Noah's Ark Deluxe Hotel & Spa, Bafra

Noah's Ark is one of the larger themed resorts on the Bafra Tourism Area east of Famagusta — a 5-star property built around an Ark-shaped main building and spread across roughly 160,000 square metres of landscaped grounds. The resort combines a private beachfront with a state-of-the-art casino, an adults-only spa floor, sports facilities and a depth of entertainment programming that pulls guests into a destination-resort mode.

The resort sits on the Bafra tourism strip in the north-east of Cyprus, close to Famagusta Bay. Drive time from central Famagusta is around 40 minutes via the coastal road; Ercan Airport is closer to an hour. The location is well-suited to guests who want a long beach holiday and don't mind the longer drive into town.

Around 280 rooms sit inside a holiday-village wing within the broader grounds, with a dedicated outdoor pool and snack bar reserved for that part of the complex. Rooms run between 37 and 52 square metres in contemporary, carpeted interiors. Standard amenities include centrally-controlled air-conditioning, an LCD satellite TV, internet access and a digital in-room safe. The minibar is on a chargeable basis. Each room has a balcony or terrace and either a bathtub or shower in the bathroom.

The private beach runs along the resort's seafront, with around 1,600 square metres allocated specifically to hotel guests. Water sports operate from the beach during the season on a chargeable basis. Behind the beach sit the main resort pools and a small aquapark for younger guests; the holiday-village wing keeps its own quieter outdoor pool.

The spa floor — branded Karina Spa & Wellness Centre — is adults-only (16 and above), with a calmer atmosphere than the main resort common areas. Inside, an indoor pool sits alongside the sauna, traditional Turkish bath and steam room, with a fitness centre and a spa vitamin bar covering the active-wellness side. Treatment menus run the usual luxury programme.

The on-site casino is one of the bigger draws — a state-of-the-art floor with slot machines, poker, blackjack and VIP rooms. Beyond gaming, the property programmes an unusually active outdoor calendar: tennis courts, a FIFA-standard football pitch, an open-air cinema, a professional animation team and a steady drip of smaller games and sports activities run through the warmer months.

Noah's Ark works best for visitors who want a stay-on-resort experience with both a family-leaning side (animation programme, aquapark, football pitch) and a clearly separated adults-only spa floor and casino. The themed Ark architecture is divisive — visitors who enjoy themed resorts will find it fun; minimalist-design holidaymakers may prefer the more contemporary properties further west along the coast.