Protaras is the tourist resort of Paralimni, in the South East of Cyprus within the Famugusta area. Once it was scrubland, sand and a golden beach. Now it has the Wild West appearance of a town that has developed far too fast for its own good - a greater affinity with Las Vegas than a typical Greek village or small town. Some scrub is still there and luckily so too is the golden beach - reputed to be one of the finest beaches on the island.

By midday the main street of Protaras is unbearable due to the heat, absorbed and reflected by the concrete surroundings. A little landscaping and especially tree planting to break up the harsh contours and give a little shade wouldn't go amiss. At night Protaras is a cacophony of sound as each disco-bar tries to outcompete its neighbours as they all vie for business. The best that can be said for the architecture is tacky.

 Planning control is poor, non-existent, or simply ignored. At the Paralimni end of Protaras, near Maestro Bar, a huge McDonald's sign has been erected that is an appalling eyesore. Clients at the adjacent hotel will have from their balconies the view of a McDonald's plus the smell of junk food. Globalisation and McDonald's is destroying local culture everywhere, even a small place like Protaras cannot escape.

The disco bars in the centre of Protaras are in constant conflict with the hotels and apartments. What is needed is a bulldozer to flatten the lot and replace them with Greek tavernas.

Appearances can be deceptive. Protaras may not have any ruins from ancient civilizations, the architecture may not be the world's greatest, drunk karaoke singers and English DJs are not everyone's idea of a good night out nevertheless it does have its good points. The golden beach is still there gently shelving into the clear blue unpolluted sea of the Mediterranean. The night clubs, disco bars and restaurants are some of the best on the island. The many hotels may not look much from the outside, inside sheer luxury with food and service second to none. On the beach are a variety of water sports, from peddle boats to jet skis and paragliding.