Is Cyprus Safe? Health and Safety for Visitors

Cyprus has a reputation as a safe and friendly destination, and the official tourism portal says so too, while reminding visitors that basic precautions still apply. This page collects what Visit Cyprus publishes on emergencies, healthcare, water, boats and road safety so you can find it quickly. It is general information, not medical advice: for your own health needs, talk to your doctor and your insurer before you travel.

Emergency and useful numbers

The Visit Cyprus page also lists the telephone numbers of the regional hospitals and the automatic night-pharmacy recordings for each district. Check it for the number you need before you travel, as numbers can change.

Healthcare

• How it works: Visit Cyprus says care is provided through government general hospitals and private clinics and hospitals, with health centres and dispensaries in rural areas.
• Language: most doctors can converse in English, while nursing staff speak a range of languages, according to the same page.
• Emergencies: all government general hospitals and some private clinics have accident and emergency departments.
• Insurance: holidaymakers can use health insurance that covers medical expenses, provided it covers the length of their stay.
• Private doctors: weekday visiting hours are 09:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00.
• Hotels: most hotels arrange medical services for guests on request.
• Health risks: Visit Cyprus says the island is free from dangerous infectious diseases and that no vaccinations are required for international travellers.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are marked with a green cross. Visit Cyprus says almost all brands of medicine are available and that medicine is sold on presentation of a doctor's prescription. Night and weekend pharmacies are listed in the daily papers and online, and by the night-pharmacy numbers above.

Visit Cyprus also says some pharmacies stay open late at night, until 22:00 in winter and 23:00 in summer, and some open on weekends and public holidays.

Food and water

Visit Cyprus says the safety of food and drinking water is monitored by health inspectors and local authorities, and describes both as of high quality and safe. If you have a sensitive stomach or a specific medical condition, ask your hotel or doctor what they advise.

At sea: boat trips, jet skis and swimming

Visit Cyprus publishes safety advice for sea trips. The main points are below.

• Coastal passenger cruise: before boarding, check the vessel has a valid certificate. If the crew does not demonstrate the lifesaving equipment, you have the right to insist on it.
• Swimming: do not swim after eating or drinking alcohol, and avoid jumping into the sea from the upper decks or unsuitable springboards.
• On the boat: stay seated when it moves at high speed, follow the skipper's instructions and tell someone your intended return time.
• Hiring a speed boat or jet ski: do not hire one after drinking alcohol, use an authorised watersports facility, check that it holds a valid licence and have its operation fully demonstrated before you set out.
• Licences: if you do not hold a powerboat operator's licence, you and the owner must both sign the binding declaration.
• Life jackets: everyone on a speed boat or jet ski must stay seated and wear a life jacket of at least 100N buoyancy.
• Keep clear of swimmers: navigate outside the marked bathers' area.
• Engine trouble: drop anchor to limit drift, then call the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre or the nearest Marine Police Station on VHF channel 16 or 1441.
• Parasailing and similar: make sure the boat and equipment have a valid circulation licence and the operator holds a valid operator's licence.

On the road and on foot

Traffic drives on the left, seat belts are compulsory front and back, and hands-free is mandatory. Visit Cyprus gives the full rules, and we summarise them in driving in Cyprus. Children must use the restraint appropriate for their weight. Pedestrians must not enter motorways, and where there is no pavement they should walk on the right side of the road, facing oncoming traffic.

Heat and sun

Summer temperatures are high and the sunshine is strong, as the official climate figures in Cyprus in summer show. Our own advice, not an official statement: carry water, wear sun protection and avoid strenuous walks in the middle of the day. Trail conditions and closures are on the Visit Cyprus trail pages, summarised in best hikes in Cyprus.

Contacting your embassy

Visit Cyprus points to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for contact details of foreign embassies and high commissions in Cyprus.

For wider planning, see the Cyprus travel guide and Cyprus public holidays and opening hours.