Livana Beach Huts, Karpaz, North Cyprus
Thinking of taking a complete break from the hustle and bustle? Do you fancy some time out where all you have to worry about is what book to read whilst lazing on the beach and what to have for dinner? We all need some relaxation and rejuvenation time and North Cyprus can offer both in bundles should you require it! All of this can also be achieved on a budget too, and we have reviewed one place which fits the bill perfectly.
Yes, you guessed right, this particular place is in the Karpaz region of North Cyprus, and whilst it takes just under three hours from Kyrenia for example, it’s well worth the journey of around 91 miles to get there. Everyone who visits North Cyprus, as well as those of us who live here, should take the time to visit this environmentally diverse and peaceful place – it is the true old Cyprus and long may it remain this way!
The place which we chose to stay at this time was Livana Hotel & Bungalows which is located just to the south east of the main village of Dipkarpaz. You can’t miss it actually as you will drive into the village and then take a right heading south which takes you up to northern tip of the peninsula along the coast road. Livana can be found right on the beach some fifteen minutes from Dipkarpaz.
The accommodation we chose to stay in may not be everybody’s cup of tea, as this is the most basic of accommodation in North Cyprus – that is huts on stilts which are slap bang on the beach itself. The only electric switch is for your light, so don’t go expecting a mini bar, hairdryer or any other modern day appliance! It is basic at its best though, with 13 huts available but also if you really don’t want to stay in one of those then there is a main building with apartments too.
Each hut has a double and single bed, complete with much appreciated mosquito nets, sheets and blankets. You do have running water though so that’s a plus (!) and the washing and toilet facilities are located on the bottom floor of your hut. There is also a restaurant and bar too, so you needn’t really leave at all should you wish to be really lazy during your stay.
The staff are lovely, although the owner Mustafa was not around during our stay as he was working in Dipkarpaz – obviously an additional income is required as pretty much everyone has more than one job in this area. One lovely and super efficient lady seemed to run the show, preparing the accommodation, cleaning, and running the reception area.
Livana has its own little stretch of beach too, and we tended to just spend our days on the sun-loungers provided, although we did venture out and about to other beaches a few times. It doesn’t take long to get to more of the best beaches in North Cyprus and both Golden Beach and Turtle Beach can be reached within 15 minutes. Accommodation such as Burhans, Tekos and Hasans Turtle Beach are also available around this area so take your pick! If you really wanted to explore then there are plenty of ruins to visit – check our places of interest in Karpaz article for more information. It’s only another 10 minutes to get to the Apostolos Andreas Monastery where you can really experience the history of Cyprus.
We have to say though that one of the best parts of the day was breakfast and dinner! As most of you know it can be very tiring sunbathing all day, interspersed with the odd dip in the sea to cool off a bit, so hunger pangs needed to be dealt with. The food at Livana was very good indeed and all freshly prepared. Breakfast is included in the price and is plentiful with typical traditional Cypriot breakfast of bread, jam, eggs, tomatoes, cucumber and olives. Dinner however is extra but you can choose from a wide variety of grilled fish and meat dishes and there is plenty of it too! Prices for dinner are reasonable, and you can have a dinner and meal for two with drinks for 60TL per evening.
The stay at Livana was really very nice and we came away feeling totally at one with life and nature – funnily enough talking about nature, we had the pleasure of donkeys visiting too, but instead of waking us up in the middle of night making sandcastles on the beach it would have been nice to have them visit during the day! Oh and we must not forget to mention watching the gorgeous sunset, star gazing from our hut and the waking up and going to sleep with the sound of the sea at our doorstep – heaven!
If you fancy a stay at Livana, you can contact them on +90 (0)533 846 0934 or +90 (0)392 372 2396. Prices for two based on the hut accommodation was 80TL per hut per night with breakfast included. Perhaps a tip though too, if you can’t do without a morning cuppa before breakfast, and you are able to, take a little camping stove and stop off in Dipkarpaz to get provisions! For more information on budget hotels in North Cyprus visit this link or browse our Hotels in North Cyprus section for a more broader view of all types of accommodation available.