Guide to BRAVA, Cape Verde ‘s blooming little island

Posted onAuthorRenata Green47 Comments

They say that Brava is the most beautiful of the Cape Verde islands.

View of the ocean from the island of Brava, Cape Verde
View of the ocean from the island of Brava, Cape Verde.

Actually, it’s a cute, small jewel in the middle of the ocean encircled by tiny islets. You can hike around the island in just a couple of hours. There are colorfully painted buildings, surrounded by pretty flowers…and pure serenity. 

From Island to Island

Travelling between the islands is not always that easy. It strongly depends on which route you choose. Brava, the smallest and southernmost of the inhabited islands, does not even have an airport.

Port of Brava
This is the Port of Brava at the little town of Furna on the island’s north coast. The picture was taken in the early morning when the clouds are still hanging very low over the island.

It’s a bit tricky to plan your Brava visit ahead because the ferry doesn’t go when the sea is too rough. So if you’re coming from Santiago, the best way is to plan a stay in Fogo and possibly go to Brava on short notice. Since there is not too much to do there, a stay of one or two days will be sufficient, anyway.

You can check out their schedule on their website, but stay flexible and avoid at any cost going to Brava at the end of your stay when you depend on reliable transport to an international airport.

Vila Nova Sintra

The ferry takes you to the port of Furna. There, disembarking in front of the massive mountain wall is one of the most impressive moments in Brava. Most travellers – thus on the ferry I took, I was the only tourist… – stay in Vila Nova Sintra, a romantic, picturesque place with adorable little houses lining charming narrow streets. To get here, you can take one of the Aluguers, the private taxis waiting at the port. Having your accommodation send an Aluguer for you is certainly a good option. A ride to Vila Nova Sintra should be around 6 €uro.

The central square of Nova Sintra
The central square of Nova Sintra, so to speak Brava’s capital.

Vila Nova Sintra – named, obviously, after Sintra in Portugal – is said to be the prettiest town in all of Cape Verde. I don’t know about that, but it is certainly very picturesque and well-maintained. Also, it deems a bit wealthier than other parts which is correct. As I pointed out in the main post, there are many Cape Verdians in the diaspora sending either money to the homeland or coming back to retire. Therefore, the old colonial houses were restored and kept in good condition.

The town’s very tranquil center is the Praça Eugénio Tavares with a statue of this island’s most famous son.

Eugénio Tavares on the 2000 Escudos bill
Eugénio Tavares and one of his romantic poems on the 2000 Escudos bill. Almost too precious to be spent…

The island is called Ilha das Flores – which translates to Isle of flowers – for a reason: It is gorgeous and overgrown with lush greenery and many…flowers.
You should cherish that by hiking.

Taking a Dip

If you want to take a dip in the inky-blue ocean, there are two natural pools next to the port of Furna.

View of the Ocean around the Island of Brava
Yes, the waters look calm, but there can be an unpredictable undercurrent.

However, the water can be unpredictable and dangerous with currents and big waves – so I would choose Brava rather for hiking and enjoying the beautiful plants – and the ocean just from afar.

Taking a Hike

I took the popular hike from Vila Nova Sintra crossing Nossa Senhora do Monte to Faja d’Água, which is a 6 kilometers respectively 4 miles hike.

Ocean seen from the island of Brava
Hiking on Brava takes you along the deep blue ocean….

It took me – including many photo stops of the breathtaking views – about two hours.

Path between two stone walls on the island of Brava
…..as well as through stoney couloirs…..

At Faja d’Água I walked the main – at the same time only – road up and down twice, passing kids whispering in awe turista to each other. So that gives you an idea of how many turistas they must have seen before.

View of Faja d'Água from above
….all the way to the other side of the island where Faja d’Água is located. From here, I took a communal transport – namely a pick-up – back to Vila Nova Sintra.

Before taking the ferry back to Fogo, I wanted to take another short hike up to João d’Nole.

Fog over the island of Brava
The foggy clouds are mysterious and fascinating – but can also be a bit dangerous.

In the afternoon there is a dense fog going down on Brava – within minutes you cannot see your hand before the eyes. The fog covers also the pavement, makes it all wet, and turns it into chutes.

Of course, I slipped and fell and landed in an unforeseen complicated yoga position and hurt my ankle really, really bad!
And I was still lucky that I didn’t rip all the ligaments in my knee from this ‘sporty’ position. So this teaches me – and hopefully you – to always wear adequate hiking shoes with a good grip sole.

Sunrise over Furna
The sun rises over Furna – welcoming another beautiful day in Cape Verde.

Practical Information on Brava

How to get there and around

As I explained above, not only is Brava an island that’s not accessible by plane, but also the ferry service to Fogo is limited. It also strongly depends on the weather conditions.

You can check the ferry schedule on this website, but stay flexible and avoid at any cost tight schedules at the end of your stay when you depend on reliable transport to an international airport.

There is no public transportation on the island of Brava. You can take a cab or an aluguer, a shared cab.

However, most of the time, you’ll be hiking, anyway.

Money

Another remnant from the Portuguese colonial times is the name of the local currency which is called – just like in Portugal until the installment of the €uro – Escudo respectively Escudo de Cabo Verde, abbreviated CVE. For 1 US$ you get 105 CVE, for a €uro 110 CVE (as per November 2022). You can check the current rate here.

Many hotels in Cape Verde decline credit cards due to the cost of clearance through Portugal. Sometimes, they accept some foreign currency like €uros, however, there usually is a disproportionate surcharge. Pre-payment of hotels, for instance, is therefore advisable. Credit cards are only accepted in the largest hotels and seldom at shops or restaurants.

In 2014, Banco Commercial do Atlântico installed the first ATM in the town of Fajã on Brava.

Language

As Cape Verde used to be a Portuguese colony, the official language is Portuguese, but people speak krioulo. This is a local patois and, like many dialects, differs a tiny bit even from island to island.

People on Brava do speak some English, but it is certainly helpful to have some basic knowledge of the local language.

Before my trip, I’d practiced using babbel. The first lesson is free and supplies you with the most important words to interact with people.

Where to Sleep

Since Brava is a bit off the beaten track, only a handful of suitable accommodations exists. You can check them out here*

Booking.com

I stayed at a small guest house in the heart of the town – namely Pensão Paulo Sena*.

View from the balcony at Pensão Paulo Sena on the island of Brava, Cape Verde
View from my balcony at Pensão Paulo Sena.

I stayed in a comfy room – a bit like spending the night at grandma’s. The breakfast was fine and the – pre-ordered – dinner just amazing. If you are rather into homey and quirky than into posh, I can really recommend it.

Where to Eat

Brava is still a pretty hidden gem so don’t expect there a main road lined with restaurants. I believe that your best option is to have a home-cooked meal at your accommodation. If that’s not an option, try Esplanada Sodadi, a cozy place right on the Praça Eugénio Tavares, the main square. However, do not expect either star cuisine or a very varied menu – by the way, anywhere on the islands.

Do you want to read about all the other beautiful islands I’ve visited in Cape Verde? Then go to the main post and take your pick!

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Note: I am completing, editing, and updating this post regularly – last in July 2022.

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47 Replies to “Guide to BRAVA, Cape Verde ‘s blooming little island”

  1. After going through a few of the articles on your blog, I honestly like
    your style of writing. I saved it as a favorite to my bookmark website
    list.

    Reply

    1. Wow, that’s a good – and difficult – question. Do they have kids? I always like to give something to the kids like nice watercolors or colorful pencils or something the like. Other than that, it really depends on the family and also a bit on their social status as there are people who have everything and people who are really poor. How about inviting them to a nice restaurant once you’re there?

      Reply

  4. This place looks very peaceful! Their Escudos bill makes me smile reading the poem on it. I might not spend it and just keep it as a souvenir!

    Reply

  7. Wow! These picture are breathtaking!!! Great tips for someone whose never been to that area of the world before. I’m adding it to my list.

    Reply

  11. This looks amazing! To be honest I didn’t even know Brava existed until reading your post, but it definitely looks like somewhere I’d like to go one day. The view from Pensão Paulo Sena is gorgeous.

    Reply

  13. This place looks interesting and I would love to visit it one day. The bay area looks amazing, I could imagine its romantic picturesque view during sunsets.

    Reply

  18. Brava looks absolutely gorgeous! I love being near the water (but not ON the water), and I’m a fan of lush, green, flower-filled landscapes. This would TOTALLY be my jam!

    Reply

  20. We did a one day stop in Mindelo on Cape Verde after a trans-Atlantic tour. We were amazed with the natural beauty of the area. But your post has shown me there is so much more to see. I love the idea of taking the ferry between islands to see spots like Brava. But understand that planning with be a the whim of the weather. But definitely worth a day trip to Brava for a hike and those views.

    Reply

    1. Ah – Mindelo! That’s a place I missed out on. Would have love to visit for the vibrant music scene. But I’ll be back and then I’ll explore even more 🙂

      Reply

  22. I love everything about this place. It’s tranquil, it’s quite hidden so there are no big crowds, the views are gorgeous, and it’s slow-paced. Brava is for me.

    Reply

  26. Not going to Lie I had to google & learn about Cape Verde in general because I actually thought the 10 island nation was closer to Africa than South America. What a crazy & unique history of Pirates, shipping, & sadly slavery.
    As for Brava. I love all the amazing hikes you took from Vila Nova Sintra. Those view points of all the shorelines were so amazing. I especially love the sound of the route crossing Nossa Senhora do Monte to Faja d’Água. Though it saddens me a bit that the water isn’t really swimmable.
    What a unique formation to discover too when you hiked amid that Stoney Couloirs. I had never heard of that before.

    Reply

  28. Brava seems like the perfect place to get away and enjoy the scenery without lots of tourists. Thanks for the tip about the dangerous currents – I’m always the one wanting to jump right into the ocean, so it’s good to know.

    Reply

  30. An exciting place to visit. A lot of beautiful and excited activities to do. I will surely enjoy that place.

    Reply

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