Esentepe, meaning windy hill, is a hilltop village and coastal area east of Kyrenia in North Cyprus. It is best known for the Korineum Golf & Country Club, the first 18-hole course on the island, along with its beaches and its position near Alagadi turtle beach and Buffavento Castle. It suits golf, beach and a quieter pace.
Esentepe, whose name means windy hill, is a village and coastal area on the north coast east of Kyrenia. The original village sits up on a hillside with wide views over the coast and the Beşparmak mountains, a traditional place of local restaurants, small shops and quiet streets. Below and around it, the name now also covers a stretch of coast running for several miles, developed with beaches, resorts and one of the island's best-known golf resorts.
Esentepe's headline attraction is the Korineum Golf & Country Club, home to the first 18-hole golf course in North Cyprus. Set among olive and carob trees in the foothills, with the mountains behind and the sea in front, it has a championship-standard course along with a beach club, restaurants and a spa, all open to non-residents. This has made Esentepe the natural home of golf holidays on the island.
Beyond the golf, the area has good beaches, including a public sandy beach with a bar and restaurant, and the Korineum beach club. Esentepe's real advantage, though, is its position. It sits within easy reach of Alagadi turtle beach, a protected nesting site to the west, and below the mountain castle of Buffavento, while the wild Karpaz Peninsula begins not far to the east.
Quieter and more spread out than the busy western resorts, Esentepe suits travellers after golf, beaches and a relaxed pace with room to breathe. Kyrenia is around 25 to 30 minutes west for its harbour, shops and wider choice of restaurants, making Esentepe an easy base for the eastern part of the Kyrenia coast.
Esentepe's best-known draw is the Korineum Golf & Country Club, the island's first 18-hole course, with a beach club, spa and restaurants open to visitors. The coast offers a public sandy beach with a bar and restaurant, plus quieter stretches nearby for swimming. The hilltop village itself is worth a wander for its views, local restaurants and traditional feel. Esentepe's position is a bonus: it sits close to the protected Alagadi turtle beach to the west, below the mountain castle of Buffavento, and within reach of the Karpaz Peninsula to the east, making it a good base for exploring the eastern coast.
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More ideas: Things to Do in Esentepe, North Cyprus
Esentepe offers a mix of golf and beach resorts, boutique hotels and a growing number of villas and holiday homes spread along the coast and around the village. The area suits those wanting a quieter, more spacious base with golf and beaches close by rather than a busy resort strip. Kyrenia's wider choice of hotels is around half an hour west. Prices range from modest to premium.
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Dining in Esentepe ranges from restaurants at the golf resort and along the coast to traditional local eateries up in the hilltop village. The setting, between mountains and sea, gives many places wide views, and the pace is relaxed. It is an easy area for a leisurely lunch after golf or the beach, or a quiet evening meal with a view.
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Esentepe's coast has a public sandy beach with a bar, restaurant and sunbeds, along with the Korineum beach club and quieter stretches of shore nearby. The beaches here are calmer and less crowded than the busy western resorts, backed by the mountains and open coast. A short drive west lies Alagadi, a protected turtle nesting beach, well worth a visit with care during the nesting season.
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Esentepe lies on the coast east of Kyrenia, roughly a 25 to 30 minute drive from the town and about 45 minutes from Ercan Airport. A hire car is the practical way to reach it and to explore the spread-out coast, golf resort and nearby sights such as Alagadi and Buffavento. The area is more spread out than the western villages, so having your own transport makes a real difference to getting around.
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Spring and autumn are ideal in Esentepe, with mild weather good for golf, walking and the beaches, and the countryside at its greenest in spring. High summer is hot and best for beach days, with the sea warm well into autumn, though the turtles nest along the nearby coast in the warmer months, so Alagadi should be treated with care then. Winters are mild and quiet, and the golf course stays open, making it a year-round destination.
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Part of the Kyrenia (Girne) area
Last updated: 31 August 2026
Yes, especially for golf and a quieter beach base. It has the island's first 18-hole golf course, good beaches, and an excellent position near Alagadi turtle beach and Buffavento Castle.
Esentepe means windy hill in Turkish. It is a hilltop village and coastal area on the north coast, around 25 to 30 minutes east of Kyrenia.
The Korineum Golf & Country Club, the first 18-hole course in North Cyprus, along with its beaches and its position near Alagadi turtle beach and Buffavento Castle.
Yes. There is a public sandy beach with a bar and restaurant, the Korineum beach club, and quieter stretches nearby, with the protected Alagadi turtle beach a short drive west.
Around a 25 to 30 minute drive east along the coast, making it an easy base for the eastern part of the Kyrenia coast.