The best beaches in and around İskele
Last verified 19 October 2026
The coast around İskele (Trikomo) is sand, not pebble. On the shore of Famagusta Bay, Long Beach is wide, shallow and increasingly built up, with free public sections between paid beach clubs. Further north the coast road passes the fishing harbour at Boğaz and the resort strip at Bafra, and across the hills on the north coast are the quieter sandy bays of Kaplıca. The bay is gentle for swimming, and loggerhead turtles nest along it: monitors recorded 314 loggerhead nests around Famagusta Bay in 2024, so look out for marked nests in summer. For the wilder beaches further east, see our Karpas beaches guide.
Long Beach. About three kilometres of soft golden sand below İskele, roughly half an hour’s drive north of central Famagusta (Ammochostos, Gazimağusa). The water is clear and shallow, with a gentle slope from the shore, so it suits children and nervous swimmers. The beach is wide enough to spread out even on summer weekends. Some stretches are free public beach, while others belong to beach clubs and resorts that charge for loungers or a day pass. There is no fence between the two, so you can walk along the sand from one to the other. A paved promenade with a cycle path runs behind the beach, and parking is usually easy to find behind it. This is one of the fastest growing building zones in the north, so expect the skyline behind you to keep changing.
İskele public beach. A section of Long Beach run by the İskele municipality, and the simplest choice for a free day on the sand. Entry is free, with a public car park behind the beach. Facilities include sun loungers, showers, changing rooms and toilets, and lifeguards are on duty during opening hours. There is an area set up for visitors with reduced mobility, a children’s playground, and seasonal paddleboard and jet ski hire from kiosks. Dolmuş minibuses stop along the coast road. It is busiest on summer weekends and local holidays, and quietest on weekday mornings outside the school holidays.
Boğaz (Bogazi). About seven kilometres north east of İskele town, the small fishing village of Boğaz has a sandy beach beside its harbour, with fishing boats and pleasure craft moored alongside. It is on the main road to the Karpas Peninsula, so it makes an easy swimming stop on the way, and a walk around the harbour fills the time when you are out of the water.
Bafra (Vokolida). Further north along the coast, the old village of Bafra has been turned into a tourism zone, and the shore is now lined with large resort hotels. The sand is good and the water clear. There is a public beach with a facility run by the municipality, and jet skis and other water sports are available in summer. Expect a resort atmosphere rather than a wild beach.
Kaplıca (Davlos). A village on the north coast below Kantara Castle, with a white mosque set back from two curved sandy beaches. Both have fine sand and clear water. The western beach is the more developed, with a large hotel and a caravan site, while the eastern one has a small boat harbour. Kaplıca is also a turtle nesting beach, so watch for marked nests. Combine it with a visit to the castle, which you can see from the beach.
Tatlısu (Akanthou). On the north coast highway, the village of Tatlısu has a municipal beach and a string of sandy coves nearby. It is a good place to stop if you are driving along the coast between Kyrenia and the Karpas.
Practical
Sun and shade. There is little natural shade on these beaches. In high summer bring or rent shade, drink plenty of water and avoid the middle of the day.
Sea safety. The shallow shelf on Long Beach is gentle, but it can be a long wade out to swimming depth. Swim where there is a lifeguard with young children, and follow the flags: red means no swimming.
Turtle beaches. Nesting season runs from May to October. The north’s Environment Protection Department asks visitors not to put up umbrellas within 35 metres of the sea, not to dig on the beach, not to drive onto the sand, not to walk the beach at night with lights, not to light fires, and not to leave litter or let dogs roam loose. Shade any lights that shine onto the beach.
Hire cars. A car is the easiest way to reach Bafra and Kaplıca. See car hire in north Cyprus, and if you are coming from the south, read about taking a hire car across the border first. Beach club prices and kiosk hours change each season, so check locally. See also the best time to visit Cyprus.