May Visit

Our 2nd visit to the house, we have had to stay in a hotel while we clean it and get is up together we have a long way to go but at least we can see the end! It is looking great. It is now really coming together and we have taken loads of photos. Here are just a few

Bedroom No: 1 with built in wardrobes and double bed,

Bedroom No2: has 2 single beds and built in wardrobes

Bedroom No3: The Gallery bedroom looks over the lounge and the view of the pool and see beyond. The large terrace looks over Kyrenia Mountain Range (Five Finger Mountains)

The lounge with the open plan staircase leading to the Gallery bedroom

The Open plan lounge with internal fire place and kitchen behind

We spent some time at "The Cove" which we figure will only take a couple of hours of tidying on each trip to make it an idyllic spot. The sand is beautiful and there are great rock pools that you can explore, the children had a ball. It was P's first experience of the sea and sand and both were so clean. The water like bath water and this was in May!!

An Introduction to Northern Cyprus

One of the few remaining ‘undiscovered secrets’ of the Mediterranean, North Cyprus is a rich and colourful tapestry full of unspoilt natural beauty, ranging from crystal waters and golden beaches to fields carpeted by wild flowers in the Spring and the pine-clad heights in the Beşparmak Mountains.

For centuries Cyprus has been influenced by the culture of many nations resulting in an island with a rich and diverse historical and architectural heritage.

Northern Cyprus offers long hot summers and short dry winters. With approximately 340 days of sunshine annually, the island is one of the healthiest places to live in the world. The sea temperature rarely drops below 63 degrees

The capital of the TRNC is Nicosia (Lefkoşa), which is shared with the south of Cyprus. Other major towns are the historic and picturesque fishing port of Kyrenia (Girne), Famagusta (Gazi Mağusa), and Morphou (Guzelyurt).

Useful Information

Currency

The New Turkish Lira (YTL), which has been in circulation since 2005, is the legal tender. The official rates for the YTL are adjusted daily according to changes in international monetary markets. All foreign currencies are acceptable at trading/tourist outlets. Traveller’s cheques are accepted in banks, however, Sterling and Dollars can be used in bars, restaurants, even buying you’re shopping from the corner shop!Foreign Exchange The TRNC follows a flexible exchange policy. Foreign currency accounts can be opened with local banks, and foreign currency can be brought into the country and taken out through the banks without restriction or control, and the source of such income is not investigated. It should be noted that the government are actively encouraging the formation of offshore banks by foreign investors, and are offering incentives such as relatively low set-up capital, low corporation and income tax etc.Banking SystemAll types of banking services are provided and they are flexible enough to satisfy the continually diversifying needs of the business community. There are branches in many of the important trading centres of the world. Some banks, such as Turk Bankasi have branches in London. See www.turishbank.com Note: HSBC Bank has now opened branches in Nicosia and Kyrenia.

Language

Turkish is the official language and English is the second language and is widely used and understood in official and commercial circles. There are several first-class Turkish language teachers available and some British residents avail themselves of their services.

Cost of Living

Living costs in the TRNC are much cheaper than the UK and most of Europe.

Consumer Markets

There is a wide selection of consumer goods of good quality. In addition to locally produced goods almost all foreign brands are available on the market. It can be estimated that the cost of food stuffs generally is about half the price of the UK, with items such as local brandy retailing at £1.20

Getting There

The newly refurbished Ercan (pronounced Airjan and approx 25 minutes from Kyrenia) airport handles the bulk of the tourist traffic.All flights to Northern Cyprus (at the moment) go via Turkey. There is usually a 45 minute turnaround in turkey then a further short flight to Ercan. Flights from the UK to Ercan therefore take approximately 5 hours.

Alternatively, it is possible to fly directly to Larnaca in Southern Cyprus, and then drive across the border. Larnaca to Kyrenia takes about 1 hr 12 minutes by car. No visa is required to N. Cyprus and if you prefer not to have your passport stamped when entering the country, you can have a blank piece of paper stamped. It has been reported that several airlines, including BA, Virgin and Ryanair have applied for permission to fly directly to Ercan. If, as and when, this becomes a reality, the property market, tourism industry and general economy of Northern Cyprus, will – in the view of most informed commentators – take off.

Direct flights from all overseas countries will be the key to Northern Cyprus, but the road to financial stability and prosperity for the Turkish Cypriots may be impeded for some time yet by the intransigence of the Greek and British/US attitudes.In addition to air travel, there is a selection of car and passenger ferries from Turkey to the island, the fastest being two and a half hours from Kyrenia to Tasucu.