Safety in Cyprus

Overall: The island is one of the calmer places in Europe for walking around on your own. Pickpocketing is rare, though leaving valuables unattended on a beach is still asking for trouble.

Sun: The real danger here is ultraviolet, not people. Between June and August you can burn in fifteen minutes, so sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat are not optional.

Driving: Left-hand traffic catches visitors out, particularly on roundabouts. Take roundabouts slowly and remember that priority works the other way round from what you are used to.

Tap water: What comes out of the tap is often desalinated and best avoided for drinking. Large bottles from a supermarket are cheap and simpler over a long trip.

The Green Line: The UN buffer zone in Nicosia is fenced and photographing military personnel there is firmly prohibited. Do not wander into the abandoned blocks, which can end in detention.

Sea urchins: They turn up on the wilder rocky beaches around Paphos. Rubber water shoes cost a few euros and prevent a painful end to a holiday.

Before you go: Check your own government's travel advisory, especially for the current rules on crossing to the north.

Cyprus is calm with low street crime, but the island has one well-known and expensive scheme.

Hostess bars in Limassol and Ayia Napa. The classic: a friendly woman strikes up conversation on the promenade and invites you for a drink at a bar nearby. Drinks are then ordered for her, the bill climbs into thousands of euros, and men appear at the exit to explain that it must be paid. Embassies and police alike know the scheme, and it has run for decades. The rule never changes: do not follow someone who approached you first.

Car hire. Claims for scratches and an "unfilled tank" on return are common. Film the car from every angle when you collect it, wheels and windscreen included.

Taxis. Meters are compulsory, but foreigners are offered a "fixed price". Apps operate in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.

Waterfront excursions. Boat trips and "jeep safaris" are sold by a dozen agencies with varying quality and insurance.

ATMs. Decline the machine's currency conversion.

Driving on the left. Cyprus is a former British colony and the wheel is on the right. This is the main cause of accidents involving tourists: roundabouts, pulling out of car parks, and the first turn of the morning. Drive slowly and deliberately on day one.

Drink-driving. The limit is 0.22 per mille and enforcement is active, particularly in resort areas at night.

Drugs. Cypriot law is among the harshest in the European Union: real prison terms for possession of even small amounts, cannabis included. The relaxed resort atmosphere is deceptive.

Photographing military sites. The island has many military zones: bases, the UN buffer zone, and installations of both communities. The no-camera signs are not decorative, and foreigners have been detained for filming.

Crossing to the north. The crossing points are open, but a car hired in the south is usually not insured in the north — insurance is bought at the crossing. The Republic of Cyprus regards entry to the island through northern airports and ports as unlawful.

Drones. Registration is required, and flights over military zones and the buffer strip are prohibited entirely.

Antiquities. Exporting archaeological objects is a criminal offence.

Vaccinations. None.

Water. Tap water is drinkable but desalinated and hard, with a distinctive taste. Many people drink bottled out of preference rather than necessity.

Heat. July and August reach 40°C and above, and Nicosia, lying inland in a basin, is hotter still. Dehydration and heatstroke are the main reasons an ambulance is called to a tourist.

Sun. UV is very high from May to September. People burn on day one, especially on the water.

The sea. The Mediterranean coast is generally calm, but the west around Paphos and Lara sees strong waves and currents. Follow the flags.

Healthcare. The public GESY system functions and emergency care is given to everyone. Private clinics in Limassol, Nicosia and Paphos are good, English is universal, and many doctors trained in Britain. Insurance is needed: without it, a consultation and tests cost serious money.

Emergency numbers: 112 and 199, both working in English.

Cyprus sits in the middle of the upper half of the Corruption Perceptions Index. Bribes are not taken from tourists.

Numbers. 112 and 199 for emergencies, both in English. English is understood almost everywhere on Cyprus, a legacy of the British period.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken and certificates for insurers issued. The process runs in English without particular difficulty.

Traffic police. Many speed traps, with fines for speed and seatbelts issued on the spot. Phone use at the wheel is enforced separately.

Bars and complaints. If a bar has run up your bill, approaching the police is worthwhile: the scheme is known on Cyprus and venues periodically lose their licences. Recovering money paid voluntarily by card is nonetheless close to impossible.

The buffer zone. Do not approach the line of division away from crossing points. UN peacekeepers and troops from both sides are stationed there.

Russian speakers. Cyprus has a large Russian-speaking community, and Russian is widely understood in Limassol, the police included.