We had arrived late to Porto Furna, the home port of Brava Island, on the Kriola “Fast Ferry”. By the way, there was nothing fast about it. Immediately thereafter, we were hurriedly shuttled to Pension O Castelo, our accommodation on Brava Island. It is in the little town of Nova Sintra, sitting high up on the rim of the island. We were going to have to wait for the morning to commence our first day of hiking on Brava Island.
The moonlit views of Brava as we were being driven along a narrow cobblestone road, winding through the island’s lush forests, were enchanting.
We were greeted the next morning by Beto, our guide. He first took us through Nova Sintra, a charming town of white brick and stone, before leading us on the road heading upwards to the peaks of Brava.
If You Go Hiking on Brava, Beto Is Your Guy
Along the way, we met a woman carrying cheese into town for sale. Cheese is, quite possibly, the best-selling commodity on Cape Verde. We also encountered a little boy who followed us around and seemed quite pleased to have his photo taken.
That morning, we took a southeastern direction, entering the village of João d’Nole, a picturesque town with beautiful homes overlooking terraced orchards. Our walk continued on an easy climb upward, towards the Igreja Santa Antão. It is the church which serves the few surrounding towns, set into the mountain such that it seemed part of the landscape. There, the cobblestone road ended. It suddenly turned into a sandy, rolling path, leading into a lush, low forest of palms and ferns.
It had been a clear, sunny morning. However, as the day wore on, a fog as thick as a layer of clouds crept upon the island. The most dramatic of moments came as we passed a bend around the caldera, lit golden by shafts of sunlight, now quickly being enveloped by the fog. It was incredible, and we wished we had the equipment to do a time-lapse video of this happening. A layer of mist shrouded us and the lushness around. It felt as if we were the only ones on this whole earth.
Making Friends Is Easy on Brava Island
On the way back, we paused in the town of Cachaço, outside a small community school with whitewashed walls brightened by colourful murals. Two little girls were playing just outside. They approached me out of curiosity, asking for my name along with other personal details in Creole first, then French.
Between their meager English and my non-existent French, we managed to communicate our names, ages, and the number of siblings we each had.
The Best Way to End a Hike Is with a Great Meal
The trek eventually ended back in Nova Sintra, at a delightful little restaurant called “Luanda”, which served fresh-caught tuna along with other seafood. On the menu, we also found búzio, a traditional Cape Verdean dish made with sweet, meaty clams and soy sauce. After such a long walk, nothing felt quite as satisfying as a well-deserved meal. All in all, it was the perfect way to end our first day of hiking on Brava.
