Esperadinha Airport

A short walk south from the village along the coast brings you to the abandoned runway of Esperadinha. The strip is intact, the wind sock long gone, and the small terminal building is being slowly reclaimed by the salt and wind. It is an oddly poignant place — the gates still locked, the empty asphalt running off toward the cliff edge.

The walk out is the real attraction: the path follows the coast past hidden coves and wave-cut platforms, with views back across the bay to the village. Allow an hour each way, longer if you scramble down to the rocks.

things to do sight
A story
The airport opened in 1992 as Brava's only air link, but the location was a disaster. Strong, gusty winds funnelling through the cliffs made landings dangerous, and after a series of incidents the strip was closed in 2004. Brava is now the only inhabited island in Cape Verde without a functioning airport.