# CYPRUS Island (information) stay: 13/Oct/2006 ..16/Oct/2006 Note; I added info at the end of this page. It is about the ferry between Mersin (TURKEY) and Gazimagusa (TRNC), Gazimagusa town, Green Line, Larnaka town and so on. Let' go to the end of this page! ## General View --------- Be careful of the ferry between CYPRUS and ISRAEL. Read 'ferry' at 'Border' chapter as follows. The north area is under TURKISH control? (TRNC). You can go there easily but you don't ask CYPRUS people about this area. Because they regard the area as having been invaded by the Turk. They can speak English. We Japanese tourists don't need visa. TOP ## Economy --------- $10=4.6072 Cyprus Pound (CYP) ATM for VISA are many. TOP ## Town --------- ### in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) This area is under Turkish control. The currency is Turkish Lira. ATM is trading Turkish Lira only. You can use Cyprus Pound Note, too. But no one accepts the Cyprus Pound Coins. Everything is same as TURKEY mainland here. Needless to say the prices are cheaper than CYPRUS. #### Green Line (border between CYPRUS and TRNC) There's nothing dangerous. You don't have to worry about anything. Many people come and go. But there seems to be no public transport crossing the line. People are crossing by there own vehicle. (CYPRUS side) There's no control of CYPRUS. So you cannot get a stamp, arrival and leaving of CYPRUS here. Everything is your own responsibility when you go to CYPRUS from TRNC. (TRNC side) Your passport and insurance will be checked at the control. They don't stamp on your passport but on a paper (visa) of TRNC. You must keep it until leaving TRNC. You need to buy a new insurance covered TRNC. The insurance in CYPRUS doesn't cover TRNC. The minimum is 5 CYP for 3 days for motorcycle (You can pay Turkish Lira, too). TOP ## Border --------- #### Lemesos (entry from ISRAEL); (ISRAEL side) No money is charged (The ferry ticket may include everything). (CYPRUS side) insurance (minimum); 50?/month, shipping company commission; 43.7?, bounded warehouse charge; 4/day, port tax?; 3+13.5 The insurance and commission fee are doubtful because there was a fraud agency. #### Ferry; Haifa (ISRAEL) - Lemesos (CYPRUS) CAUTION! Be careful of the following agencies! They seems to be fraud agencies. (ISRAEL side) A. ROSENFELD SHIPPING LTD. (shipping agents) 104 Haatzmaut Rd., Haifa 33411 ISRAEL TEL. 972-4-8613613 (CYPRUS side) SALAMIS SHIPPING SERVICES LTD 124 Fr. Roosevelt Ave. 3781 Lemesos-CYPRUS TEL. +357-258-99999 (details) At Israel side, the agency, ROSENFELD sold a ticket of the cargo ferry 200 euro including motorcycle shipping. They said, 'Only today, you can buy a ticket with a special discount price. Next week it will be the normal expensive price.' And they guaranteed that there was no cost anymore after the arrival at Cyprus. I confirmed many times strongly about this. I found '135 euro' written on the ticket and I asked them why. However, they got angry screaming only. After arrival, the Cyprus side agency, SALAMIS required another 200 euro! (Exactly they change the price every time when I asked and rose up 200 euro finally. But I checked the handling charge of Salamis secretly. It seemed to be 43.70 CYP for motorcycle. That was less than $100!) I insisted that ROSENFELD (ISRAEL side agency) sold the ticket including everything. But He (SALAMIS, CYPRUS side) answered 'ROSENFELD often mistakes about it. I have to call his attention again...' His talk was as if it had prepared beforehand. SALAMIS (The Cyprus side agency) kept my passport and customs documents, so I could not help paying. They also have another stratagem. When we discussed at Cyprus, even though it was lunchtime, they said that today was so late, everything was tomorrow. Then they gave me a room for the night (I confirmed it was free). The next day was Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the customs was close. The agent came to me again in the evening of the Friday. It's almost the close time of the customs. So he took a resolute attitude and demanded the money. In addition, he required the hotel charge, too. That was about twice as many charge as actual hotel charge! I asked the all detailed statement, but he rejected it. (End) There seemed to be only one cargo ferry. Even though you get a ticket from another agency, if the ship name is 'TRADER I' and shipping company name is 'Salamis,' you may fall into the same situation. Moreover, the insurance in Cyprus was very expensive. The minimum was $100 and a little (50CYP) per month. There was a big possibility that Salamis had a wide profit margin. I recommend you never visit CYPRUS by your vehicle. #### Keryneia (Girme) (leaving for TURKEY mainland); (TRNC side) No money is charged (The ferry ticket includeｓ everything). The customs' document will be checked which you received on your entry. If you came here from CYPRUS, you received it at the port customs in CYPRUS. The document will be also checked at TURKEY mainland customs. (Turkey mainland side) tax; 8YTL, insurance; 25YTL/year, The customs document will be checked. It took half a day for the clearance. No one can understand English at the port. So you may have troubles at the customs. #### Ferry; Keryneia (CYPRUS Island) - Tasucu (TURKEY) note; Turkish people say 'Girme' as 'Keryneia' (Slow Ferry); (person) 66 YTL or 21 CYP, (motorcycle) 60 YTL or 20 CYP (departure) Mon..Fri; every 1200 (noon), Mon & Fri; 2400 (midnight) / 6 hours non-reserved reclining seats only (Fast Ferry); (person) 71 YTL or 23 CYP (Maybe no vehicle transport) (departure) everyday 930 / 2 hours The port tax 19.05 YTL is including above the charge. Don't forget to receive the tax receipt. You can buy the ticket at the port. There are two ticket offices but almost same price. Credit card is acceptable, though when I visited the system was down. The fare is based on YTL. CYP price is estimated at the current price. You need Turkish Lira at customs in TURKEY mainland. I recommend you to prepare for some Turkish Lira in TRNC. There are banks and ATM in TRNC. Be careful! ROSENFELD (ferry agency in ISRAEL, refer to 'ferry (Haifa-Lemesos)') traded this ferry ticket, too. The ticket was $100! (maybe the slow ferry ticket). All seats are non-reserved. There's no merit to buy such an expensive ticket from them. TOP ## Road --------- pavement TOP ## GPS (download)--------- Read Me First! israel-cyp-turkey.gdb (for GARMIN 'Map Source' file) israel-cyp-turkey.rtf (GPS eXchange format file) You need to rename the file! israel-cyp-turkey.kmz (for 'Google Earth' file) / Google Earth Photo Jerusalem (ISRAEL) - CYPRUS - Tasucu (TURKEY) plain text (html) #### route & track; Jerusalem (ISRAEL) - CYPRUS - Tasucu (TURKEY) TOP ## additional info --------- 2007/Apr/19 .. 2007/May/01 stay again; ferry; Mersin (TURKEY) - Gazimagusa (Famagusta) (TRNC) Mersin port; (leaving for Gazimagusa) (departure) every Mon., Wed., Fri. 2000 passenger; (one way) 60YTL, (return ticket) 115YTL motorcycle; (one way) 60YTL (no return ticket) Some officers can speak English at the port. The customs officer left a job half done often. When I left Mersin, they forgot their job and the customs had been close. So I couldn't get on the ferry on that day. When I came back from Gazimagusa, they forgot their job again. Many drivers were waiting for the customs officer when we arrived from Gazimagusa. Gazimagusa port; (arrival from Mersin) For vehicle, you need a car insurance. You can buy it there. insurance for motorcycle; (1 month, minimum) 49 YTL, (3 months) 77YTL They didn't know that the minimum was 1 month. You should insist that the minimum is one month. (leaving for Mersin) (departure) every Sun., Tues., Thur., 2030 port tax; (person)20YTL I found some agency for the ferry ticket in the town. You should check the ticket price including the tax or not. But it seems to be possible to buy the ticket at the port (60 +tax20). I had the return ticket for Mersin, but I had to pay the tax when I left Gazimagusa. in the ferry; non-reserved reclining seat, kiosk, TV beer; 3YTL, tea; 0.5YTL Lemesos (CYPRUS) - Piraeus (GREECE) Lemesos port; (leaving for Piraeus) all ferries are only summer season (25/May..) in case 'Luis Cruise Lines' every Friday (passenger) 11.5CYP +tax27CYP, (motorcycle) 40CYP +tax20CYP Total: 202CYP (=about 367euro, 481USD) in case 'Salamis Cruise Lines' cargo boat to GREECE (all season?) (motorcycle) 100CYP +tax50CYP I didn't check the passenger's ferry boat charge. ferry company (Lemesos); Louis Cruise Lines sales@louiscruises.com / www.louiscruises.com Tel. 357-25-57-00-00 Salamis Cruisae Lines ShipsReservation@salamis-tours.com / www.salamis-tours.com Tel. 357-25-86-00-00 Paradise Cruises cruises@paradise.com.cy / www.paradise.com.cy (close?) Tel. 357-25-36-90-00 They don't reply the E-mail. Calling is better. There seemed to be only the above three ferry companies in CYPRUS. Needless to say, I never recommend you 'Salamis.' ### Gazimagusa (Famagusta) (TRNC) HOTEL KOSK (inside of the castle wall) D10, S15, W20 / shared toilet & hot shower, shared duty kitchen (stove, refrigerator), shared TV, public? free parking area is in front of the hotel One staff can speak English. HOTEL TABYA (inside of the castle wall) S35, W50, W60(+AC) / private toilet & shower, including breakfast At the backside, they have a private parking with a gate. HOTEL PORTOFiNO (near the port) room50 / credit card acceptable This is gorgeous. You may park your vehicle at the yard (not sure). (camping site) (out of the town) I found a private camping site. It's only for the private members. When I asked to stay, they gave me the special permission to stay free. along 'Salamis Rd.' is popular. petrol; 1.9..2.0/L, OTHELLO TOWER (admission); 4YTL, strawberry (1 pile); 1.5YTL, restaurant; 6YTL..., Raki (Turkish liquor) (350 ml); 3YTL petrol and Raki are cheaper than TURKEY. many ATM, card acceptable at many shops #### Internet; 1..1.5YTL/h / 1 YTL net-cafe is not good, because the line is slow. ### Cape Apostolos Andreas (TRNC) The northeast point of CYPRUS island. about 130 km from Gazimagusa. ## Green Line (between Gazimagusa and Larnaka) 7 km? from Gazimagusa TRNC passport control only. UN control is also there, but normally they don't check anything. Your passport (entry stamp of TRNC) will be checked only. There's no control of CYPRUS side. entry from CYPRUS side to TRNC; Your passport and insurance will be checked at TRNC side control. You can buy the insurance there. insurance for motorcycle; (3 days, minimum) 10CYP (30?YTL) note1; Many people are passing the Green Line by car. Rental car seems to be popular. You don't have to worry about passing the line. TRNC officer and UN officer said there's no serious problem to enter CYPRUS without CYPRUS entry stamp, if you have an TRNC entry stamp. But if you entry from TRNC and left CYPRUS for another country by air or boat, you should confirm it exactly. note2; You can stay in TRNC for 1 month. If you leave TRNC for CYPRUS and come back on the same day, it doesn't become another new one month, no reset of your TRNC stay. Your embarkation/disembarkation data is controled in their computer network. ### Larnaka (CYPRUS) There's a port, but not for passengers. Ferry port is only Lemesos in CYPRUS. Forest Beach Camping (along B3, between Larnaka and Green Line) It was close when I visited in April. Some Diving Centre are around there. Larnaka Tourist Beach (The C.T.O public beach) (along B3, between Larnaka and Green Line) The sign says "camping" but when I visit, they said no camping. In summer, possible?? parking area, toilet & shower, restaurant, beach petrol; (95)0.548CYP/L, (98)0.564CYP/L, Internet; 1CYP/h ************************************************************ (End) (English Home) http://www.seagulljapan.info/index2.html / (Japanese Home) http://www.seagulljapan.info/index.html All Rights Reserved: (c) seagull (seagulljapan@gmail.com) Copying is free as far as my copyright is specified. That's welcome to leave the copy at accommodations.