KARPAZ, North Cyprus

The Karpaz peninsula is located on the far eastern stretch of North Cyprus, and it stretches right up to the tip of the peninsula, it’s often referred to as the ‘panhandle.’  You may even hear or see the peninsula being called Karpasia, Karpas, Kirpasha, Carpasia or Dipkarpaz – in fact Dipkarpaz is a present day town, and Carpasia was the ancient city where the ruin of Ayios Philon stands.  It was once a very densely populated area during both the Roman and Luisignan times, but now it is far less so.

The Karpaz peninsula has some breathtaking beaches, wonderful walks and is littered with ancient churches, monuments, remains and ruins.  Part of the area is also now a designated National Park, where feral donkeys are allowed to roam free and nature is pretty much left alone.  The Karpaz is also largely an agricultural area producing crops, and you will find that most local inhabitants have animals and land, but tourism also obviously plays a large part in the economy too.

There are now many places to stay on and around the coast and the Karpaz peninsula’s villages, and as the welfare of the environment becomes ever more important, accommodation is being built for the more environmentally minded tourist.  You can choose from very basic accommodation such as beach huts on stilts, or opt for a B&B style pension or even holiday apartments.

There is some development starting to encroach on this area, with property developments and the marina sites at Yeni Erenköy for example, but hopefully strong controls will be put in place to keep the majority of the Karpaz a much treasured and valued area for years to come.

If you’re visiting or living in North Cyprus it would be remiss of you to not take the time to explore this fantastic area of the island.  Our various articles on the Karpaz region will give you more of an insight into where to stay, what to see, the beaches, wildlife and how to get there, so please do click on the tags below take a look if you would like to know more.