Getting there: flights to North Cyprus
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Due to its international isolation anyone booking flights to North Cyprus will find themselves flying via mainland Turkey. While some see this as a 'hassle' (as it extends flight times considerably) others choose to make a virtue out of necessity by factoring in a 'city break' to their Mediterranean holiday. Flying to Istanbul and then buying an onward ticket to Cyprus' Ercan is also one way that savvy travellers can cut the cost of flying to North Cyprus (as you can pick up competitive fares on both legs).
The obligatory stopover takes journey times from five to seven hours and you may have to change aircraft. However, the whole 'experience' is normally fairly slick and stress-free. Most people visiting north Cyprus are on 'package deals' which can work out much cheaper than organising separate flights and accommodation. North Cyprus has remained unaffected by the European boom in low-cost flights and you're still going to have to pay pretty steep fares on all scheduled flights (until some kind of political settlement is agreed).
Ercan airport is functional, but its sparse facilities are unlikely to tempt you to linger. Customs procedures are quick and simple and you don't need to sort out a visa beforehand. Remember to get the Turkish officials to stamp your entry visa on a separate piece of paper (rather than in your passport) or you may not be visiting Southern Cyprus or Greece in the near future.
Once you've landed at Ercan airport you'll have to think about how you're going to get to your accommodation. The airport is located 20km south-west of Nicosia and you'll find a string of taxis queuing up outside the airport buildings (fares to Kyrenia should be between £15-20 and Famagusta £20-5). Package tourists will be bundled into waiting minibuses by their holidayreps; otherwise there are a number of car hire outfits to choose from.
If you're waiting at the airport prior to departure you can blow the last of your lira in a small duty-free shop, but you might want to wait until your stopover (as there's a wider variety of shops).
Cyprus Guide
