North Cyprus Beaches: The Best Sand from Famagusta to Karpaz

The sea around North Cyprus has two moods. On the east coast, from Famagusta up towards Karpaz, the sand is fine and the beaches run long and shallow, and the sun comes up out of the water. On the north coast, below Kyrenia, the mountains step down to the sea: coves are smaller, rocks sharper, and the evening light paints the range behind you. Which coast suits you depends on the holiday you have in mind.

We look at it from Famagusta — first the beaches on our doorstep, then the wild tip of the island at Karpaz, then the coves beneath the Kyrenia range.

Which coast is yours?

Around Famagusta: sand on the doorstep

Glapsides

Famagusta’s own beach sits near Eastern Mediterranean University and draws a student crowd. When you want an hour in the sea without leaving town, this is the first place to go.

Palm Beach

Right beside the fence of Varosha. You swim with turquoise water on one side and the silhouette of empty hotels on the other — a view no other beach on the island can offer. It is the natural place to end an afternoon in Varosha at sunset.

Salamis beach

A sandy shore right next to the ancient city. Exploring the ruins of Salamis in the morning and swimming at midday is one of the finest days Famagusta can give you.

Silver Beach and the İskele coast

North of town the shore continues to Silver Beach, and beyond it, towards Bafra and İskele, the resorts and long beaches begin. Long Beach at İskele lives up to its name — wide and generous, with room to swim and to walk the waterline in the same afternoon.

Karpaz: Golden Beach and the island’s wild end

The Karpaz peninsula is the long, thin arm of North Cyprus reaching north-east, an hour and a half to two hours’ drive from Famagusta. At the end of the road waits Golden Beach (Altınkum): kilometres of gold sand, largely untouched.

This is national park country, famous for its wild donkeys — don’t be surprised to meet them by the road. From May to September sea turtles lay their eggs on the sand; keep away from marked nests.

Karpaz can be done in a day, but a night there makes the journey far more relaxed. Add Apostolos Andreas Monastery at the very tip and the village of Dipkarpaz; check that the monastery is open before you set off.

The Kyrenia coast: coves beneath the mountains

Where the Kyrenia range meets the sea, the water feels different from Famagusta’s.

• Alagadi (Turtle Beach) — east of Kyrenia, a protected beach where sea turtles nest. From roughly May to October, while the turtles nest, it is shut overnight, from about 20:00 until 08:00.
• Escape Beach and Acapulco — well-known beaches with facilities, for sunbeds, lunch and a full day of comfort.
• Kervansaray — a quieter spot for a swim away from the crowds.

To combine the coast with the harbour and the castles, see things to do in Kyrenia.

Sea turtles: sharing the sand

North Cyprus is a nesting ground for two of the Mediterranean’s sea turtles, the green turtle and the loggerhead. In the nesting season a few simple habits make a real difference:

1. Keep away from marked nests and never dig in the sand around them.
2. Respect night closures — Alagadi first among them.
3. Use no torches or flash on the beach after dark; hatchlings find the sea by its light.
4. Push umbrellas in with care and take your rubbish home.

When is the sea warm?

The water stays inviting from May into early November. In July and August the air is very hot, so shift beach time to the morning and late afternoon. The seasons are covered in our weather guide.

Good to know

• Lifeguards are mainly found on hotel and managed beaches; take care on open, undeveloped sand.
• Blue Flag: some beaches in the north hold the award; if that matters to you, look up the current list.
• Charges: some managed beaches charge for entry or sunbeds. Amounts change, so ask at the gate; smaller places may want cash.
• Shade: wild beaches have none. An umbrella, water and sunscreen are essential.

Getting there

Glapsides is a short taxi ride from anywhere in Famagusta. For Salamis, Silver Beach and the İskele coast a hire car makes life much easier, and Karpaz and Kyrenia are really only comfortable by car. Traffic in the north keeps to the left and speed cameras are common, so read our driving guide before you set off. Families with small children will find the fine sand and shallow entry around Famagusta and İskele ideal; in Karpaz, bring everything you need, because there is little shade and few facilities.

A beach day, Famagusta style

• Morning — an early swim at Salamis beach while the sea is still and the sand cool.
• Midday — sit out the heat in the shade over a light lunch.
• Late afternoon — Palm Beach, watching the sun move across Varosha’s hotels.
• Evening — a shower, something elegant, and LÉAA LOUNGE, our lounge in Famagusta for food, cocktails, coffee, wine and shisha. Our menu will help you plan the evening.

In Cyprus the best beach is the one that suits the day’s light and your mood. From Famagusta, every one of these is within easy reach.