Please note that you're entering Schengen via an "unofficial route", so in case you're not an EU national make sure you exit the same way or might find trouble exiting.

There is considerable misinformation in this thread. The Republic of Cyprus treats ECN as an illegal entry point to the island. While there is nothing the authorities can do to prevent EU citizens crossing the border, they frequently deny entry to non-EU passport holders. For sure, anyone who is black, Arab or is Turkish without a TRNC identity card will be turned back. If you need to do business in the RoC and are not an EU citizen, do not tempt fate - fly in through PFO or LCA!

The Republic of Cyprus is not and probably never will be a member of Schengen. Non-EU nationals are asking for trouble trying to enter the Republic of Cyprus via ECN. Exiting via ECN is absolutely no problem.

Yeah sorry, I relied on a erroneous source. Your message is exactly what I meant to say.

Americans are fine. Its just a pain in the ... figuring how to get a car over.

Having lived in Cyprus before and travelled between North and South on several occasions, I would strongly recommend you against trying to find a direct transfer/taxi from ECN to Ayia Napa.

Not only is it illegal for taxis from either side to cross the border to the other side, your taxi ride would be extremely expensive as crossing the border with a car requires the driver to purchase additional one-off insurance, which needless to say would be added to your final bill.

Instead, I'd recommend you to take a taxi from ECN to Nicosia, cross the border on foot and then take another taxi from there to Ayia Napa. It sounds complex - I know - but in reality it's a piece of cake and will save you not only money and headache but likely even time.

I would recommend Pacific Rentals in Kyrenia as detailed above. They are always helpful.

If you are an EU citizen ignore the scaremongering about flying in to Ercan and crossing the border. IME the Greeks rarely take any notice at all.

Any update on the border crossing situation? I'm looking at flying into LCA from LHR, and then on to HTY from ECN; and then doing the reverse on the return (assuming I'm able to get a Turkish visa on a US passport in advance of the trip). How much time do I need between flights? Is a special visa needed for the TRNC?

Provided you have a record of arrival at LCA your intermediate journey shouldn't be a problem as you will depart from and arrive back to ECN and then make an internal border crossing back to leave the island through LCA.

Look here for the Turkish visa - you'll soon know whether you can get one or not: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

Thanks, I won't be getting an eVisa for this trip, I have an appointment at the Turkish consulate next month. How about the border crossings; any difficulty going from Roc > TRNC > Turkey > TNRC > Roc?

You really shouldn't have a problem with the border crossings. These days many people cross it every day. They vary a bit in formality - Ledra Street in the middle of Nicosia is probably the busiest with tourists just wandering between parts of the city. In a car I usually use Metehan/Agios Dometios (same place but everywhere has a Turkish and Greek name) there's little formality there either but as above provided you initially entered the island through Larnaca there should be no problem.

I disagree with this advice. If you initially enter Cyprus with a US passport through LCA and then travel to the TRNC, the permission to re-enter the ROC is annulled by then travelling to Turkey. There is a strong risk of being denied entry to the ROC at the Nicosia checkpoint.

That's not my experience.

There is a 'risk' of being turned back at any border however it almost never happens and a US citizen in Cyprus is on pretty safe ground.

You are unfortunately not correct. The Foreign Ministry of Cyprus has recently tightened up checks and groups of tourists from Lebanon, Israel and Russia have been denied entry to the ROC when it became evident that they were intending to travel to the TRNC. Passport checks at the Green Line in Nicosia have also been tightened recently and the ROC police are even examining the identity documents of passengers in Cyprus-registered cars which was not done previously. Anyone not holding an EU passport is subject to special checks and, if the police find recent Turkish entry stamps, the result will be certain denial of entry. As someone who has crossed the border around 500 times to visit relatives, I know what I am talking about.

I agree with @johnirvine. I visited Cyprus in May and crossed over to the TRNC - definitely more than just a cursory view of my passport and they were definitely on the look out for questionable visas. If you must do this trip, I would head to Turkey via ATH because the RoC authorities would definitely flag the lack of an exit visa.