Meio – a deserted island with beautiful beaches. Huge and majestic kapok trees growing among palm trees are distinctive features of the island. Amazingly, there are hardly any birds even though the island is situated quite close to a popular breeding site, namely Cavalos island.
Joao Vieira is the only island with a lodge addressed mainly to anglers I have visited in the Bijagos archipelago. The waters around the island abound with an infinite diversity of fish species, which results from the lack of commercial fishing.
Cavalos island is the second most important breeding site of birds in West Africa. There are about 19,000 nests of terns and other species. The island is small and deserted; you can go around it across splendid beaches within only two hours. The island is inhabited not only by terns but also by an exceptionally big number of African fish eagles. Cavalos island stands out against other islands of the Bijagos archipelago due to extensive areas resembling moors.
Orangozinho island is cut across by a network of canals sneaking through mangrove woods. Fish eagles may be seen both on trees and in the air. We drifted on a boat, looking for hippopotamuses (it is the only place in Africa where they live in the ocean) but we did not manage to find them.
Cabras – a small island situated near Roxa island. We have visited the only village inhabited by about 100 people. Tourists are very infrequent guests in the village, thus it was the only island from the Bijagos archipelago where all the inhabitants wanted to see the photos of them. Usually, it is only children who ask for this.
Roxa island – I reached the shores of this island five times a week. Some of the places I have visited include Inore, Ancutum and Ponta Barel. I saw a number of magnificent beaches but I found the villages most interesting. All very poor, without healthcare and running water. The inhabitants do not starve; they grow vegetables, raise chickens and pigs. As on the islands of the Bijagos archipelago, they are amicably disposed to visitors. What I found most amazing is a complete lack of interest in fishing despite perfect conditions. All the villages are situated deep inside the island, usually an hour’s march from the ocean.
The Bissagos Islands or Bijagós Archipelago are a group of some eighteen major islands and dozens more smaller ones in the Atlantic Ocean with an area of 2 624 km2 and a population of 30,000 (2006). They are a part of Guinea-Bissau.
The population mostly speaks Bijago and has a considerable degree of autonomy.
The islands include: Bolama, Bubaque, Carache, Caravela, Enu, Formosa, Galinhas, João Viera, Maio, Meneque, Orango, Orangozinho, Ponta, Roxa, Rubane, Soga, Unhacomo, Uno and Uracane.
They constitute a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, known for animals including marine turtles and monkeys and are mostly forested.