INFORMATION ABOUT NORTH CYPRUS
(Activities, Cuisine, Places of Interest)

GENERAL INFORMATION 

What is the official language in North Cyprus?

The official language in the TRNC (the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus") is Turkish but English is widely spoken.

   

What currency is used?
The Turkish Lira is the currency used in North Cyprus but Sterling is widely accepted and Euros increasingly so.

What is the time difference?

North Cyprus is two hours ahead of UK Greenwich Mean Time and one hour ahead of Central European Time.   
 

What side of the road do you drive on in North Cyprus?

You drive on the left hand side (as in the UK).  Hire cars are readily available but you must present your passport and original driving licence in order to hire one.  

Can I drive with my UK/EU licence?

You are able to drive with a UK/EU licence for three months, after which  you will need to apply for a permanent TRNC driving licence.

How do I travel to North Cyprus?

There are flights to Ercan airport in North Cyprus from many European cities including London (Heathrow and Stansted), Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin.  All flights to the TRNC are via mainland Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Dalaman, etc) where there is a stop of approximately 45 minutes for refuelling; you do not have to change aircraft.  Flight time is approximately 6 hours.   It is also possible to fly to Larnaca airport in South Cyprus and travel over to the North.   See: Cyprus Turkish Airlines – www.kthy.net, Pegasus Airlines – www.flypgs.com, Turkish Airlines - www.thy.com.

How long can I stay in North Cyprus?

If you are an EU passport holder, you will normally be issued with a 3 month visa when arriving in North Cyprus.  If you decide to remain in the TRNC, you will need to apply to the Immigration Office for a Resident’s permit.

Do I need insurance for Medical Care in North Cyprus?
You are not required to have medical insurance by law but some individuals choose to do so.  However, local medical care and emergency treatment is readily available and is reasonably priced. There are a number of private clinics and hospitals in North Cyprus as well as state run surgeries and emergency medical facilities.  There are also many well-equipped dental surgeries and opticians.

The emergency telephone number for an ambulance in North Cyprus is 112 or you can go direct to the nearest hospital or health care clinic for immediate treatment.    

Pharmacies (“Eczane”) in North Cyprus are usually well stocked and often have an English speaking person on hand.  It is possible to obtain most medicines over the counter without prescription at reasonable cost.   There is always a pharmacy on duty at night and during holidays in every big town in North Cyprus and the duty rota is normally printed in the local newspapers.

Weather
North Cyprus enjoys a wonderful, Eastern Mediterranean climate with around 300 days of sunshine every year.  The Spring months of March and April typically see a few rain showers but offer a profusion of flowers and blossom.  The summer months are dry with temperatures steadily increasing and peaking in August - often to 40°C.

The weather remains pleasant as temperatures cool through October and November and showers are possible.   The winter months very rarely see any snow or freezing temperatures, typically staying around 10°C, but rain (heavy at times) is welcomed to refresh the landscape and replenish reservoirs.            

Banks

There is a wide selection of banks with branches in North Cyprus offering the usual banking facilities, including on-line banking,  in a variety of currencies.  Banking hours are typically Monday to Friday from 8.30 am – 12 noon, closing for lunch and then opening again for an hour or two in the afternoon.  

During the summer months Government and Utility offices and banks are only open in the mornings, except on Mondays, when they re-open after lunch for an hour or two. 

Official Public Holidays during 2010

1 January, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 20 July, 1 August, 30 August, 29 October, 15 November. 

Government and Utility offices,  banks and schools are closed on these days but other offices and shops are often open.   

In addition, 9, 10, 11 September and 16, 17, 18, 19 November are “Bayrams” (religious holidays) when  Government and Utility offices will be closed, with other offices and shops usually closed for part.

Communication

Telephones - Telephone land lines are in fairly short supply and most people use mobile telephones.  There are two local provider networks – Turkcell and Telsim – and both offer “pay-as-you-go” as well as monthly accounts.

Internet - There are various providers of internet services offering a wide range of options.

Postal services - Post from North Cyprus is generally good.   Post to North Cyprus however is less so and, if used, items must clearly show “Mersin 10, Turkey” as the country address - not North Cyprus.      

Importing items into North Cyprus

It is possible to import personal items, electrical goods, furniture, cars and pets into North Cyprus.

Certain items are subject to restriction and import duty taxes and you should contact a shipping company that serves North Cyprus for more information – see www.dolphinmovers.com.   

For more information on importing pets into North Cyprus, and the regulations and procedures which must be strictly followed, see www.kyreniaanimalrescue.org.   

What are the educational standards in North Cyprus?

There are excellent standards of education in North Cyprus with most private schools following the UK examination system.  Every age group is catered for, ranging from nursery level through to university.  North Cyprus has over 30,000 students  in higher education – many from overseas – who are attracted to study in the TRNC because of its academic reputation - www.gau.edu.tr   

ACTIVITIES IN NORTH CYPRUS 

Music

The famous Bellapais Music Festival is held every year during May and attracts many international artistes to perform.  The concerts are held in the superb setting of  the Bellapais Abbey Refectory Hall which has excellent acoustics.  The annual programme of events is well publicised and tickets are widely available - www.bellapaisfestival.com 

The International Famagusta Culture and Arts Festival is held every July and offers a wide variety of events in the ancient Roman amphitheatre at Salamis just outside Famagusta.

Kyrenia Jazz Festival is held each year usually in early December.  This event attracts international jazz players and is growing in popularity year by year.  

Music and drama events are also held from time to time at the amphitheatre in Kyrenia and these are usually advertised in advance in the local press and around town.  

Festivals

Festivals are held during the year in various locations with most towns and villages holding their own event at some point during the summer. These are often food-related - for example, the Orange Festival held in Guzelyurt, the Grape Festival held in the Karpaz and the Olive Festival in Zeytinlik.    

Flora and Fauna

North Cyprus boasts over 385 km of coastline and together with  pine and cyprus tree covered hillsides it is a wildlife haven for flora and fauna alike.  Many varieties of wild orchids may be found in North Cyprus and special walking trips are available in February to observe them growing in their natural habitat - www.walksnorchidsnorthcyprus.com. 

Species of wildlife you will find in North Cyprus include the donkeys which roam free in the Karpaz region, the Cyprus fox which is smaller than the English fox and snakes and lizards which you will see in the summer months.     

   
 
Butterflies and other insects 
Almost fifty species of butterflies can be found on the island. Whilst some are endemic to Cyprus, many pass through en route between Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East.   Dragonflies provide a flash of colour as they dart to and fro in the summer months and another interesting insect to look out for is the Hummingbird Hawk Moth.  This pretty insect has a long proboscis and hovering behavior, accompanied by an audible humming noise. It probes flowers for nectar to feed on and closely resembles a hummingbird, hence its name. 
 


Bird watching in North Cyprus
North Cyprus is of interest to bird-watchers as it lies on one of Europe’s main bird migration routes. Among the best places to watch birds in North Cyprus is up in the Kyrenian mountain range and also in the Karpaz peninsula which is a major stopping-off point for many migratory birds including the golden oriole and the bee-eater.  See – www.kibrisbirds.net

Turtle watching in North Cyprus

North Cyprus is internationally renowned for the Logger-head and Green turtles.  They nest on sandy beaches around the coastline and are heavily protected as they are listed as endangered species.  

You can watch the turtles under the supervision of the Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT).   This is by far the best way to observe the turtles, as even visiting nesting sites during the breeding season can seriously affect the turtles’ welfare.  “Turtle HQ” is based at Alagadi Beach and the research team there conduct both night and dawn beach surveys to check on hatching activity.  It is possible to join them on some of their night patrols and full details of all SPOT’s work and activities are on display at the beachside information centre.  See: www.turtleproject09.blogspot.com

Shopping

No visit to North Cyprus is complete without a visit to the Kyrenia open-air Market held every Wednesday.   This has fresh fruit and vegetables for sale in abundance, nuts and spices, clothing, shoes, sweets, household items etc.  It is  ideal for souvenir shopping with Cypriot handicrafts, needlework lace and embroidery items, the famous blue good luck charms  (nazar boncugu) to keep away the “Evil Eye”, wicker-work baskets, kilim rugs and much more besides!

There is also a daily Municipal market in Lefkosa selling produce, clothing and other items and a large open air market every Saturday in Guzelyurt which is similar to the Market on Wednesdays in Kyrenia.   

 



Sporting activities

There are many sports activities available in North Cyprus.  The beautiful Mediterranean sea with its clean blue water offers endless aquatic possibilities – swimming, snorkelling, diving, fishing, boat trips, etc.  See – www.amphoradiving.com,  www.nautilusdivingcyp.com

Golfers are well provided for too – Korineum Golf & Country Club at Esentepe has an 18-hole championship golf course, driving range and academy, spa and excellent dining facilities.    See – www.korineumgolf.com

There are also other activities such as horse-riding, para-gliding, go-karting or if you would rather just be a spectator, you are always welcome to watch and support a local football team or the Puma rugby team.  See – www.catalkoyridingclub.com, www.highlineparagliding.com, 

www.zetkarting.com, www.cypruspumas.com

Societies and Charities

There are various clubs and societies to provide information and which hold regular meetings and social events as well as charitable organisations which are always glad of new support –