Bolama Old Town

About this place

Bolama Old Town is the main town on Bolama Island and the capital of the Bolama Region of Guinea-Bissau. It was once the capital of Portuguese Guinea, but today it is a quiet town of about five thousand people, with much of its colonial architecture in severe decay. That makes it a unique place, like a town where time stood still. The island is said to have had no permanent residents in 1792 when European settlers arrived in a scheme that failed within a year. In the 19th century Bolama was at the centre of a diplomatic dispute between Portugal and Britain, and it served as the colony's capital until the seat moved to Bissau. Mangroves now surround it, and it is known for its cashew nuts. You see old administrative buildings with columns and faded yellow and white facades, red tiled roofs and the old town hall behind a decorated wall. At the port stand the harbour office with its tiled roof, colourful fishing boats on the sand and an old tower of the former military and civil hospital. Goats wander the wide, quiet streets. It is about 34 km from Bissau in a straight line, reached by boat. The buildings are crumbling, so do not enter them. Arrange your return in advance, as boats do not always run daily.