with names like Zero Gravity and Kamikazi! There are special areas for tiny tots and a huge wave pool.If you've considered visiting this park and read online reviews you may have been put off by negative reviews. I read them before I visited and had them in mind when I looked round. On the whole I think the park owners have addressed most of the problems highlighted in the past.
The park was clean, and seemed well maintained and I couldn't see anything looking tatty or broken. The Park has been undergoing a period of intense change with management determined to make it a first class attraction for tourists and locals.
It might seem expensive - entrance is 30 Euros for adults and 17 Euros for under 12s but under 3's go free and I reckon with some clever planning you could easily spend hours and hours enjoying the facilities making it a full day out.
You do have to buy food and drinks and ice-creams onsite - they run a wristband system and you pay at the end. No picnics etc are allowed so allow for that in your budget and make sure the children aren't flashing their wristbands, getting an ice-cream every ten minutes and running up a huge bill.
Food prices are kinda what you would expect with a captive audience. A family of four would probably end up spending an extra 50 euros on top of the entrance price if they had a burger, chips and a couple of drinks each. Changing room access is free and there are lockers available for a small charge.
The park runs lots of offers and you can save money buying a two day pass (47 Euros for adults/28 Euros for under 12s, under 3's still free!) or even an annual pass for 100 Euros for over 12's and adults - if you live in Cyprus, visit a couple of times a year or are staying more than the usual week or two. If you are really clever you can save 10% booking online in advance of your visit!The park is easily accessible in the Kato Papho tourist area off Poseidonos Avenue and there is plenty of free parking, or you can catch a bus from the centre of town, along the route passing most of the major hotels or from Coral Bay.
I have written a new post about the water park after spotting that reviews on Trip Advisor are now much more positive. Check out that blog post HERE.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.