Long Beach is the longest continuous stretch of sand in North Cyprus, running for several kilometres along the east coast in the İskele district. Behind it stands a line of large resort hotels and apartment complexes, and around it sits a quieter countryside of villages, fishing harbours and Byzantine churches most guests never look at. Here is what there is to do, who the area suits, and how to get around without a car.

The beach itself

The sand is soft, pale and wide, and the water shelves gently for a long way out, which is the main reason families choose this coast over the rockier north. The beach is exposed, so afternoons can be breezy, and there is little natural shade beyond what the clubs and hotels provide.

Access varies along the strip. Hotel guests use their own section, with loungers included or charged at the door. Between the hotels are public stretches with no facilities, so bring water and an umbrella.

Beach clubs and evenings

Several beach clubs sit along the shore, mostly attached to the larger resorts, and a day pass typically buys a lounger, an umbrella and use of the pool and bar. In the evening, most activity is inside the hotels — restaurants, bars, entertainment programmes and, at the bigger properties, a casino. This is a resort coast rather than a town.

Bafra hotel strip

About twenty minutes north, Bafra is a separate purpose-built hotel zone on its own bay, home to several of the island's largest five-star and casino resorts. Even if you are not staying there it works as an evening out. The road is easy but unlit in stretches, so many guests book a car with a return pickup.

Boğaz and Kumyalı fishing harbours

Boğaz, ten minutes north, is the closest thing to a proper evening out beyond the hotels: a working fishing harbour lined with fish restaurants, where the catch is displayed on ice and priced by weight. Go around sunset and walk the quay first.

Kumyalı is smaller and further up the Karpaz road, roughly half an hour on — a village harbour with a few tables by the water and little else.

Panayia Theotokos and the İskele Icon Museum

In the middle of İskele town stands the Byzantine church of Panayia Theotokos, now the İskele Icon Museum. The building has two layers of history — a domed church with wall paintings from the twelfth century, extended later — and the frescoes are the reason to come. Small, cool, about half an hour.

Day trips from Long Beach

The quiet advantage of Long Beach is its position, within reach of the best of the east.

  • Famagusta (Gazimağusa) — about 20 minutes. The walled old city, the Gothic cathedral turned mosque, Othello Castle and the fenced quarter of Varosha, part of which is open on foot and by bicycle along marked routes.
  • Salamis and St Barnabas — about 20 minutes. A large Roman site running down to the sea, with the Royal Tombs and the monastery museum nearby.
  • The Karpaz peninsula — wild beaches, free-roaming donkeys and the Apostolos Andreas Monastery near the tip, roughly an hour and a half each way.
  • Kantara Castle — around 40 minutes inland and up, with a view over both coasts.
  • Nicosia (Lefkoşa) — about an hour, for the walled capital and the Selimiye Mosque.

Who the area suits

Long Beach works best for people who want a base rather than a tour. Families do well here because of the shallow water, the space on the sand and the all-in resort setup. Long-stay and winter visitors take apartments in the complexes and treat it as a quiet coastal address. If you want old streets and nightlife on your doorstep, Kyrenia suits better.

Getting around without a car

The resorts are self-contained and spread out, public transport along the strip is limited, and taxis do not wait outside the hotels in the evening.

For a single outing — dinner at Boğaz, a night at Bafra, the museum at İskele — book a car with a fixed price each way and a return pickup time. For a full day out, a full-day hire is simpler: the chauffeur waits at each stop, at a price agreed before you leave. If you are still planning your arrival, our Long Beach hotel transfer guide covers the airport run.

Frequently asked questions

Is Long Beach good for families?

Yes. The water is shallow a long way out, the sand is soft and wide, and the resorts are built around pools, kids' clubs and all-inclusive catering.

How far is Famagusta from Long Beach?

About 20 minutes by road — close enough for a morning in the walled city and an afternoon on the beach.

Do I need a hire car at Long Beach?

Not necessarily. If you leave the resort most days a car helps; if you go out a few times a week, fixed-price rides with an arranged pickup are simpler.

When is the best time to visit?

May, June, September and October give warm sea and manageable heat. July and August are hot and the beach is exposed, so mornings and late afternoons are the comfortable hours.

Planning your days on the east coast? See fixed prices or book a car.