North Cyprus has some wonderful beaches, and whether it’s long soft stretches of sand you’re looking for or indeed some rocky little coves or deserted coastline, then there is something on the island for everyone.

West

Travelling west from Kyrenia and starting from Karaoğlanoğlu and on towards Lapta, you’ll find stretches of rocky headland to meander along and you’ll also come to the Riviera beach – which is a little stony – and the Kervansaray beach which is a small and sandy but popular beach conveniently located, especially considering the selection of restaurants nearby!

Further along you will come first to Escape Beach, (one of the beaches used on the Turkish Army landing days in 1974), which is a very popular beach club and which boasts the Golden Rock islet which sits a little way from the beach front.  The daily boat trips from Kyrenia often stop off at Escape for guests to have a swim.  At night Escape turns into a paradise for party goers, with DJs and club nights all summer long!

Along the same road you’ll come to the Deniz Kizi beach – Deniz Kizi means mermaid – the beach is attached to the Deniz Kizi Hotel but open to non-residents of course, for a small fee.  There is also the nearby huge 5 star Merit Crystal hotel with its lovely sandy cove beach, and the remains of the now closed Mare Monte hotel sit adjacent to this.  Note, a recent tender process has seen Merit Cyprus snap up the land and coast area here and they have plans to build a new 7 star hotel with golf course (more on that another time!).

Further along the coast you’ll come to Camelot, which is also known as Alsancak Beach, and which has also been developed in recent years into something of a beach resort rather than just a simple and clean beach for sunbathing!  Next to this a short way is the Sunset Beach Club which is a great place for some entertainment and kids’ activities.

You are then nearly entering what is commonly called the Lapta Strip, this is the main road leading through the touristy part of Lapta on the coast.  Here you’ll find the Celebrity Hotel which has its own stretch of sandy beach and is popular among European holiday makers.  Not far from here and just at the end of the Lapta Strip is the Incirli Plaj which is the local belediye beach, it’s perfectly adequate for those who want a swim and a sunbathe without all the facilities.

Travelling further west the main road doesn’t run so close to the coastline for a while, but there are still plenty of opportunities to walk along the headland, with some small coves and rocky inlets to be found by interested ramblers and walkers.

The next main beach is the Güzelyalı beach which is just toward the end of Karşıyaka, it sits very near to the road.  Here you can laze away the day, renting a sun bed and lunching at the beach café.

Turning right at signs for Kayalar, you are then taken via the mountain road running alongside the coast, which in itself is a fantastically scenic route, to various stretches of sandy and pebbly beaches, as well as some small secluded inlets where you can hide all day and perhaps not see anyone else!  One of the best known beaches along this coastal road is Horseshoe Bay where you can wander down to the beach and lunch at the restaurant of the same name.  This is a great place to go on a lazy summer Sunday!

On continuing out along the coast and past Güzelyurt you will come to two other notable beaches, Akdeniz and Yeşilirmak, these are located on either side of Güzelyurt Bay – not much has really changed for the past few years here, and if you want to enjoy some peace and quiet then these are definitely good places to go.

Please note : Beaches which have hotel and beach club facilities will likely charge for their use, and these days it differs between beaches, but you should expect to pay around 10-15ytl for the day.  However, it’s also worth saying that no hotels or beach clubs are allowed to charge if you just want to have a swim and a sit on the sand as the beaches do not belong to them officially! 

Also, unfortunately perhaps, there are no lifeguards or life rafts or sea patrols, so be sensible about how far you swim out to sea.  With regard to nude sunbathing then we have to say that it’s not really the done thing in North Cyprus!  Topless sunbathing is just about passable, but only in certain locations, however please remember that although North Cyprus is a secular country there are many that do practise their Muslim faith – so it is wise to please be mindful of this.

If you would like to find out more about beaches to the east and the south eastern tip of North Cyprus, please follow the links provide here.  You can also find out more about the various beach clubs and water sports available at some of these beaches in other related articles.

East

Heading out east from Kyrenia along the coast road (obviously!) you’ll come firstly to Diana Beach, (near to the Coca Cola plant), which has a small sandy beach and a café.  Not much further along is the local belediye plaj called Çatalköy Beach or Korfez Beach which has a café and water sports facilities, and is a very popular weekend family destination. Both have good stretches of nice sandy beach.

Via the same turnoff for Korfez you can also now reach the beach allocated to the Malpas Hotel, which is called the Conaro Beach Club & Restaurant, offering guests a rather swanky venue with a sandy stretch of beach, decked jetty and sunbathing areas with restaurant and bar facilities.  Offering a variety of water sports during the day, at night-time it becomes a popular club venue transforming itself into Club Mansion.

A bit further along the coast, just after you have turned off on to the Esentepe road, you’ll come to the Acapulco which is a large holiday resort complete with water slide park and very accessible family beach.  It has become an incredibly popular choice for families with children…the children can play all day while the parents can enjoy the bars and restaurants and child friendly atmosphere.

After Club Acapulco comes Lara Beach which is seemingly signposted down into the power plant!  Trust the sign and you’ll actually drive past the power plant and round to a pretty little beach which is very popular with expats.  The beach has a small cafe and very basic facilities, but it’s friendly and sheltered and a great place for swimming.

Another excellent beach location is Alagadi or Turtle Beach.  This is the next one along the eastern coast road and is actually two bays separated by a big sand dune.  The bays are home to nesting turtles and as a result they are protected, and you must be very careful to not leave rubbish on the beaches or stay later than 8pm after which time the turtles come to lay their nests during May to October.  You can always join a group to watch this spectacle via the Marine Conversation team, so please see our related article for more information.

Travelling further along the coastline where the road runs very close to the sea, you will see the various beaches heading out towards the Karpaz Peninsula, such as the areas at Kaplıca which have various facilities and in Yeni Erenköy there is a lovely little public beach.  You will also find that the small pensions and various little hotels located on the coast have their own areas of sandy beach for guest use such as the one at Balcı Plaza for example.

Coming back down to the south side of the Karpaz Peninsula on the way to Boğaz and Famagusta, you will find some of the most stunning beaches in North Cyprus.  Golden Sands is the most well known but still relatively quiet beach, seemingly going on for miles it is very popular with the more budget minded as it has accommodation right on the beach in the form of basic beach huts which are really cheap.

Continuing south you will find various other beaches popular as turtle nesting areas, with one aptly named Turtle Beach!  You will then come to the area of Bafra, the newly appointed touristic area for North Cyprus, where you will find the 5 star hotel Kaya Artemis, with others set to join it in the years to come.  They have their own beach area here, and guests can enjoy the hotel’s facilities for a fee.

Further south you will hit Boğaz, a quaint old fishing village, now a popular coastal area which has a variety of sandy beaches to enjoy via the hotels on the road through to Famagusta, such as the Boğaz Hotel, Merit Cyprus Gardens Hotel, the Paradise Resort, the huge 5 star Salamis Bay Conti, the bungalow complex of Kocareis and the smaller Mimoza Hotel.

Even further on down and into Famagusta and the area of Salamis you will come to the Park Hotel, it has a restaurant overlooking the beach, then onto the relatively new Venus Beach Residence which has very modern facilities. There is also the very popular Glapsides Public Beach area, which is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike, where you can relax with facilities such as bars and restaurants or partake of a few water sports.

The last beach, and maybe the most interesting, is the sandy strip located within the 5 Star Bilfer Palm Beach Hotel complex.  It is a perfect place to while away the day with some stunning shoreline, and is often not too busy.  The interesting aspect to this beach is that it continues into the area of Varosha or Marash, now closed and forming part of the buffer zone with the south.  This area, now home to crumbling and decaying hotels, was once the most popular area of Cyprus for holidaymakers.

Please note: you will usually have to pay for access to beaches which have hotel, beach club and public facilities on them, and these days the cost differs between beaches, but you should expect to pay around 10-15ytl for the day.  However, it is also worth saying that no hotels or beach clubs are allowed to charge if you just want to have a swim and a sit on the sand as the beaches do not belong to them officially – just don’t sit on their sun loungers!

Also, there are no lifeguards or life rafts or sea patrols in North Cyprus, so be sensible about how far you swim out to sea.  With regard to nude sunbathing then we have to say that it’s not really the done thing in North Cyprus! Topless sunbathing is passable, but only in certain locations; however please remember that although North Cyprus is a secular country there are many that do practise the Muslim faith, therefore it is wise to be mindful of this and know that if you flaunt your body you could cause deep and serious offence!

If you would like to find out more about beaches on the west coast of North Cyprus, please follow the link provided.  You can also find out more about the various beach clubs and water sports available at some of these beaches in other related articles.

If you’re looking for some rest and relaxation, a bit of pampering and some activities to keep your children occupied – and this applies to all those holidaying or living in North Cyprus – there are now a number of beach clubs that can cater for all your whims!

If you like to be sociable and want to become part of the social beach scene then there are great facilities available at some great venues!  In this article we will detail the main beach clubs for you, giving their locations and what they can offer their guests. We have been quite selective as there are not many true beach clubs on offer, but the ones that are good deserve recognition!

Escape Beach Club

Located on the east coast around 5km from Kyrenia, Escape Beach Club is possibly the most popular beach club in North Cyprus.  You can’t miss it as it’s located next to the large ‘five finger’ monument dedicated to the Turkish Army landing day in 1974.  Having been around for the last 10 years, Escape has undergone a number of refurbishments, the most recently of which was in 2008 when the club’s disco moved closer to the 5 Mile restaurant which is next door to the beach club.

During the daytime Escape is full of life in the summer months, and it’s popular for families with children because of its soft sandy beach and shallow waters.  Chill out areas with beanbags, plenty of beach sunloungers, a top class restaurant and bar facilities make for a very relaxing day, with a waiter drinks service on hand so you don’t have to lift a finger or move a muscle if you don’t want to!

Children will be kept occupied as there are lots of water activities at Escape; the water sports available include jet-skis, inflatable banana rides, canoes or pedal boats which are all obviously well supervised.  Additionally, diving in North Cyprus is really popular so you can try your hand at diving with a team on hand to assist you and provide the necessary equipment and expertise.

Night-time at Escape sees the beach club turn into a ‘club’ club!  It’s professionally run and has the benefit of drawing international DJs who often fly in for a night to perform their magic on the decks.  It’s a really popular venue, not only with tourists but also local youngsters too who all party well into the small hours.  This obviously has the knock on effects on the neighbouring residential population, but plans are in place to install more soundproofing in the near future.

The beach at Escape is also very popular with older generations too, and in the early hours of the summer months you will see many older people coming from Lefkoşa each morning to have a swift swim before anyone else arrives!

You can find out more about Escape via their website www.escapebeachclub.com or by phoning +90 (0)392 821 8330, and at the time of writing the entrance fee for the beach facilities was 10ytl.

Vogue Beach Club

Completed in 2005, Vogue is a few miles east of Kyrenia on the way to Alagadi Beach.  It’s located just after the Acapulco hotel complex, and is a great location given that there is nothing else of this kind in the area.

You can class Vogue as being sophisticated and offering relaxed luxury because besides the immaculate beach there is a large pool and a massive Jacuzzi situated up high to give the best views down across the rest of the complex.  You will find sun loungers and umbrellas everywhere on the beach, deck areas and gardens, and you can find a peaceful spot at any time of day.  There is full waiter service constantly at your beck and call, and the prices are very reasonable considering the wealth of luxury you’re basking in!

Vogue Beach Club is situated around a wide cove, and the bay in which you can swim, snorkel, dive and float about is sheltered from the open sea by stunning cliffs on the right, and by a man made promenade on the left.  For this reason it’s also a great place for children, but maybe not very loud ones given the serenity of Vogue!

Water sports are available too, and they have an on site diving instructor who can take you on a trial dive, you can take a snorkel and explore the little rocky outcrops in the surrounding bay, or partake in a few of the more racier water sports such as inflatable banana riding or jet skiing.

The club has its own restaurant which seems to appeal to everyone’s tastes – there’s a kids menu, a vegetarian selection, salads, sandwiches, kebabs and pizzas, and all the food is homemade on the premises and surprisingly good value.

At night Vogue is home to beach discos and party nights, where the noise levels should not really disturb too many people as it’s not a particularly residential area.

Vogue Beach Club can be contact for further information on +90 (0)533 863 4191.

Sunset Beach Club

This beach club, located in Lapta, is a children’s paradise!  Little ones can play all day and really tire themselves out on a variety of exciting apparatus like the water trampolines and playground.  There are both fresh water and salt water pools too, and a nice sandy beach ideal for children.

Whilst perhaps not the most luxurious of beach clubs, it does however cater for families superbly, and staff are on hand to supervise the children whilst adults have a well earned break.

The club can also organise fishing and boat trips, and it also runs a water taxi service should you require it!  Besides the beach club itself, Sunset can also organise activity days such as quad biking or paint-balling, and they have other less water orientated activities on site with pool tables and board games.

Sunset also has a restaurant with both Turkish and European cuisine and a bar, and it hosts wedding and birthday parties as well as the odd club night too.

Sun Set Beach Club can be contacted on +90 (0)533 865 4959.

Camelot Beach Club

Situated in Alsancak you can’t miss the huge road-sign telling you where this one is!  Again, Camelot is a very family orientated beach club with plenty for kids to do including scuba diving, inflatable banana rides (everyone seems to do these!), jet skiing or water skiing.

It has a good stretch of very well maintained beach with sun shades and beds, and it is home to the well known Legend Restaurant which offers an extensive menu as well as sumptuous snacks!  The club also hosts some great evenings with DJ nights, as well as entertainment evenings such as salsa dancing for example.

Camelot Beach Club can be contacted on +90 (0)392 821 1369.

Mosquito Beach Hotel & Beach Club 

Newly refurbished in 2007 and based in Alsancak close to the Merit Crystal Hotel, you will find the oddly named Mosquito Beach Club – it was previously known as the Green Coast Holiday Village.

A lot of effort and attention to detail has been given to the beach club facilities, and the club really offers up a feeling of relaxation and calm with huge billowing sun shades around the pool which has its own swim up bar!

Wandering down to the beach there are ample sunloungers and shades, and again there are various water sports available as well as children’s play area and pool.

At the time of writing we hear that it may now be closed having only been open for two years, but we cannot confirm this.

However if you would like to contact them then try www.mosquitocyprus.com or call +90 (0)392 8211212

Acapulco Beach Club & Resort Hotel

One of the larger beach clubs and resort hotels is the Acapulco which is situated on the far edge of Çatalköy on the Esentepe Road.  It has around 1km of long sandy beach and again is an ideal option for families as there is so much for children to get involved with that you won’t have to worry about them getting bored!  There are also organised days for kids organised by the hotel’s on site Kids’ Club.

Acapulco also boasts one of the best water parks, a huge outdoor pool with a children’s section, and if you feel a bit nippy you can always pop to the indoor pool!  To relax even further you can also use their outdoor Jacuzzi.

All kinds of water activities are available, with the width of the beach there’s plenty of room to get active.  You can jet ski, water ski, try your hand at wind surfing, go for a water bicycle ride, get in a canoe and more.

If you still want some more action then there are on site sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts, you can play beach volleyball, table tennis or darts.  And when you want to wind down again take a break at the beachside restaurant and poolside bar which can offer various types of snacks, drinks and cocktails.

Acapulco is a firm favourite for families on holiday as well as the locals who like nothing better than to take the family for a day out or evening out for that matter, as there is the odd disco night organised as well!

You can find out more by visiting www.acapulco-cyprus.com or by phoning  +90 (0)392 8244110.

Oscar Resort

Although not really a beach club, we do think that the Oscar Resort needs mentioning as it has great facilities for kids, with a wave pool that has bumper boats that you can bounce around in for hours on end (fun for adults too!)

The Oscar Resort also boasts an impressive aqua park with fun slides, three pools and a separate children’s area.  Oscars has a man made beach which, although quite small, is adequate for those just wishing to sunbathe or sit out on the jetty all day.

For the more active you can play a game of tennis, table tennis or darts, or be more adventurous and try some water sports.  For something more sedate there are some lovely gardens to walk around complete with their own little waterfall.  Oscars also runs a little road train service to and from Kyrenia so that you can avoid driving for the day!

For more information on what’s available and the road train service check their website www.oscar-resort.com or call +90 (0)392 81 54 801.

Please note that all of the above charge for the use of their facilities, and you should expect to pay around 10-15ytl per person, but make sure you know what you are getting for your money, as meals and drinks are likely not included, although you may get your first drink for free with the entrance fee.

The Casino scene in North Cyprus has been hitting seriously dizzy heights over the last few years, and a mix of holiday makers and big spending gamblers from Turkey, the south of the island and the Middle East make the industry one of the highest profit earners on the island.

Gambling is not legal in many countries and therefore people are prepared to travel to North Cyprus to satisfy their wish to hit the jackpot, as it were!  A law dating back to 1975 actually allows for licensed betting and casino premises to open on the island, but only in the1990s did the trend for gambling really become popular and since then more and more casinos have been built to accommodate this now popular pastime.  Besides casinos there are a number of specialist high street betting shops these days as well, where horse and dog race betting is popular and of course having the odd flutter on football games too!

There are a fantastic array of gambling options with table games like American and French roulette, Las Vegas craps and Black Jack.  Poker, chemin-de-fer, punto banco, baccarat and keno are also played, and some casinos are allowed to offer games such as chug-a-lug, wheel of fortune, rummy and backgammon on which participants can bet.  Even if you have never played any of these games you can watch others play so that you can understand the rules and then have a little flutter yourselves, although if you are not that adventurous some even have bingo!

While serious gamblers have been adding significantly to the economy of Northern Cyprus and the fortunes of some of the most successful casino operators, even expatriates living in North Cyprus enjoy a few rounds at the casino on occassion!  One of the main attractions for those with just a few pounds in their pocket is that the whole occasion is one of excitement, you can enjoy others’ successes and losses at the casino without having to get too financially involved – oh and free alcoholic drinks and food are often on offer too, and a relaxed dress code is permissible!

Many of the casinos have the highest technologies available in gaming and are more often than not run by large gaming companies which have locations and operations all over the world.  They are also generally located within and are affiliated to hotels, making the experience a complete package for many of the visiting gamblers as they can spend time in the casino whilst their wives and partners can have a pampering holiday break with spa treatments, shopping and can also dine at one of the many restaurants and bars within the hotel premises or just laze by the pool or beach club for example.

Despite the fact that some within the North Cypriot community frown upon the fact that Northern Cyprus casinos even exist, believing that they should be banned on moral and religious grounds, others wholeheartedly embrace the fact that casinos are available for their gambling pleasure up to 24 hours a day!  Whichever side of the fence you’re on one thing’s for sure, the casinos in North Cyprus are so successful that more are being built annually and drawing increasing numbers of weekend visitors who are boosting the economic fortunes of the island.  It’s worth noting in this article that presently Turkish Cypriots are the only ones NOT permitted to gamble!  This could however be due to change in the near future.

Please check our articles on selected casinos in Lefkoşa and Famagusta, as well as Kyrenia which we hope gives you plenty of choice.

The centre of the casino world in North Cyprus is most certainly Kyrenia, it being the most popular destination for holidaymakers and visitors on the island too.

In this article we will detail casinos available in the Kyrenia area and its surrounds, but if you would like to find out about the selection of casinos available in other areas then please read our article on premises in the Famagusta and Lefkoşa areas, or our more general overview article.

A lot of the casinos are open 24 hours a day, but we would advise you to check with regard to this as some do still open around midday and are only open until the early hours of the morning.

Central Kyrenia

Colony Sporting Club

The popular and rather stately 5 star Colony Hotel is home to its own Sporting Club, offering a luxurious gaming experience with all the trimmings and over 100 slots and various gaming tables featuring Blackjack, Stud Poker, Roulette and Punto Banco. www.colonysportingclub.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8151320

Dome Hotel & Casino

This hotel is the oldest hotel in Kyrenia and benefits from its location right next to the old harbour.  It has undergone a facelift in recent years in all areas, and its casino now boasts 120 different slot machines and 12 table games including American Roulette, Blackjack and Stud Poker.  www.dome-cyprus.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 815 2772.

Liman Casino

Another popular option due to its location right next to the harbour with its entrance on the promenade, Casino Liman is attached to the Liman hotel offering 116 slots and 5 table games including American Roulette, Blackjack and Poker. Tel – +90 (0)392 815 2001

Rocks Hotel & Casino

This 5 star hotel is right in the centre of Kyrenia facing the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, it’s close to the old harbour and offers the height of luxury and opulence and is extremely popular.  It features around 173 slot games and a total of 20 table games including Blackjack and Roulette. www.rockshotel.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8152238.

Viola Hill

This is currently the newest kid on the block and it’s attached to the brand new, spectacular 5 Star Savoy Ottoman Hotel, which is situated toward the western end of the high street in Kyrenia.  As you would expect from this high tech gambling venue, it features 160 slots and around 20 table games, and you can even become a member of its Players Club. www.savoyhotel.com.tr  Tel – +90 (0)392 8160910.

East of Kyrenia

Acapulco Casino

The huge 5 Star Acapulco Beach Club & Resort Hotel located at the far end of Çatalköy has its own in-house casino; it’s hugely popular with holidaymakers.  The Acapulco Casino features 85 slot machines and 12 table games as well as providing all you could wish for in terms of additional luxury facilities. www.acapulco-cyprus.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8244110

Galaxy Casino

Linked to the Oscar Resort, which is just east of the new harbour area and a popular family holiday destination with amazing amenities, the Galaxy Casino has 160 gaming machines and offers 8 different table games including American Roulette, Blackjack, and Poker. www.oscar-resort.com  Tel – +90(0)392 8154801.

Malpas Casino

Located in the foothills of Çatalköy, the Malpas Casino is attached to the new 5 Star Hotel of the same name; it’s operated by the Mystral Casino Group.  High tech casino options in a really funky and colourful setting are plentiful with traditional slots as well as table gaming. www.malpashotel.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8244757.

Viva Casino

Located in Çatalköy and attached to the pleasant Dedeman Olive Tree Hotel, Viva Casino is set in a quieter area, being away from the main road.  The Viva Casino has around 100 slot machines and 13 tables.  www.dedeman.com  Tel – +90 (0) 392 8244200.

Zodiak Casino

This casino attached to the Pia Bella Hotel has only been open since 2008, and you can’t miss it as it’s located on the new harbour roundabout and is all ablaze with flashing lights (!) – it has around 12 tables and various slot machines.  This casino is popular with holidaymakers who stay at this well known 3 star hotel. www.casinozodiak.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8155321.

West of Kyrenia

Celebrity Casino

Situated on the Lapta Strip and part of the Celebrity Hotel Group again, this is one of the oldest casino operations around.  Popular with the holiday and expat crowd it hosts 120 different slot games and 11 table games including American Roulette and Blackjack. www.celebrity-hotel.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 821 8751.

Denizkizi Casino

Located in Alsancak, this casino is part of the Denizkizi Hotel and Deniz Kizi Royal Hotel complex and is again one of the old longstanding and firm favourites on the island.  The casino itself features 66 different slot games and a total of 19 table games. www.denizkizi.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 821 9676.

Jasmine Court Casino

Another popular family holiday destination is the 5 star Jasmine Court Hotel just east of Kyrenia and off the main road, its casino offers 500 slots and forty different table games, making it the largest casino in North Cyprus and apparently the rest of Europe too.  It is also the most popular casino on the island and has some excellent facilities to boot! www.jasminecourthotel.com  Tel – +90 (0)392 8151450.

Mercure Casino

Another new 5 star hotel, the Accor Mercure Casino & Wellness Resort located in Kervansery, opened its casino in 2007 and it’s run by the Merit Casino Holdings Group.  The Mercure Casino boasts the newest in gambling technology and again is very popular with visitors and holidaymakers as it has around 110 slots and 20 tables. www.mercurecyprus.com -  Tel – +90 (0)392 6502500.

Merit Crystal Casino

The Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Resort is one of the older 5 star hotels, but it’s certainly not old in the gambling casino venue stakes and is actually one of the front runners in terms of its popularity as it has a huge casino.  The Merit Casino in Alsancak is run by the Merit Casino Holdings Group and at the moment it has around 26 tables and 200 slots. www.meritcasinos.com  – oh and again disappointingly only a website in Turkish! Tel +90 (0)392 8218773.

Phew, that’s it for the round up of our selection, but of course if you feel we need to add any more casinos in the Kyrenia area, please just let us know!

For more information on casinos in North Cyprus, please feel free to check out our more general article, as well as our article about casinos located in Famagusta and Lefkoşa.

The highly successful business of casino gambling in North Cyprus means that there is a fair amount of competition to offer the most up to date technologies and the widest array of gaming options to patrons, and in this particular article we detail a selection of the casino offerings available in the Famagusta and Lefkoşa areas.

Famagusta is one of the holidaying hotspots in North Cyprus, and as a result it caters for a variety of gambling tastes at the 5 star accommodation in the area.  Lefkoşa seems to offer visiting businessman suitable gambling venues, but it’s also worth remembering that these venues can also provide a great option for a weekend away from home, or for city break lovers.  Please also check our other articles on casinos, and Kyrenia casino options.

We would advise you to check with the individual casinos about their opening times as some are now 24 hours whilst others open around lunchtime and close at the crack of dawn.

Famagusta Area

Salamis Bay Conti Hotel

This 5 star beachfront hotel has it all, complete with around 140 slot machines and 17 different table games including American roulette, blackjack, craps and French roulette, and the hotel is one of the best on the island to boot.  www.salamisbayconti.com – Tel +90 (0)392 3788200

Palm Beach Hotel and Casino

This is again a 5 star beach fronted hotel complex offering a wide range of gaming options with roulette and blackjack amongst others, as well as slot machines, but sadly the hotel’s website doesn’t really live up to it’s status as a 5 star venue! Tel : +90 (0)392 3662000

Kaya Artemis Resort

Located in Bafra, this 5 star resort is located around 30 minutes from Famagusta and is one of the newest hotels in the area.  It also has one of the biggest casinos at 3000 m² built Las Vegas style with every gaming option possible!  The hotel has 726 rooms as well, so even though it’s a little out of the way you can always book a room and stay overnight if needs be.  Sadly this amazing resort doesn’t appear to have a website, and certainly not one that ranks on the search engines at all – quite a significant oversight really!  www.kayatourism.com.tr – Tel : +90 (0)392 6306000

Lefkoşa Area

City Royal Hotel

This hotel has been around for a long time and is a trusted faithful with the business visitor who fancies a flutter – the City Royal Hotel has both a gaming floor and an arcade with plenty of electronic casino games. www.city-royal.com – Tel – +90 (0)392 2287621

Saray Hotel

Saray Hotel is another stalwart in the heart of Lefkoşa, it has been in operation since 1962 would you believe.  Again another favourite businessman haunt, this venue could also be a weekend retreat from which you could take in the sights and sounds of Lefkoşa for instance, it boasts a great view from the hotel roof restaurant – oh and there’s gambling as well with the all the popular gaming options available of course. Tel + 90 (0)392 228 5350.

For casinos located in the Kyrenia area please follow this link.

Living in or visiting North Cyprus you’ll probably be pleased to know that there is plenty of nightlife available – and whether you’re a pub fan or a dancing queen (!), there is a wealth of night-time activity to keep you occupied.

Don’t get us wrong, North Cyprus is as peaceful and tranquil as you want it to be, but once in a while it’s nice to know that you are not far from some entertainment like dancing, singing or just listening to some good music within a disco atmosphere for example.  We have also covered the pubs and bars of North Cyprus in a separate article if you’re not a disco lover!

Before we begin however, we would like to share a little bit of information with you just so that you know in advance!  Clubs and discos are most definitely clubs and discos in North Cyprus, but night clubs are something altogether different where ladies of the night earn a living – we won’t go into any further details, but suffice to say, if you want to go dancing just stick to the clubs or discos!

We’ll start with the open air clubs in North Cyprus; often these are located in or next to hotels or beach clubs, and one of the most popular ones is Escape Beach Club in Alsancak – well known for some fantastic international DJ nights and for having a fun party twist.  Escape also has a well stocked bar and heaps of room to dance around, allowing you to have a memorable night out!  Recently relocated a few hundred metres nearer to its sister restaurant 5 Mile, Escape is open really only for the main summer months – but it’s definitely one of the best clubs on the island, North or South.

Practically next door to Escape you have the relative newcomers of ICE and Barcode – again these are both night venues where you can party away to your heart’s content.  These places don’t really start pumping until around 10pm though, so don’t arrive too early!  Other clubs around the same area of Alsancak and Lapta are Sunset Beach and Camelot which have the occasional big bash, and they will normally be advertised in the press.

Club Nightpark in the heart of Kyrenia and next to the main car park area is one of the best clubbing hotspots at weekends – again they have DJ slots and play heaps of up to date club music.  They even carry on in the winter-time with DJs travelling from all over to put on some excellent party nights.

There are plenty of others in the Kyrenia area but they do tend to change ownership and name on a regular basis so we don’t want to fill our article with names that are only around for a few months! However there are others which are stalwarts for DJ sets and club music nights such as Club Acapulco which is located within the Acapulco Resort itself, and even some of the hotels have some good nightspots like the Zeta Club at the Jasmine Court Hotel.  Slightly further east you also have the Mansion Club which has been opened by the Malpas Hotel, and with a beachfront location and chilled out décor it’s bound to attract the young crowd as well as some decent DJs.

In Famagusta you have Lions Gardens, which is a huge complex offering more than just a club venue.  Again Lions Garden carries on throughout the year with international DJ sets and it finds a wide variety of excuses to hold various parties too! Some of the bigger hotels such as the Salamis Conti and Bilfer Palm Beach also have their own disco facilities, but we have to admit we haven’t tried them so can’t give them a rating here.

Lefkoşa unfortunately seems a bit bereft of anything remotely club like – although there is possibly the odd one or two, but as the city’s not on the coast it’s not going to be the best place to have a club venue anyway in our opinion.

With regard to getting in to any clubs in North Cyprus, you do have to be aged 18 or over and should carry some ID with you if you think you look younger!!  Lads do have to pay to get into some of the clubs, whereas girls often get in for free – maybe this has something to do with them being more mature about drinking – unlikely but worth the comment!  Taxis are always around, and the clubs should look after you by calling one if you require, but bear in mind that there are also water taxi services to take people back to Kyrenia should you fancy that!

If you are not a clubber by nature but do like some good old fashioned rock and roll, jazz or latin, or maybe you like club music but in a smaller venue, then please check our feature on pubs and bars, or click on any of the links within this article to find out more about venues in North Cyprus.

North Cyprus is home to a really wide variety of music and musicians of various genre, and you can find some great venues across the island in which to listen to music, get involved or dance to what you hear!

Restaurants and hotels are beginning to realise the benefits of having their own house bands, providing jazz, pop and Turkish music nights for example.  These pull in local crowds as well as entertaining hotel guests.

Classical music is one of North Cyprus’ most heavily promoted genres, with well attended classical music festivals taking place throughout the year where you can experience an evening of orchestras, chamber choirs, tenor singers, quartets and trios at many historic venues for example.  You can also find such events taking place at smaller venues such as the Büyük Hann in Lefkoşa, with evenings in traditional music often held there during the summer months.  Classical music also incorporates the tradition of ‘Fasıl’ music which has its roots in the Ottoman era; this is a blend of instrumental and vocal music possibly dating back to the 14^th century.

Jazz music, a popular genre here in North Cyprus, can often be heard with the bigger 5 Star hotels such as the Malpas hosting jazz nights in their Cotton Jazz Bar.  Here you can  sip a cocktail or two and relax whilst listening to some really good music, or you can try the Rocks Hotel and the Savoy Ottoman which also have their own music nights offering not just jazz but various other types of music too.  They advertise special music entertainment evenings in the local press.

Club or disco music is played in clubs all summer long in North Cyprus, and you can often just follow the sound to find out where it’s coming from!  DJs from all over the world come to North Cyprus to entertain packed audiences at the various beach clubs like Escape in Alsancak, and events can continue well into the morning despite the rules stating otherwise!  You can find out more about the nightlife and the various pubs and bars in our Leisure section, but you will also see large advertising banners when someone big comes to town!

Rock music has a healthy following in North Cyprus, and being able to listen to live music is something that has thankfully grown over the past few years with many of the pubs and bars now hosting rock evenings.  There are a number of good local musicians and bands around and they normally play at the live music venues such as the Old Tunnel Rock Bar in Kyrenia, and the Narnia Pub in Lefkoşa (both of which have MySpace pages by the way)  The bigger rock bands that visit from Turkey will however mostly get to play at the larger beach club venues.

There are now several ways to find out about venues, bands and what’s on, one is to check out listings and adverts in the Cyprus Today newspaper, or online here at Essential Cyprus, but you will also find that some of the bands and DJs have their own Facebook pages.  New venues appear all the time, often with great fanfare, so just keep your eyes and ears open and you will find out what’s going on!

And don’t forget, during any of the big Public Holidays such as Şeker Bayram and Kurban Bayram there’s an explosion of Turkish music with stars arriving en masse to entertain the many visiting Turkish mainlanders and the locals with their glitz and glamour and unique style of entertainment, so if you are looking to partake in some partying, be sure to make note!

There are at least as many bars and pubs in Northern Cyprus as there are restaurants – which should tell you that there is a wide choice available to keep everyone happy whatever their own personal pub or bar preference.

We have split our article into sections so that you can see what kinds of venue cater for your preferred bar or pub experience choice, and which should give you an idea of the wide choice of venue type available too.  From family friendly to entertainment pubs offering activities such as karaoke or quizzes, from late night music bars to your good old fashioned English style pub, we have them all in TRNC.  You can also find out more about the music club scene in our related article which gives details on some of the clubs to dance the night away in.

Harbour Bars

The harbour in Kyrenia is unquestionably the most desirable place to while away an hour, an afternoon or even all night, and the horseshoe shaped harbour is home to a whole host of bars and restaurants.

From any of the bars located around the horseshoe shaped harbour you can sit and view all the comings and goings from one end of the strip to the other.  You can sit outside in the summer and people watch, or you can sit inside and listen to the excellent music with some bars having their own house bands and singers to entertain you.  It is definitely a good place to be seen and is frequented by ‘the beautiful people’ especially in the summer!  The decor in many venues is sophisticated, the staff efficient and the ambience is lively but relaxed.

Another nice spot is Boğaz with various bars located around its pretty little harbour area, where you can watch the sun go down of an evening.  Being a city Famagusta is obviously also home to numerous bars mostly with a more restaurant or club vibe to them but many are still worth checking out.

Night Bars

There are some really good night bars in Kyrenia, Lefkoşa and Famagusta, and we would love to be able to name a few for you, but given that a lot of them cease trading under one name and open up under another it would be silly of us to name all the venues available!  Suffice to say we would recommend that you seek them out and it’s not that hard as you can often just follow the ‘it’ crowd!

A couple however which seem to have been going for a few years in Kyrenia are the Cream Bar which you can find in Kyrenia town behind the harbour at its western end.  It has a really laid back and chilled out atmosphere. The other is the Ego Bar, which is located on the cobbled road heading back up into town from the eastern end of the harbour, it’s a great place to meet with friends, listen to some chill out music and it has beanbags and hammocks to really relax in!

In Lefkoşa there has been a growth in the trendy bar scene recently with the likes of the Cadi Kazani Café Bar which has regular themed nights as well as music, or the Narnia Rock Bar which has become extremely popular as a pub and music venue.

Music Venues

There seem to be more and more places to enjoy a night of live music in North Cyprus opening every year, whether you fancy listening to live bands or DJs.  Many of these venues are either on a beach in a club or a pub.  The harbour bars for example will often have live music on a Friday and Saturday night, with local singers doing sets late into the evening.

Hotels often have their own bars hosting music evenings, with jazz being a popular choice for people to meet up and listen to for a great evening’s entertainment – you will find top quality musicians and you can enjoy their music whilst sipping the odd cocktail!  You can often find out about these evenings through the hotels’ websites and in the local press.

For the more traditional music bar venues then try the Old Tunnel Rock Bar in Kyrenia, which doesn’t really get going until around 10pm but which has live music and a traditional bar in a rather dark but definitely atmospheric underground location! Or as above, the Narnia Pub or Cadi Kazani Café Bar both in the heart of Lefkoşa are good.  Both are traditional bar venues which also have some great bands playing on weekends and weeknights.  Another choice in Lefkoşa is the Arancia Nargile Café Car situated in the Selimiye area of Lefkoşa, which, depending on who’s playing that night, is open until 3am.

Traditional & Sports Pubs

Most of the traditional type pubs will also show sports events such as football and rugby, so we have merged the traditional pubs and sports bars into one section for you!

The most popular pub venues tend to be ones where expats will gather for a Saturday beer and to watch a game of footie.  These venues include the Castle Pub in Karaoğlanoğlu near to Kyrenia, where they have the obligatory big screen and serve a regular feast of quality pub grub.  Another is the Pine Bay Club just along the same main road to the west of Kyrenia which has the same kind of vibe to it, offering big screen sports events as well as darts and pool.

Alternatively there are various other traditional pubs offering draught beers such as the Crows Nest and Spot Bar in Karaman, the Stroll Inn in Karakum or the Back In Time bar in Kyrenia which is home to darts and pool teams too.

There are obviously many more, but we will let you explore to find them!

This article only just touches on what’s available, but if you’re after a place to start it should set you on the right track!  Of course all the hotels and holiday villages have their own bars for residents, and most are excellent offering a family friendly welcome.  Furthermore all the casinos on the island have their own bars as well…drinks are often free to those who come in to gamble…children are of course not allowed, but they offer an interesting alternative to an evening in a pub!  Many hotels, pubs and bars host karaoke and quiz evenings too, and you can more than likely find out about these through the Cyprus Today newspaper or you will see events listed on advertising boards outside the venues themselves.

Whatever your own personal preference for your evening’s entertainment, one thing’s for sure, the bars and pubs of Northern Cyprus will give you plenty of choice.

The more modern side of Lapta is obviously the coastal section, home to a number of bars, restaurants, pubs, cafes and hotels.  You have casinos, water sports, beach access, live music and a really good holiday feel along the strip.  Tourists of all ages are very well catered for, and Lapta in this respect offers a lot of entertainment options.  During the main summer season the area triples its population, such is the popularity of the resort.

The older side of Lapta rises up above the main strip and into the mountains, and a journey up into the old village and its surrounds provides one with a glimpse of a rich history.  The views from the village take in some of the best scenery on the island, with stunning mountain views from the old town and beautiful and peaceful Mediterranean views from the coast.  It is a popular retreat for expatriates and has been for many years.  Lapta is also famous for its abundance of citrus groves which are nourished by mountain springs.

Lapta is historically one of the richest and most interesting areas of Cyprus, and the settlement grew initially from refugees who settled further inland after having fled from their original coastal home of Lambousa, (meaning ‘Brilliant’ or ‘Shining’), after constant invasion by Arab pirates in the 7^th century.  Lambousa itself was said to have been formed upon the arrival of Spartan Greeks around the 12^th century.

From the 8th century when Phoenicians settled in Cyprus, it then became one of the city kingdoms of the island, then later when Cyprus was under Roman rule Lapta was a regional capital.

The inhabitants of Lambousa were said to have been given the choice by the invading Arabs to live freely anywhere on the island in return for surrendering their belongings and items of wealth.  However it would appear that some of the inhabitants chose to bury their ‘treasure’ rather than handing it over, as archaeologists and amateur treasure hunters began unearthing some stunning treasure in the 1990’s such as silver plate-ware dating from the 6^th century.

If you visit Lapta, and we certainly recommend you do, take time out to enjoy both the relaxed rural and historical charm of the old town as well as the fun and lively scene along the strip.  There are plenty of hotels on the coast, as well as a mix of raditional and European restaurants to satisfy any appetite!