Park Rest Journal — August 2026 · Editor's letter
Dear readers, August in Northern Cyprus is the month when the sea reaches 28°C and the day is built around morning and evening. Climate data gives about 35°C by day, 21°C at night, 12 hours of sunshine, next to no rain and a UV index in the 'very high' band. That is no reason to stay away; it is a reason to plan differently: beach before eleven and after five, museums and castles as soon as they open, dinner by the water once it is dark.
August also has its own reward. From late July to the end of September the hatchlings emerge from their nests on Alagadi beach near Kyrenia (Girne), and the volunteers of the turtle conservation project let visitors join the evening releases. In this issue we explain how to get there and which rules to follow.
Bear in mind that August is high season. Public holidays fall on 1, 25 and 30 August, the seafront restaurants and beach clubs fill by evening, and the popular sunbeds at Long Beach and Bafra are taken from the morning. Book your table, boat and dive ahead. Park Rest is still under construction and will welcome its first guests in 2028; in the meantime we keep building your guide to the island.
In this issue: when to come with children and how to escape the sun; how long to allow on the road from Kyrenia to the Karpaz; the sandy strip of Bafra and Iskele; ancient Soli and Vouni in the west; the fish restaurants of Boğaz; diving off Kyrenia; and daily life for those staying a month or longer.
Warmly, the Park Rest editorial team