The extensive biodiversity of Cyprus can be enjoyed by a visit to the Akamas, a large nature reserve on the peninsula that forms the northwest corner of the island. There, a network of trails allows you to see a succession of plant habitats. Along the seashore, look for the yellow flowers of Pafos dandelions emerging from rocky crags and rare sea daffodils blooming on sandy beaches. Inland from the beach, you are likely to encounter dry lowlands containing shrubs less than one metre high: clusters of thorny burnet and Grecian fleabane are interspersed with herbs such as thyme and sage. Climb further from the sea and you will enter a zone known as the maquis; the scrubby vegetation here includes leafy evergreen lentisk and yellow-blossomed prickly broom along with wild olive, carob, and rock rose. Higher yet you will find groves of Phoenician juniper and forests of Cypress trees. The region also includes pastures covered with perennial bulbs and annual wildflowers. Near streams and springs, look for oleanders and other water-loving plants. Spring is the best time to see wildflowers, though some species bloom in the Fall and Winter. Of the more than six hundred plants found in the Akamas, about forty species are endemic—they are found nowhere else in the world. The two main entrances to the Akamas are at Lara Bay (about twenty minutes by car from Pafos) and the Baths of Aphrodite (about one hour); the latter has a botanical garden at its entrance.
