Çamlibel (pronounced Chamlibell) is located inland on the western side of North Cyprus, around 15 miles from the harbour town of Kyrenia. You can reach it by driving west along the coastal road, past the town of Karşıyaka carrying along this road when it turns inland and up through high slopes and past the town and reservoir of Geçitköy.
A traditional Turkish Cypriot village it has very little in the way of an expat community being so off the beaten tourist trail, but it is home to a large contingent of Turkish army personnel. It’s also not far from Tepebaşı another traditional Cypriot village which hosts the popular Tulip Festival each year.
As with a lot of the more rural areas in North Cyprus it’s residents mainly live off the land (it sits around 825ft above sea level) which provides fertile, rich soil, enabling local people to make their living from growing crops to sell at local markets.
There are a few points of interest here though, especially the local cheese making factory where if you are lucky you can take a look and even participate in cheese making. There are several local shops and a couple of eateries but don’t expect too many shopping opportunities here.
One of the pleasures of visiting Çamlibel are the views that you can take in to the east along the Kyrenia mountain range as well as the Troodos mountains to the south which can be easily seen on a clear day. It’s a lovely place to do some hiking with some great walks filtering away from the village. The nearest beaches are only around 10 minutes drive away with Akdeniz to the east and Kayalar to the north. Do check out our article on beaches in this area if you would like to know more about those.
If you are looking for a peaceful day out, away from the trappings of tourism then Çamlibel is a great place to start. There are rumblings about a riding school in Çamlibel, set to open some time in the future, and you couldn’t wish for a better way to explore the wonderful local landscape. We will let you know more on this in the future!
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There is an old monastery which is under restoration.