Karpas Peninsula - 1.5 hour to Salamis Bay Conti Hotel

Just 90 minutes drive from the Salamis Bay Conti Resort Hotel is the wild side of North Cyprus, the Karpas Peninsula. This ‘pan handle’ of land points east from North Cyprus across the sea to Turkey, with no less than 46 sandy beaches, just waiting for you to enjoy!

Until the new road was finished in 1998, the Karpaz Peninsula was virtually isolated from the rest of North Cyprus. Luckily, the new road has not affected its sleepy atmosphere and unspoilt coastline, and often you’ll be sharing one of those deserted beaches with a few others people and the nesting sea turtles. The rare green and loggerhead sea turtles bury their eggs at Golden Beach in the Karpaz, then leave their young hatchlings to emerge months later and scrabble to the sea. It’s an amazing sight, one of many that make the Karpaz Peninsula so special.

Not that you’ll be the first to discover the delights of this rugged coastline; St Andrew stopped here when his ship ran out of water. The miraculous spring of water that saved his life is marked at the Apostolos Andreas Monastery, where pilgrims still drink the waters, said to have healing powers. The Karpas Peninsula is dotted with ruined churches, such as the Ayion Philon perched high on a cliff above a rocky bay. However, modern comforts are not far away, with both an eco-friendly restaurant and sandy beach nearby!

When driving your North Cyprus rental car, keep an eye out for the famous residents of this wild landscape, the Karpaz wild donkeys. They may appear cute but they are usually very bad tempered, so look, but don’t touch!

After a day of golden sands, spectacular ruins and grumpy donkeys, it’s an easy 90-minute drive back to the Salamis Bay Conti Resort Hotel. On the way, why not stop for a fresh fish supper in Bogaz, before returning for a well-earned cocktail at sunset in the hotel bar.