Golden Beach

🏖️ Golden Beach, North Cyprus: Nature’s Untamed Paradise

What is Golden Beach?
Golden Beach (Turkish: Altınkum Plajı) is a pristine stretch of sand located on the Karpaz Peninsula in Northern Cyprus. Also called Nangomi Beach in Greek and sometimes referred to as “Fat Sand Beach” (Pashi Amos), it’s renowned for its wild beauty, minimal development, and important role in nature conservation.
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Key facts:
• Length & Geography: It extends around 3.9 kilometres, roughly from Galunopetra (Iyitaş) cape in the east to the area near Jyles cape to the south-west. Sand dunes behind the beach can go up to about 500 m inland in some parts, especially in the eastern section.

• Environment & Wildlife: The beach is a nesting ground for sea turtles (loggerhead and green turtles), especially in summer. It’s part of a protected natural area. Wild donkeys also roam the surroundings, adding to the feeling of being somewhere remote and undisturbed.

• Development & Conservation: In the past, there were bungalows, restaurants and other infrastructure directly on the beach. These have been removed following court rulings (e.g. 2016) to preserve the natural state. Now, the beach itself is basically free from built structures except for one restaurant on a hill overlooking the area.
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What to Expect When You Get There
Golden Beach is not your typical resort beach. It’s wild, open, and largely untouched.

• Amenities: Very minimal. After removal of earlier structures, there are few, if any, beachfront facilities. The one restaurant up on the hill overlooks the beach. No permanent cluster of sunbeds/umbrellas or large cafés directly on the sand. Bring your own shade, food, water.

• Shade & Comfort: The beach is exposed. Trees are sparse or non-existent, especially closer to the shoreline. So: sun protection is essential.

• Sea & Sand: The sand is fine and golden, the water clear, generally calm and shallow near shore which makes it suitable for swimming and families. The terrain into the sea is gentle.

• Crowds and Vibe: Very tranquil. It’s mostly visited by nature lovers, people wanting to escape from development, and those who appreciate being off the beaten path. Even in high season it doesn’t get packed like resort beaches. Often you’ll feel you more or less have large stretches to yourself.
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Things to Do & Nearby Highlights

Golden Beach isn’t just sunbathing. Here are some things to combine with your visit:

• Turtle Watching: Because of its role as a nesting beach, there are protected zones during turtle nesting season. Be respectful.

• Hiking & Walking: Walk the shoreline, explore the dunes, enjoy sunrise or sunset. The natural surroundings are peaceful and beautiful.

• Visit Dipkarpaz & Apostolos Andreas Monastery: The nearby village of Dipkarpaz has rustic charm, local food, simple guesthouses; the Apostolos Andreas Monastery is a pilgrimage site and cultural touchpoint.

• Wildlife & Scenery: Along with turtles, wild donkeys, migratory birds, and local flora make this a good spot for nature observation or photography.
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When to Visit & Practical Tips
• Best Time of Year:
o Late spring (May-June): beaches are warm, vegetation is still green, few tourists.
o Early autumn (September-October): warm sea, pleasant weather.
o Summer can be very hot, especially midday without shade.
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• What to Bring:
o Sun protection: hat, sunscreen, umbrella or tent/shelter.
o Plenty of water and snacks (no guarantee of shops nearby).
o Good footwear if you plan to walk on dunes or rocky parts.
o Possibly snorkeling gear if you like swimming off shore.
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• Respect & Conservation:
o Don’t disturb turtle nests.
o No wild camping is officially permitted in the protected beach areas. Enforcement occurs at times.
o Carry out your trash. There is little infrastructure to clean up after many people.
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Why Golden Beach Is Special

• Its unspoiled beauty: no tourist resorts along its length, low impact development, minimal human footprint.

• Its sense of isolation and peace. If you want a place to disconnect, to listen to the waves and winds rather than traffic and music, this is it.

• Natural richness: turtles, wildlife, dunes, flora, birds. It is both beautiful and ecologically significant.

• Photogenic landscapes: sand meets sea, dunes backed by hills, dramatic skies at dawn/dusk.
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Should You Go?
If you love nature, peace, and authenticity over luxury resorts, Golden Beach is absolutely worth the trip. It’s not a place for someone who expects all‐inclusive service, constant shade, or extensive amenities, but for someone wanting something real, wild, and beautiful, it delivers.