Enter the Buffer Zone of Cyprus and Explore a Divided Island

It’s not every day that a feral donkey sticks its head through your car window demanding to be fed, but in Karpaz, the remote easternmost peninsula of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, the encounter is a regular occurrence.

The donkeys are an artifact of the frozen conflict that partitioned the island, a former British colony, into two communities 50 years ago. Ethnic violence between the Greek Cypriot majority and the Turkish Cypriot minority erupted after the island achieved independence in 1960. In 1974, a Greek coup backed by a dictatorship in Athens deposed the Greek Cypriot president, Archbishop Makarios, with the aim of annexing Cyprus to Greece. Turkey responded with a devastating military invasion and sustained Turkish occupation of the northern part of the island. As Turkish Cypriots fled north and Greek Cypriot farmers retreated to the south, they abandoned their donkeys in the process, allowing the beasts of burden to roam free and accost the unsuspecting motorist.

For half a century, a buffer zone managed by the United Nations has split the island between the southern, Greek Cypriot-dominated Republic of Cyprus (now an EU member) and the northern part, which is officially known internationally as the “Turkish-occupied area.” To Turkish Cypriots, this region is known as the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” an unrecognized state whose claim is only endorsed by Turkey. However, 20 years ago, checkpoints opened between the two sides, allowing Cypriots and foreign visitors alike to cross the buffer zone for the first time since 1974.

Meanwhile, the island is only half the size of Connecticut. Its status as a European country and its proximity to Syria and Lebanon have long made Cyprus the meeting place of East and West. And within the two Cypruses are two distinct worlds — the picturesque, isolated region of Karpaz, and the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Limassol.

Northern Cyprus: The Romance of Karpaz

The journey to the wild donkeys begins in the Turkish Cypriot city of Famagusta, the Venetian-fortified port that Shakespeare depicted in Othello, filled with enchanting cathedrals-turned-mosques initially built by French crusaders. Just up the road are the Roman ruins of Salamis, one of the best-preserved ancient sites on the island, where intricate mosaics peek through abandoned archways.

Proceed northeast to the village of Dipkarpaz (literally — “bottom of Karpaz”). Despite the conflict, evidence of the Greek community remains. At the center of the village is the Rum Kahvesi, the Greek coffee house. (Rum, the Turkish word for “Roman,” reflects how the citizens of the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire referred to themselves for centuries as the inheritors of the Romans.) Take a “Cypriot” coffee here (i.e., Turkish or Greek coffee), before advancing into the untamed Karpaz.

Golden Beach, the biggest beach on the Karpaz Penninsula, is known for its crystal clear waters and beautiful views.

Photo: Nejdet Duzen / Adobe

The road here is pitted and worn, the better to dissuade the less committed traveler. One would do well to follow the driver ahead, who probably knows the potholes better. As the strip of farmland narrows between a dual range of low hills, one can catch glimpses of the Mediterranean on either side, revealing how narrow the strip of land has become.

Finally, arrive at Golden Beach, where the fine sand extends along a gorgeous cape and the crystal water shimmers, almost translucent. With hardly any services to speak of, this beach is quiet. It’s easy to lose one’s grip on time in this place, at the border between Europe and the Levant.

After taking a dip and some time to absorb the restorative powers of the ancient sun, continue along the road, past the aggressive donkeys (a sign reads “Beware of the Feral Donkey”), to witness the Apostolos Andreas Monastery. After the war, the Greek Orthodox holy site fell into decline, but a recent renovation effort by a team of art restorers, made up of members of both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities, has brought the historic monastery back to its former glory with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.N. Development Program.  

Just beyond, the final destination is Sea Bird, a rustic fish tavern at the edge of the sea. Sample the exquisitely fried bream, homemade fries, and arugula salad. This is the oasis at the edge of the island — the height of romance that remote Cyprus can offer.