North Cyprus beaches: an east-Mediterranean overview

TRNC has some of the cleanest, least-developed beaches in the eastern Mediterranean, partly because the island's split since 1974 has limited the kind of mass development that transformed the southern Cypriot coast. The northern coast (Kyrenia and west to Karpaşa) and the eastern coast (Iskele, Bafra and the Karpaz panhandle) host most of the beaches; the southern coast around Famagusta has fewer but bigger swimming areas. Water clarity is excellent, the sea slope is gentle almost everywhere, and the season runs roughly May to October with peak swimming weather June through September. Some beaches are commercial beach clubs with paid entry; some are public free-access; some are protected nature sites with restrictions. Almost all are accessible only by car — even the popular Alagadi Turtle Beach has minimal bus service. Below is a short tour of the 10 most worthwhile beaches in TRNC, organised roughly west to east, with drive-times from the main holiday bases of Kyrenia and Iskele.

Northern coast: Escape, Acapulco, Alagadi, Karaoğlanoğlu

On the northern coast either side of Kyrenia, four beaches stand out. Escape Beach (Yavuz Çıkarma Plajı) is 10 minutes west of Kyrenia centre, run as a commercial beach club with bars, water sports, sunbed rental (around £8/day) and a young-adult atmosphere. Acapulco Beach is 15 minutes west, a larger family-friendly resort beach with shallow water, water slides for children and sunbed packages. Alagadi Turtle Beach is 20 minutes east of Kyrenia and one of the most important loggerhead and green-turtle nesting sites in the eastern Mediterranean — protected, with seasonal nesting cages, and part-managed by the conservation society SPOT (Society for the Protection of Turtles); free public access during the day, no artificial light at night. Karaoğlanoğlu Beach 8 km west of Kyrenia is the most local-feeling of the northern beaches — small, sheltered, with a few independent fish restaurants on the shore.

Karpaz beaches: Golden Beach and the wild east

The Karpaz peninsula has the wildest, least-developed beaches in TRNC. Golden Beach (Altın Kumsal) at the eastern end is the headline: 4.5 km of pristine sand, almost no development, shallow water you can wade out 50 m into, and turtle nesting sites between June and September. The drive is 90 minutes from Iskele and 2 hours from Kyrenia, but worth a full day. Silver Beach near Dipkarpaz is quieter and family-orientated, with one small wooden restaurant and a sand-dune-backed beach. Sea Caves Beach near the Cape Apostolos Andreas requires a 15-minute walk from the road — the rock formations and clear water make the climb worthwhile. The much smaller Kaplıca Beach is 30 minutes from Iskele on the way to Karpaz, named after the natural thermal spring at the back of the bay where you can swim in slightly warmed water. All Karpaz beaches require a rental car; no public transport reaches any of them.

Eastern coast and Famagusta: Glapsides, Salamis, Long Beach

South of the Karpaz, the eastern coast around Iskele and Famagusta has the longest commercial beaches in TRNC. The Long Beach (Uzun Kumsal) hotel strip itself runs 25 km from Bogaz to Bafra and is essentially one continuous beach with different resort and beach-club access points along the way — Caesar Beach, Noah's Ark Beach, Salamis Bay Conti and Pia Bella beach. Glapsides Beach is the closest swimming option for Famagusta city visitors — 5 minutes north on the coast road, soft sand, lifeguards in season and a small beach restaurant. Palm Beach near Famagusta walls is within walking distance of the ancient Salamis site and is family-orientated. The Salamis Bay area beaches sit just below the ruins themselves and are quiet, free-access and good for an end-of-Salamis-visit dip. All these eastern beaches are within 20 minutes' drive of an Iskele or Famagusta hotel base.

Driving the beach circuit: tips and Sur Car Hire delivery

Driving between beaches is the most enjoyable way to discover TRNC's coast — and one of the things a rental car opens up that no taxi or tour can match. A typical full beach day from Kyrenia might cover Escape Beach (morning swim), then Alagadi (afternoon turtle-protection visit), then a fish dinner at Karaoğlanoğlu — all in under 60 km of driving. From an Iskele base, a great loop is the Bogaz fishing-harbour breakfast, a Karpaz day on Golden Beach, and a Salamis-Bay sunset stop on the return. All TRNC beach roads are paved and signposted; almost all beaches have free public parking. SurCarHire delivers cars to every Kyrenia, Famagusta and Iskele hotel free of charge so you can start your beach circuit straight from your accommodation. Booking takes 5 minutes online and is confirmed via WhatsApp; payment at handover is in GBP cash or by card. Family business since 1979 — we know which beaches have lifeguards, which have shade, and which require a sturdier car for the access track. Reach us on 00 90 533 841 79 79.