Golden Beach and the Karpaz.

Karpaz / Altınkum · İskele

Tier III · Worth a stop

Kilometres of dune-backed sand at the far end of the island.

What to see at Golden Beach and the Karpaz

Golden Beach (Altın Kumsal, also called Altınkum) runs about 4 km from İyitaş Burnu in the east to the Adatepe tombolo in the west.
Dunes edge the sand, which reaches some 130 m inland.
All beachfront buildings were removed by court order, and green and loggerhead turtles nest here.

History of Golden Beach and the Karpaz

2017: The removal of the beachfront buildings, ordered by the court, is completed.
Today: The beach lies inside the Karpaz Special Environmental Protection Area. Camping is forbidden because it is a turtle nesting site.

Visiting Golden Beach and the Karpaz

Allow a day, with the drive. The beach lies about 14.3 km east of Dipkarpaz, reached by Manastır Yolu, the road from Dipkarpaz towards Apostolos Andreas. No car park is mapped nearby, and no bus stop within about 500 m.

Monuments near Golden Beach and the Karpaz

Apostolos Andreas Monasteryabout 4 km north-eastThe pilgrimage monastery built around a spring at the tip of the Karpaz.
Agia Trias Basilicaabout 30 km westA three-aisled basilica of about 500 AD, its mosaic floor naming Heracleos.
Kantara Castleabout 61 km south-westThe mountain castle where defeated kings and barons took refuge time and again.