Brava Island, the small place sheltered from tourism -

KM² (KM²)

POPULATION (K)

Brava, where everything is small, spectacular and little explored place, with stunning views of the neighboring island of Fogo.

A unique opportunity to get to know this small island with great geological attractions and full of historical curiosities where we will enjoy the impeccable treatment of its local population.

Brava

A small place sheltered from tourism

Brava Island

It is the most secret and sheltered of the Cape Verde islands: a volcanic crater hides its village, a rough sea surrounds its land and strong winds prevent comfortable landings by plane; proof of this is the small airport that has been closed for years. That is why this island is called Brava Island. Despite being barely 20km from its neighboring island of Fogo, it is far from being a tourist attraction and therefore becomes a very, very authentic island. Since the arrival of whaling ships from the United States in the 19th century, this island has a curious American influence with some words adapted in the Creole language. Some Americans found on the island of Brava, an ideal place to retire, and due to the good treatment received by the local population, you can feel like your presence is the tourist attraction and not the other way around.

HIGHEST POINT (M)

KM OF FOGO

LARGEST ISLAND

Brava Island

Entrance doors & Transportation

Access to the island of Brava is only by ferry. It departs from Sao Filipe (Fogo) with a frequency of 2/3 times per week.

In terms of ground transportation, the best option for getting around the island are private 4×4 cars.

Sal in data

Km2 of surface area

6500

Inhabitants residing on the island

976

The meters of Monte Fontainhas, the highest point of the mountain

Km separating them from Fogo

9ª

Largest island of the archipelago

History

Despite having no active volcanoes, the island of Brava is geologically attractive like its neighbor Fogo; the channel that connects them is located only about 100 meters under the sea. Discovered in 1462 and inhabited in 1573 by fishermen from Madeira and the Azores, we can see today that they did not contribute to the slave trade by contemplating the lighter skin tones of its inhabitants. As we have already mentioned, the strong presence of North Americans who saw in the island of Brava, a good enclave for their whaling expeditions, established strong ties with the island. Between rainy seasons and devastating droughts, the population of Brava Island has fluctuated from a few hundred in the early days to 10,000 in the 1960s; currently the population is about 6,500.

Biodiversity

The island is sheltered by a rough sea, strong winds and a fog that often covers its small capital.

Although the island of Brava does not contain any of the 47 protected areas in Cape Verde, we can find the protected reserve of Ilhéus do Rombo. Up to 24 species are known, of which the Cape Verde Warbler stands out. In the valleys of Faja d’Agua and Lomba, there are mischievous monkeys or wild goats that eat fruit crops. In addition, during the whale transit season, groups of dolphins can also be observed. At the plant level we can find Plumeiras, bougainvilleas and Jasmine, as well as the Dragon Trees planted in Vila Nova Sintra. On the island of Brava it is not uncommon to see heavy rainfall between the months of June and September.

Vila Nova Sintra - The Capital

Named after the Portuguese town of Sintra, the capital of the island of Brava sits 520m above sea level. With the imposing Fogo volcano on the horizon. It is usual for the capital to be surrounded by a humid haze, but on clear days you can even see the inhabitants of the neighboring island doing their chores. The city, lined with cobblestone streets lined with almond trees and bougainvillea, has a lot of life combined with a calm rhythm of the population. The presence and colorfulness of flowers is noticeable in the Portuguese-style houses, providing a pleasant sensation when walking through its squares.

Other locations

Fadja d’Agua: isolated fishing village on the southwest coast of the island. Quiet and authentic atmosphere
Fontainhas: highest peak of the island with 360° views

Much more in:

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Experiences in Brava

In terms of activities, we recommend hiking. Despite being a small island with not extremely high peaks, it has several circular routes, many of them starting in the capital itself.

From the sea we can contemplate the beauty of the island with a boat tour. For those who want to see the island by car, half a day is more than enough to visit it. Finally, in terms of bathing, the island of Brava would not be the most suitable to enjoy the beaches, but still has some lagoons and natural pools with charm.

Experiences