The
main town of Sao Nicolau, Ribeira Brava’s town square
is an island of peace and antiquity, with a catholic church
on one side, old colonial administration buildings on
the other three and a pretty garden in the centre.
Walk
for ten minutes out of town, up a gorge and there are
lush plantations of maize, banana and papaya surround
you. Take a drive through the agricultural centre of
the island and you’ll pass delightful villages
and busy farming communities working the fertile land.
Crossing
the island you will see fairytale dragon trees, an endangered
species and native to Sao Nicolau. Following the fertile
uplands the landscape flattens, becoming arid as you
reach Tarrafal lying on the coast with a black sand
beach, the climate here is hotter, drier and the landscape
volcanic.
The landscape of Sao Nicolau bears the mark of a past
intense, volcanic activity. The rugged features will
enchant both walkers and trekkers looking for real contact
with nature. It is the quietest island of the archipelago
with small, traditional, rural communities dotted around
the coastline.
Ribeira
Brava is located in a deep valley with an empty river
bed flanked by two mountain ranges reaching a height
of 1,312m. The harbour town of Tarrafal is located next
to the black sanded beach. The bay of Tarrafal is rich
in high quality fish, sustenance for the islanders.
It also attracts leisure fishing enthusiasts, particularly
those seeking the much sought after Blue Marlin.
Things To
Do:
Hiking
: There are many hillside walks along the interior
of Sao Nicolau and from its centre to the village of
Tarrafal.
Fishing
: From the village of Tarrafal local men will
take you fishing. Some boats are modern with seats and
harnesses. Dolphins will sometimes trail the vessels,
especially in October.
Bird
Watching : The small island of Raso is served
only by local fishing boats from Tarrafal on the island
of Sao Nicolau. Amongst other birds, the island is the
home to the Cape Verdian Lark, which is one of the rarest
birds in the world. There is nowhere to shelter on the
island of Raso. It is essential that you take water
and food for your visit to the island.
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