Archery:  You can try your hand and get archery lessons at the Kaya Artemis Resort in Bafra 0090 392 630 6000, or visit their website www.kayahotels.com/en.

 

Badminton-Tennis-Squash:  There are plenty of facilities available within local municipalities, at university campuses or, at hotels.  Tennis courts can be found at GAU (Girne American University) 0090 392 650 2000 or, visit their website www.gau.edu.tr/en/.  The Korineum Golf Resort in Esentepe, Kyreniaalso  has a tennis court where you can take lessons (0090 392 600 1515 or visit their website www.korineumgolf.com).  A Badminton court can be found at the Middle East Technical University in Nicosia 0090 392 223 6464 or visit website www.neu.edu.tr/ucc. Or, at Necat British College in Alsancak.

 

Beach clubs- there are several beach clubs along the Kyrenia coast.  These include:

Camelot Beach Club in Alsancak, Kyrenia, 0090 548 830 0603 or, visit the website www.camelotbeachclub.com

Denizkizi Hotel, 0090 392 821 2676 or, visit the website www.denizkizi.com

Shayna Beach Club in Çatalköy, Kyrenia, 0090 533 885 0004 or, visit the website www.shayna-beach.com

Cornaro Beach Club in Çatalköy, Kyrenia, 0090 548 870 0305 or, visit the website www.cornarobeach.com

 

Bird watching:  North Cyprus is excellent place for bird lovers and they should contact, Kuşkor- The North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature.  Call them on 0090 542 881 3750, or visit their website at www.kuskor.org.

 

Bowling -Perfect for a great night with family or friends Try it in Kyrenia at Kings Leisure Centre 0090 533 838 5535. Or try Ice Bowling Leisure Centre which opened in Famagusta 0090 542 851 0667. If you prefer to be outside you can try Flat Green Bowling. Located in Lapta there is a family owned bowls green. Contact them on 0090 533 880 1196 or visit their website www.olivepressbowlingcyprus.com.

 

Clay Pigeon Shooting:  also known also as a clay target shooting.  You can find facilities at the Gönyeli Gun Club, near Nicosia, 0090 533 846 0641.

 

Cycling:  a healthy way to explore the island.   Cycling tours are available, or bike hire is also offered for you to explore the island.  For more info about tours and bike hire, contact: Cyprus Cycling on, 0090 542 851 5500 or, Cyprus Active at 0090 533 831 9072 (www.cyprusactive.com).

 

Karting:  Zet Karting is located outside Nicosia, on the Guzelyurt highway.  Visit their website at www.zetkarting.com or, call them on 0090 533 866 6173.   There is also Cemsa Karting in Nicosia, 0090 392 223 6235, or Maxmille Power in Tuzla, Famagusta, on 0090 392 364 8889.

 

Golf:  There is an 18 hole championship course at the Korineum Golf Resort in Esentepe, east of Kyrenia.  There is also a driving range, and the resort offers golf lessons.  Call them on 0090 392 600 1515 or, visit their website at www.korineumgolf.com.

 

Horse Riding:  In Nicosia there is the Cemsa Riding School, 0090 392 223 62 35.  In the mountains outside Karsiyaka, the Kozan Restaurant & Picnic area offers a range of equestrian activities.  Contact them on 0090 533 845 7070 or, visit website www.kozan.co.nr.

 

Ice Skating:  even this is available in North Cyprus.  A synthetic ice rink can be found in Famagusta at the Ice Bowling Leisure Centre, 0090 542 851 0667.

 

Jet Skiing: at Camelot Beach, in Alsancak.

 

Mini Golf:  at Oris Beach in Alsancak.

 

Orchids:  take a nature walk and enjoy the flora of North Cyprus, which is home to a variety of wild orchids.  There are 19 endemic species and also 32 other varieties of wild orchids.

 

Paint Balling:  There are a few places to play paintball.  There's the Paint Ball Bar in Famagust,a 0090 533 865 6191, as well as Paint Ball Nicosia, 0090 533 844 4644, and the Sunset Club in Kyrenia also has facilities (0090 533 865 4959 or, visit their website www.sunsetclubcyprus.com).

 

Paragliding:  taking a leap off the Besparmak mountains is an exciting way to see North Cyprus!  Highline Paragliding is located in the Old Harbour in Kyrenia.  Call them at, 0090 542 855 5672 or, visit their website www.highlineparagliding.com.

 

Quad Bike Safari:  offers an amazing rides and guided tours of the Besparmak mountains.  For more information you can contact Quad Bike Safari in Lapta, on 0090 533 547 3732.  Or Quad Bike Tours in Alsancak, 0090 392 821 2797.

 

Scuba Diving:  explore the unique underwater world with the Nautilus Scuba Diving School, 0090 392 444 99 88 or. visit their website at www.nautilusdivingcyp.com.  The British Scuba Centre is in Catalkoy Kyrenia, 0090 533 868 31 65 or, visit the website at www.northcyprusscuba.com.  There's also Amphora Diving in Kyrenia, 0090 542 851 4924 or, visit their website at www.amphoradiving.com.  For Underwater Explorers, call 0090 533 879 4421 or, visit the website at www.cyprus-underwater-explorers.com.

 

Turtle Bay Centre:  is located east of Kyrenia.  You can call them on 0090 533 849 6266 or,  visit their website at www.turtlebaydivecentre.com.  They offer a unique chance to get close to the nesting turtles  The Caretta Caretta turtles will come to lay their eggs from May to August on our beaches, and two months later the tiny creatures hatch, dig themselves out and rush to the sea.  The most popular centre is Alagadi Turtle Beach, Kyrenia . Call them for more info on 0090 533 865 8634 or, visit their website www.alagadi.net.

 

Walking/Hiking:  There are several groups which offer walking tours, the Kyrenia Mountain Trail Association can be contacted on 0090 533 845 3935 or, via their website at www.kyreniamountaintrail.org.  North Cyprus Walking, in Kyrenia offers walking tours on 0090 815 0890 or, www.northcypruswalking.com.  For something different, you could try a visit to the Kyrenia Animal Rescue Centre in the foothills of the mountains east of Kyrenia.  For more information, call 0090 533 869 4098 or visit their website at www.kartrnc.org.

 

Wild Donkeys:  Visit Karpaz National Park and interact with Cyprus' famous wild donkeys.  Once an important part of the island’s economy and a part of most Cypriots lives, today they are protected and can be found wandering free on the Karpaz Peninsular.

 

North Cyprus officially marks a number of religious holidays and national holidays: 

 

1st January           - New Year's Day
23rd April              - National Sovereignty and Children's Day
1st May                 - Labour Day
19th May              - Ataturk, Youth and Sport's Day
20th July              - Peace and Freedom Day
1st August            - Social Resistance Day
30th August         - Victory Day
29th October       - Turkish Republic Day
15th November   - TRNC Independence Day

The Şeker Bayram and Kurban Bayram holy days follow the Muslim lunar calendar and the dates differ from year to year.

 

January 1st - New Year's Day - Yılbaşı

Everywhere in the world celebrates New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve.  In North Cyprus the night is celebrated with big parties, drinking, singing and breath-taking fireworks displays to welcome the New Year.  Although it is not a religious holiday, you will see Christmas trees with lights in some houses and schools, and gifts are often exchanged.

 

April 23rd – Turkish National Sovereignty and Children's Day- Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı

Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus celebrate the day with formal ceremonies and folkloric performances.  April 23^rd was dedicated to Turkish children by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.  This special day emphasises the modernisation of the country and the fact that they represent the future of the Republic.  It was first celebrated in Turkey on April 23^rd 1920, during the War of Independence.

 

May 1st – Labour Day - İşçi ve Bahar Bayramı

Labour Day is also known as May Day, and it is marked in most countries around the world.  On this day, the labour union movement celebrates the economic and social achievements of workers.   In North Cyprus it's a public holiday.  All government offices and banks are close, but many private businesses do open.

 

May 19th - Commemoration of Atatürk & Youth & Sports Day - Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus commemorates Youth & Sports Day, as it shares many holidays with Turkey.

This is a national holiday to commemorate the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence on the 19th May 1919.  Atatürk himself proclaimed May 19th  to be, "Youth and Sports Day", and it also serves to honour the republic's founder.  Ceremonies and parades take place across Turkey and North Cyprus.  Youths sing the national anthem and recite poems.  Sporting events, cultural activities and folk dances commemorate Atatürk and his companions who led the national struggle in 1919.

 

July 20th - Peace and Freedom Day  - Barış ve Özgürlük Bayramı

July 20^th 1974 is a very important day in the history of Cyprus. On the 15th July 1974, a coup d'état took place in Nicosia when elements of armed forces rose against president, Archbishop Makarios and his government.  The coup was instigated by the military junta in Athens and was part of a long campaign to unite the island with Greece. On the 20th July 1974, Turkish troops intervened to provide a safe haven in the North of the island for Turkish Cypriots.  This was done as part of Turkey's duties as a guarantor power of the Cypriot Constitution.   Peace and Freedom Day there is a big military parade in Lefkosia, and there's a military flypast over Kyrenia Harbour.

 

August 1 - Social Resistance Day - Ulusal Direniş Bayramı

This marks the founding in 1958 of the Turkish Cypriot Organisation, the TMT.  The TMT was founded before Cypriot independence in 1958 in order to protect Turkish Cypriots from the Greek Cypriot terrorist group, EOKA.

 

August 30 – Victory Day - Zafer Bayram

Marks Turkey’s liberation from invading Greek troops in 1922.  The victory is seen as a turning point in the foundation of Turkey, and is celebrated as a public holiday.

 

October 29 - Turkish Republic Day - Cumhuriyet Bayramı

To mark the foundation of the post-Ottoman Republic of Turkey in 1923

 

November 15 - Republic Day of the T. R. N. C. - Cumhuriyet Bayramı 

Turkish Cypriots first proclaimed The Federated State of North Cyprus in 1975, a year after the split with the Greek Cypriots.  The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was established on 15 November 1983, by the Turkish Cypriot community under the leadership of Rauf Denktas, who became the state's first president.  Our independence is, however, is only recognised by Turkey.

 

Seker Bayram - End of Ramadan (Eid ul-Fitr)

Seker Bayram, which is also called the Sugar Festival, takes place at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and lasts for three days.  This religious feast is marked by families and friends exchanging sweets.   Older members of the family are also honoured by younger members kissing their hands.  Many Turkish Cypriots will make a special visit to a mosque.  The period is marked in the bigger towns by fun-fairs, featuring traditional food and craft markets.  Restaurants in North Cyprus may be closed or virtually empty on the 27th night of Ramadan, which is known as Kadir Gecesi, the night the Koran is said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

 

Feast of the Sacrifice - Kurban Bayramı  (Eid ul-Adha)

Kurban Bayram is a 4 day celebration about 2 months after Seker Bayram.  This feast commemorates the sacrifice of Ishmael by Abraham, which is the Koranic version of the Abraham-and-Isaac story.  In Turkey, the time is marked by the public sacrifice of sheep, goats or even camels, which are then prepared as food for the family and the poor. This custom, however, is less honoured in Cyprus but, the festival is still celebrated.  Turkish Cypriots are among the most relaxed Muslims in the world in terms of observance, but most make the effort to abstain from alcohol during the period.