Bubaque Beaches

Bubaque, the main inhabited island of the Bijagos, has several stretches of fine white sand on its eastern coast. The beaches at Praia de Bruce and Praia de Etikorete are the most accessible and the most visited — wide, clean, and backed by palm trees, with the green water of the channels visible beyond the headlands.

The water is warm but currents can be unpredictable, particularly at tidal channel mouths. Stick to the calmer bays for swimming. In the turtle nesting season (October to February), local guides lead evening walks to the beaches where turtles come ashore — a genuinely remarkable experience that leaves no lasting impact on the animals if done carefully. Outside nesting season, the beaches are simply beautiful and almost empty.

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The beaches on Bubaque's eastern shore see sea turtles nest between October and February. The turtles arrive at night, haul themselves up the sand, and lay their eggs in deep pits above the tide line. With a local guide, it's possible to observe them without disturbing the nesting process. The Atlantic green turtle and the loggerhead both use these beaches.