North Cyprus: Heaven on earth
Planning to be settled or on a vacation to a serene, artistic, and breath-taking location? Perhaps, North Cyprus will be your ideal choice! Situated on the island of Cyprus, the place has numerous historical, cultural, and materialistic wonders that will surely leave you in awe!
From gothic structures that date back 10,000 years to the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, North Cyprus has lots of magical wonders which include the three fairy-tale castles of five finger mountain range, the walled city of Nicosia, and Famagusta citadel which makes it a Mediterranean paradise!
From a tourism point of view, North Cyprus has much to boast about! The place is filled with peaceful and soothing beaches, endemic species, and natural habitats. In addition, you will find the rare protected turtles that make North Cyprus an ideal ecotourism spot.
And this is not it. North Cyprus has a reposeful village life for you to enjoy and relive the memories of the older days. With a perfect Mediterranean climate to support your vacation and mouth-watering local cuisines alongside an abundant selection of fresh foods, North Cyprus is indeed a place to live. The hospitality of the natives, breathtaking views of the northern coastline, and the Girne mountain range are just some of the things that you do not want to miss!
Things You Should Know About North Cyprus
Language & Time
Although Turkish is the native language in North Cyprus, English is also widely used and understood. So, communication is not an issue in North Cyprus. The time zone followed in North Cyprus is GMT 2+in Summer (last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October) and GMT 3+ for Winter.
The Climate
Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, North Cyprus has an ideal Mediterranean climate, with long and hot summers along with short & mild winters. The average temperature is 19 degrees Celsius but can go as high as 40 degrees in peak summers. There is a seasonal rainfall, averaging 500 mm annually, to make the already beautiful views of North Cyprus more pleasant
Passport & Visa
If you are an EU citizen, you probably won’t have any trouble relating to visas and passports since there is no visa requirement for EU citizens. In fact, only the Nigerians and Armenians require visas in North Cyprus. You can either stamp your passport on arrival or attach a separate piece of paper to be stamped instead by the passport control office.
Border Crossing
If you are an EU citizen, the border crossing is no longer an issue in North Cyprus. EU citizens can cross and travel within borders freely at any time they wish. For pedestrians, there are 7 border crossing points that they can utilize at the Ledra palace and Lokmaci border gates. Those who are passing through vehicles can cross through the Kermiar and Akyar border gates.
Car Rentals
Car Rentals is both inexpensive and very flexible in North Cyprus.Cars with both left-hand and right-hand drive are also available. It should be noted however that while you can freely drive from South to North Cyprus, you would need to purchase extra insurance if you cross borders from north to south Cyprus.
The Currency
The official currency of North Cyprus is the Turkish New Lira which is available in Banknotes of ₺5, ₺10, ₺20, ₺50, ₺100, ₺200 alongside coins of 50kr, ₺1, ₺5 (freq. used), 5kr, 10kr, 25kr (rarely used)
Transactions for tourists or investors are fairly simple and foreign currency can be exchanged in banks and exchange offices. Moreover, most credit cards are also accepted here in North Cyprus.
Telephone
For calling internationally, you must dial 0090 392 for telephone numbers while mobile numbers can simply be preceded by 0090. You may call from telephone booths or purchase telephone cards from one of the Telecommunication shops.
The Traffic Rules & Regulations
Standardized and general traffic rules are followed here in North Cyprus. Driving is on the left-hand side and drivers must ensure that their vehicles are insured and they are wearing seatbelts. The maximum speed limit in North Cyprus is 100 km/hr. Drinking and using mobile phones while driving is illegal as they can compromise safety.
Everyday-Use Facilities
Power is usually supplied at 240 V AC, and you will mostly find three-pin sockets. For emergencies, you can use the following numbers:
Ambulance -> 112
Fire -> 199
Police -> 155
Forest Fire -> 177