Anyone been to northern Cyprus?

[Snowbell]

We are thinking of going to northern Cyprus in the summer holidays. We have one DD, age 11. Does anyone have any recommendations about where to stay where there will be other kids? Should we go with a package or book independently? Haven't been able to afford to go abroad for years so feel a bit of a newby now! I like the look of Famagusta, but might that be too quiet for DD?

I haven't been but my DM has a few years ago and I remember her saying it was a bit of a mega long journey. Not sure if there is a new or closer airport Noe but could be worth investigating.

I've been wanting to go there for years but was put off because you had to fly to southern Turkey and then get another plane across to Cyprus. So maybe that's what your DM had to do. Now you still have to fly to Turkey but you don't get off the plane, then it takes off again and goes to Cyprus. I don't know when it changed, but hopefully it's made it quicker.

Yes the journey is quite a trek but it depends who you fly with - if you go with Turkish Airlines, its fab, personal TVs, games consoles etc, plenty to keep an 11 yr old occupied. My parents live in Northern Cyprus so we've been quite a few times and although some of the large hotels have English families staying, just in my experience, its not a place where it would be easy to make friends - there aren't kids clubs or anything and its yet to become popular with English families (given its distance). Having said that, I'm sure more operators are looking to include holidays there, so things are changing. We love it, its not commercialised and its very quiet, enough to keep small children occupied playing by themselves but not sure for older ones.

You can get here easily flying direct to Larnaca in the south about 90 mins drive away, hire a car and transfers will be about £35 each way. Fly to the North Lefkosa (Ercan) 30 mins away and your plane will stop on the Tarmac in Istanbul for an hour. Journey time is the same. Some good hotels but a villa with a private pool is better for a family along with a hire car. Easter would be superb . Flights are expensive unless you plan ahead find my villa by google my nickname plus bellapais plus 6 beds and private pool. We live here and have 7 grandchildren in england. There are mini play parks at supermarkets and picnics in the mountains and walks up there for older children and jetski snorkelling paragliding. the TRNC doesnt know what it has but this is not blackpool skegness or ayia napa(South) not by a long chalk. Out in the villages it is poor. It is hot in the summer of course. Historic sites and interesting Turkish half of capital Lefkosa/Nicosia. St Paul came here see the ruined Salamis (near Famagusta) where he landed. A fascinating but troubled history great for kids who think. Swot up before and have the holiday of a lifetime.

Thanks for your helpful comments Mandy. I'd better look into it some more. We don't really want to go where there are hoards of English people but don't want it too quiet, for DD.

Can see you have already had advice about travel but also wanted to say that it is beautiful there. I have been and its nice that it is still very 'real' and not too touristy. Maybe a good thing that it is tricky to get to.

Hi Preggers, your comment is helpful. Makes me still want to go! Do you know how hot it gets in August? I remember going to Fethiye in southern Turkey in the summer and it was 40 degrees during the day and 30 at night. The locals said that it was normal and not a heatwave! I do like it hot but I like 30-35 degrees. 40 degrees made us feel ill. We couldn't sunbathe - you just felt like your body was going to explode after 5 minutes. I'm mainly trying to decide if it would be a good place for DD or too quiet or too hot.

Hi I went to N Cyprus for 2 weeks in September. Weather was fantastic, hot. The journey's long, but I'm sure an 11 year old would find it exciting. The beaches are lovely and the water amazing and warm. There are boat rides, water parks to keep children entertained. I would recommend staying in a hotel for cost and for your 11 yr old to make friends. We stayed in a villa (son was 20 months at the time). My parents stayed at this hotel on a good deal, food was beautiful. Hotel Pia Bella in Kyrenia, it's got good reviews on Tripadvisor: http:/www.cyprusparadise.com/discover-north-cyprus/kyrenia/piabella-hotel Hope that helps..

These days, it's not a problem to cross the "border" from Southern to Northern Cyprus - things are a lot more relaxed now. We've crossed the border in Nicosia and also in Famagusta (There are now daily sightseeing tours that cross the border to tour around Famagusta).

You'd just have to check for any restrictions or formalities, i.e. some hire car firms may not allow you to take it across the border.

I know it's a zombie but we hated it in northern Cyprus. The south is much nicer imo.