North Cyprus Travel

[Noddy]

What is the current situation with regard to EU citizens travelling between South and North Cyprus?

Can hire cars hired from the south be taken to the North?

How does the holiday experience in the North differ from the South?

[KebabMeister]

Do you mean passing from the Greek side to the Turkish side?  If that is so then the Greek side is a member, or will be, of the EU.  The Turkish side has been refused membership of the EU.  I don't think you'd be able to take a car from one side to the other.

Since the Greeks and Turks hate each other then I can see a problem passing from one side to the other.  Sometimes during passport control if they see their enemies stamp then they'll want to know everything about it.  I'm not sure of the setup they have on the border....

[Cetla]

Cyprus has nothing to do with Greece or Turkey.Saying Cyprus you mean the south part which is European member.North Cyprus is not even a recognised nation , i think..You must have your passport to be sure. You can hire a car but ask to take permission to pass the borders.My opinion is that the Southern part of Cyprus has more sights and better weather.. You'll have fun if you travel after april because of the summer.

[KebabMeister]

I thought one side is Greek and the other side is Turkish?

[Cetla]

No KebabMeister,they are both indepented with their own goverment.Before 30 years the whole island was part of Greece.

[KebabMeister]

I meant people that live there, not who owned them, sorry.  All the people I knew who lived there commented on this.

[Tock389]

With regards to the difference in holiday experience, you will find that the North is much less commercialised -this is good if you want to see the unspoilt Cyprus, but bad if you like creature comforts, like me. Even the North's four and five-star hotels are not really up to standards you would see in a three-star hotel in the South.

The South is much more developed, and has a better infrastructure-  roads, transport, policing.

In my opinion, you are better to stay in the South- somewhere like Limassol or Paphos, and go to the North on one or more day trips. There isn't that much to do in the North, as tourism is in its infancy there.

[Cetla]

KebabMeister,you are right. We mean the same thing. Very good answer from Tock389.

[Little Lady]

We went to Paphos in Oct 2003(south) and that was lovely, we met a couple out there who hired a car and we travelled up to the capital(Nicosia) with them for a nose around, it was mad, the city is divided in 2. one side greece and the other turkish, we went right onto the border where guards stand at certain intervals with guns, you can look over onto no mans land which stretchs for about 100-150 yards, the bulidings have been untouched since the Turks invaded and it is quite a site to see, they also had an interesting museum there right at the top of a department store where you can see onto the turkish side hills, i wont garble on as i know this isnt what you asked but if you go you can go on to the turkish side but you wont get back in on the Greece side. Apperntly Turkey want to join the EU and the only way they can do this is if they give the land back to Greece. So any land bought by anyone will also be reclaimed by however owned it before the invasion.

[Noddy]

Hi all

I find this a fascinating debate and I have been making other enquiries and conducting research.

The green line border is freely passable in both directions. British residents in the North make regular collections at Larnaca airport. Cars can be hired in the south (eg. PETSAS) and taken to the North however, separate insurance has to be obtained at the border.

Property and land ownership is a highly emotive issue b in Cyprus but it's not just the Greeks that have lost properties. Turkish properties and land in the South is occupied by the Greeks when the Turks were forced North between 1963 and 1974. Many Turks were murdered by the Greeks during this period and forced out of their homes and into enclaves in the North. If the Turks had not invaded to defend the Turkish Cypriots Cyprus would now be a Greek Island.

Building in the North along the Kyrenia region (which is arguably the most beautiful area in the whole of Cyprus) is taking place at an amazing rate. A new road has already been built from Kyrenia harbour to Tatlisu towards the Karpas Peninsula and there are plans to extend this to Famagusta. A new 27 hole championship golf course is being built at Esentepe, and a new Marina is under construction by Turtle Beach with another planned for Bacheli. Hundreds of Villas are being constructed along this region by large established construction companies. Funding of over 350 million Euro has been granted to the North by the EU with more grants promised by the USA. The TRNC (as it is known) is on the verge of direct trade which will mean direct flights into Ercan airport. At present you can only fly to Ercan in the North via Turkey.

The more I dig the more interesting I find this place. If anyone is interested I will find some good links so that you can look for yourselves. Keep the comments coming. Thanks.