Category: Nature

The natural beauty of North Cyprus is evident from the moment you arrive, from the tip of its mountains to the sand on its beaches. It’s not just Northern Cyprus tourists who appreciate this, though; Turkish Cypriots love their countryside and are more than happy to share it with you!

Having an average of only 51 people per square kilometre, Northern Cyprus holds the enviable reputation of being free of pollution, industry or high concentrations of population. With 387 Km of coastline, and pine, cypress and maquis bush covered hillsides, North Cyprus is a wildlife haven.

The sheer variety of the countryside in such a small country is one of the main attractions of a nature holiday on North Cyprus. Within a ninety minute drive, you can climb from secluded sandy coves right into the heart of wooded mountains, or out onto a rocky peninsula jutting into the ocean. This means the nature lover has plenty to see and do all year round.

Turtles
A turtle hatchling newly emerged at Alagadi beach
A Turtle Hatchling at Alagadi Beach

The beaches of North Cyprus are amongst the last in the Mediterranean to be selected by the turtles which lay their eggs during the months of July and August. Two Endangered species, the Loggerhead and the Green Turtle immigrate in hundreds every year. They dig holes as deep as one metre during the night and 7 to 8 weeks later little babies appear. North Cyprus can be considered the home for about 30% of the Green Turtles of the Mediterranean. Since 1992, the Marine Turtle Research Group has been recording the turtles’ activity during the summer months. Nesting is normally from the end of June into August, with hatching some two months later. The site most intensively studied is the famous Alagadi Beach about 12 miles east of Girne. You can witness these unique events, by joining the researchers at their base “The Goat Shed” at Alagadi just before sunset.

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