Beaches and Nature in North Cyprus: Alagadi Turtles and the Kyrenia Range

North Cyprus's coastline and countryside range from a monitored turtle nesting beach to hiking trails through the Kyrenia (Beşparmak) mountain range. The details below are drawn from verified sources; for anything that shifts by season — dates, capacity, statistics — you're pointed to the relevant official or institutional source rather than given a fixed figure.

Alagadi and SPOT: the turtle nesting beach

Alagadi beach, east of Kyrenia, is one of North Cyprus's nesting sites for the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtle. It has been monitored since the 1990s by SPOT (Society for Protection of Turtles).

• Nesting season — runs through summer. Exact start and end dates shift year to year, so no fixed range is given here — follow SPOT's own site for the current timing.
• Night restriction — during nesting season, night access to the beach is restricted, and avoiding artificial light and noise near nests is described as standard conservation practice. This applies to unsupervised visits outside SPOT's own guided watches.
• Guided watch events — SPOT runs guided night watches early in the season and supervised hatchling-release watches toward its end. These are registration-only and limited in capacity; since dates, numbers, and how to apply change by season, they're not listed here — check cyprusturtles.org for current announcements if you want to take part.
• Visitor conduct — avoid sitting on or near marked nests, don't disturb the tape or markers around a nest, and follow instructions from staff on site.

Beach inventory: region by region

This is a texture-level inventory only. Whether a beach is public or business-run, sun-lounger/umbrella pricing, and lifeguard/flag arrangements vary by site, and there's no systematic official source covering this — this guide does not generalize on those points.

• Kyrenia area — Alagadi (the nesting beach above), the Escape/Alsancak stretch, Karakum.
• Famagusta area — Glapsides, Palm Beach.
• Iskele area — Long Beach (a long, open stretch of sand).
• Karpaz Peninsula — Golden Beach (Altın Kumsal) and Kaplıca; both have their own nesting and access texture and are covered in more depth in a dedicated Karpaz guide — mentioned only briefly here.

Before heading to any specific beach, it's worth checking locally whether there's a sun-lounger charge, whether a lifeguard is on duty, and where the public-access stretch actually starts.

Hiking the Kyrenia (Beşparmak) range

The Kyrenia range runs roughly parallel to the north coast and has a handful of known hiking routes.

• Alevkaya forest station — short nature walks around the herbarium, known for a substantial plant collection.
• Around Buffavento Castle — trails climbing toward the castle ruins are among the better-known routes in the area.
• Toward Lapta — a walking route descending toward Lapta is also referenced in local sources.

No current, official trail map from the Forestry Department could be confirmed — marked trails are limited, so get local advice and go properly equipped before setting out.

Boat trips and diving

Day boat trips run out of Kyrenia harbour, typically combining a bay tour with swim stops.

Along the north coast, dive centres work their own reef and wreck sites. Note: one of Cyprus's best-known wrecks, the Zenobia, lies in the south of Cyprus, off Larnaca — it is not part of North Cyprus dive itineraries. Divers looking to dive in the north are directed to sites along that coastline instead.

Flamingo season and the Medoş tulip

• Flamingos — wetlands near Famagusta host flamingo flocks during winter, roughly December through March. Exact numbers and dates shift year to year, so no quantitative claim is made here.
• Medoş tulip — an endemic tulip species found only in North Cyprus; it flowers in March in the Tepebaşı/Avtepe area and is marked with a local festival. The village name varies between sources, hence the "area" phrasing.

Incirli Cave (a cautious note)

Incirli Cave, near the village of Çınarlı, is reported to be open to visitors. Access details — opening hours, whether a permit or guide is required — could not be officially confirmed; this guide stays cautious here. Check locally for the current situation before visiting.

Before you go: a short checklist

• Avoid an unsupervised night visit to Alagadi during nesting season; for a guided watch, check SPOT's site for the current schedule.
• Check locally at your chosen beach for sun-lounger charges and lifeguard cover — these details vary business to business.
• Get local advice on Kyrenia range hiking routes before setting out; there's no official trail map available.
• Remember the Zenobia wreck is in the south when planning a dive in the north.
• Beaches on the Karpaz Peninsula (Golden Beach, Kaplıca) and the peninsula's wider texture are covered in a dedicated Karpaz guide.

This guide deliberately avoids fixed dates, quotas, and statistics for anything that shifts seasonally — always confirm current details with the relevant official or institutional source before visiting.