Sun, sea and sand. North Cyprus has many great beaches. Most hotels along the coast have their own private sandy beaches where you can relax and soak up the rays. Even if you aren’t a resident of a hotel you can usually pay a daily admission fee to visit the beach and use the hotel’s facilities such as sun loungers, parasols, toilets and restaurants. Many beaches also offer extra activities like scuba diving, jet ski or parasailing. If you enjoy an adventure and want to find a secluded quite beach you can rent a car and drive along the coast to find the perfect spot.
Western part of Northern Cyprus
Kervansaray Beach is located 5 km drive from Kyrenia. This is a sandy beach that is quite popular with locals and tourists.
The beach is very easy to find, after driving on the main road through Karaoglanoglu, you can see the turn sign on your right. Admission is free, but sun loungers are available for a fee. A restaurant with a bar is located nearby, offering a wide range of drinks and dishes.
The Escape Beach Club (locally know as Yavuz Çıkarma Plajı) is a very inviting beach situated on the highway as you come from Kyrenia to Alsancak. An entry fee is paid to enjoy every comfort that ESCAPE offers. Once inside, you can sunbathe either on the cushions on the lawn or on the sun loungers on the sands. When you are hungry you can enjoy great selection of food offered in the restaurant. The Escape offers extensive options for those who seek more than sea, sand and sun. Some of the water sports on the offer are scuba diving, jet skiing and parasailing. The small island just across the bay, serves as a natural wave-breaking. Thus, the beach remains smooth all the time. Especially a favourite gathering place for Cypriot youths, it gets very crowded during the weekends. With its alternative leisure facilities to enjoy sea, sun and sand, the Escape is one of the most popular beaches in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus.
Deniz Kizi Beach or Golden Bay is a private beach owned by the hotel of the same name. In summer, the beach may not be available as the hotel is full. Visitors can take advantage of the hotel's freshwater pool and choose from any of the water sports including windsurfing, water skiing and rafting, including for children.
Mare Monte beach is located about 9 km west of Kyrenia and is a fairly long stretch of sand. The beach belongs to the Hotel Mare Monte. It has all the traditional amenities: a bar, showers, sun loungers and more. The beach is very popular with the locals of Northern Cyprus, which is why it can be quite difficult to find a free seat here on weekends. To get to the beach, you have to climb stairs, so Mare Monte is not the best choice for the elderly.
Camelot Beach is located 8 miles west of Kyrenia at the town of Alsancak. This beach is great for families and young kids as it has its own harbour stone wall barrier which means even if the rest of the sea is quite choppy with big waves the sea at this beach should be quite calm. As it is run by a local university the prices are quite reasonable. It has shower/WC facilities, sun umbrellas and loungers on the beach or you can also sit up on the loungers on the wooden decking. There is a restaurant and bar which plays live music at night and the club is open until the early hours.
Eastern part of Northern Cyprus
The municipal beach of Catalkoy is about 7 km drive from Kyrenia. It is easy to find by the sign on the main road. The beach is not big, but it is very secluded. There is a riding school office nearby, where you can take riding lessons from an instructor, as well as go on horseback riding on your own. There is a small pontoon for diving.
Diana Beach is located in Karakum - 2 km drive east of Kyrenia. There is a signpost to the beach on the main road. The sand was brought here by truck, so the seabed turns into pebbles quite close to the shore.
Located a few miles east of Kyrenia, 5 star Acapulco Hotel's beach is one of the best beaches in the Kyrenia area. One doesn't necessarily have to be staying at the hotel to take advantage of the 1 mile long sandy beach. With an entrance fee, you will enjoy great selection of facilities under the Mediterranean sun. Acapulco offers a massive outdoor swimming pool (the largest in North Cyprus) with water slides. There are dozens of animations from belly dancing to water gymnastics for children and adults around the large pool. Beach volleyball, tennis and basketball and so many other sports activities to have fun... It also offers the opportunity to surf the waves growing from time to time. The Acapulco Hotel's five-star comfort reflects well on its beach with thin sand and endless blues...
Alagadi Beach is a public sandy beach, which is popularly called 'turtle' because this is where sea turtles come. The beach is located 20 km from Kyrenia. The bottom near the coast remains shallow for a long time, so the beach is suitable for families with children. From June to October (during the turtles' egg-laying season), the beach is guarded but is not closed to visitors.
Famagusta Area:
Glapsides Public beach can be reached by driving along the main road to Famagusta from Nicosia. Located around 2.5 miles north of Famagusta. This is one of the most popular beaches around Famagusta. Glapsides is a long sandy beach with shallow water. Various facilities are available including a restaurant, bar, shop, showers, sun loungers with sunshades and water sports. During the weekends of the summer season, the bar becomes very vibrant where you can party until early hours.
Silver Located at the south end of the ancient Salamis ruins. This is a great beach for swimming and snorkeling and the shallow water makes it safer for children. This beach does not have many facilities but you will find a cafe where you can order snacks and drinks.
Long Beach is popular with tourists and locals alike. Turtles come to the beach, so it is always under supervision. There is enough space for everyone. There is a bungalow hotel complex near the beach where you can spend your vacation or just stay overnight.
Karpas Golden Beach
No holiday to North Cyprus can be complete without a visit to the Karpaz Peninsula, this is the Cyprus of old, a land almost unspoilt by the savage hand of modern development, where Mother Nature still holds the reins of power. Golden Beach in the Karpaz is known as the island's most beautiful beach. A beach which is unspoilt, with golden sandy dunes as far the eye can see, where turtles nest, wild donkey’s visit, where the crystal clear sea has the colour of turquoise, surrounded by untouched nature and fauna.
The best way to enjoy is to stay there for a couple of days, forget the hectic pace of daily life and enjoy the tranquil paradise
