Bolama Island

Bolama is the closest island of the Bijagós Islands to the mainland of Guinea-Bissau and is also the name of the island's main town, the capital of the Bolama Region. It is almost surrounded by mangrove swamps and is known for its cashew nuts. Although frequented by locals, the island was apparently uninhabited when British colonists arrived in 1792. After a series of failures, they abandoned the island in 1794, an effort belonging to Other lands in 1814 also quickly ended.

It boasts a pleasant NGO-run hotel and is dotted with notable colonial structures. The usual piragua takes a handful of visitors straight across the Atlantic from either side of the Pidjiguiti harbor.

The menu features a row of reassembled old state buildings and dilapidated Portuguese villas, all dating back to the forgotten days when this island city reigned as the country's capital.

Location: Between mainland Guinea and the Bijagós Islands