Published · 6 min read · Facts checked 9 October 2026 against the sources below
Two family days out top most lists for the Paphos area. Paphos Zoo, which calls itself Pafos Zoo, sits on the hillside at Peyia, above Coral Bay in Cyprus. Aphrodite Waterpark is down on the seafront in Kato Paphos. They suit different moods: the zoo is a slow, shady wander with animals and a bird show, and the waterpark is a full day of slides and splashing.
Hours and prices at both change from season to season, so check before you set off.
Paphos Zoo at a glance
The zoo is on Xylomantrou Street in Peyia. It covers 100,000 m² and keeps more than 350 species of mammals, reptiles and birds, from elephants, giraffes and lemurs to parrots and owls. There’s a restaurant on site, and it opens every day of the year.
The closing time moves with the season:
| Months | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| November to March | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| April to July | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| August | 09:00 | 19:00 |
| September and October | 09:00 | 18:00 |
The zoo doesn’t publish its ticket prices online, so ask at the gate or contact the zoo before you go.
The parrot and owl show
The set piece is the bird show in the zoo’s amphitheatre, with macaws and owls. It runs three times a day, and there’s a chance for photos with the birds afterwards.
| Months | Show times |
|---|---|
| January to March | 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 |
| April to September | 12:00, 14:30, 17:00 |
| October to December | 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 |
Feeding the animals
The zoo runs three hands-on encounters through the day: a walk-in lemur enclosure where you can feed them by hand, a raised platform for feeding the giraffes, and an encounter with the Asian elephants. You arrange them at the enclosures, and they are cash only, so bring euros.
Aphrodite Waterpark at a glance
Aphrodite Waterpark is off Poseidonos Avenue in Kato Paphos, with free parking in front. It has 18 or more rides, from big drops such as Free Fall and Kamikaze to gentler ones such as the Lazy River, the Wave Pool and Family Rafting.
The park is seasonal. Its hours for 2026:
| Dates (2026) | Hours |
|---|---|
| April to June | 10:30 – 17:30 |
| July and August | 10:00 – 18:00 |
| September and October | 10:00 – 17:00 |
| 26 October to 7 November | 10:00 – 16:30 |
The closing date for the 2026 season hadn’t been announced by October, so check before you plan a late-autumn visit.
Tickets are €36 for adults and €20 for children under 12 at the time of writing, and children under 3 go free. The park offers up to 10% off when you buy online.
House rules worth knowing
- No outside food or drink. There are fast-food, Chinese and Thai, and kosher outlets, plus kiosks.
- Swimwear: no metal accessories or zips on the slides. Rash guards are allowed, which is useful for children with fair skin.
- Towels are only sold in the shop, so bring your own.
- Lockers cost €5 at the time of writing. Over 1,500 sunbeds and umbrellas are free, and a cabana, with a fruit platter, costs €25 at the time of writing.
- Height limits: some slides have a 1.20 m minimum, so check the signs before a younger child sets their heart on one.
Paphos Zoo and the waterpark with toddlers
Both places work with small children, but in different ways.
At the waterpark, the under-threes go free and have their own corner: a kiddies’ pool with small slides, the Pirate Ship and a bouncy “Mini Wet Bubble”. The park has baby changing in the restrooms, a first aid room with trained staff, and lifeguards throughout. Life jackets are on sale in the souvenir shop, so if your child swims in one at home, bring it.
At the zoo, the scale is the thing to plan for. A site of 100,000 m² is a lot of walking for short legs, so bring a buggy or a carrier, and plan the route around the bird show so you’re not rushing across the park at noon.
For both, pack more water and snacks for the journey than you think you’ll need. Remember that you can’t take your own food into the waterpark, so feed everyone before you go in or plan on buying lunch inside.
The shoulder months are kinder. Both are open in October, when the waterpark keeps to 10:00 to 17:00 for most of the month, and the zoo closes at 18:00. Our Paphos weather in August page has the month-by-month detail if you are choosing dates around the heat.
Getting there
Paphos Zoo
The zoo is in Peyia, so it’s a short drive from the villa. For families staying in Paphos hotels, the zoo runs a transfer bus with morning pickups between 08:30 and 10:30, daily from April to October and three days a week from November to March. It has to be booked in advance.
Aphrodite Waterpark
By car, head into Kato Paphos and use the free car park in front of the park. By bus from Coral Bay, take route 615 to the Tombs of the Kings bus station, then route 611, which runs past the harbour to the waterpark every 10 to 15 minutes at busy times. With small children and bags, a car is easier.
Which one suits your children
The two days out reward different ages.
The zoo suits younger and animal-mad children. There’s no height limit on anything, the pace is yours, and the encounters put children within reach of a lemur or a giraffe. It also works on a cloudy or cooler day, and in winter, when the waterpark is shut. Grandparents who don’t want to swim tend to enjoy it more too.
The waterpark suits confident swimmers and older children. The 1.20 m limit on some slides means the biggest rides are for older children and adults, while the Lazy River, the Wave Pool and Family Rafting work for mixed ages. Teenagers will want the full day. Parents of toddlers often find a morning in the kids’ area and a long lunch is plenty.
If you only have time for one, the season usually decides it: from November to March it has to be the zoo.
What to pack
For the zoo:
- Hats, sun cream and refillable water bottles, even in spring.
- Comfortable shoes for paths and slopes, and a buggy or carrier for small children.
- Euros in cash for the feeding encounters.
For the waterpark:
- Your own towels, since the park only sells them in the shop.
- Swimwear without metal or zips, and rash guards for children.
- A child’s own life jacket, if they use one, or buy one in the shop.
- Cash or a card for the €5 locker and lunch inside.
One day or two
Don’t try to combine them. The zoo is up in Peyia and the waterpark is down in Kato Paphos, and either one is a full outing with young children. Most families do better with one big day out, then a quieter pool day at the villa, then the next.
A pattern that works well over a week:
- Zoo morning: arrive at opening, book a feeding encounter at the enclosures, catch the 12:00 bird show and be back for lunch in the shade.
- Pool and beach day: a gentle morning at Coral Bay beach, then an afternoon in the garden.
- Waterpark day: arrive at 10:00, stay till the children flag, and eat out in Kato Paphos on the way home.
For more days out with small children, see our guide to Peyia with kids, and for the wider picture, read is Paphos good for families and things to do in Paphos.
Where to stay
Villa Prasino is a private, fully fenced villa in Peyia for up to 6 guests, with electric gates, a 6 × 12 m diving pool, a hot tub and 1,000 m² of gardens. Coral Bay beach is about 5 km away.
For younger children, add our Kids upgrade when you book and we’ll fit a pool safety fence, stair gates and more before you arrive; it’s fitted only when booked. Read about holidays with children at the villa, check availability and rates, and when you have dates, send us a booking request and tell us the ages of your children, so we can set the villa up for them.
