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- The Ponta de São João shoreline walk at low tide. This is what the beach is known for. When the Atlantic pulls back, a wide band of hard, ribbed sand opens up and you can walk for a long stretch with mangrove-edged shallows on one side and open surf on the other. Shoes off, pants rolled, and you will find crab burrows, wading birds and the odd fisherman hauling a net.
- Dugout canoe and fishing boat landing. Local fishermen bring their wooden boats up the sand in the late afternoon, and the beach turns into a working dock. Women wait to buy the catch, kids dash through the shallows, and you can watch the sorting of fish by hand. Buy a few fish if you have a place to cook them, or simply watch and say hello. A greeting in Kriol goes a long way.
- Swimming in the surf. The water is warm and the waves
- The Ponta de São João shoreline walk at low tide. This is what the beach is known for. When the Atlantic pulls back, a wide band of hard, ribbed sand opens up and you can walk for a long stretch with mangrove-edged shallows on one side and open surf on the other. Shoes off, pants rolled, and you will find crab burrows, wading birds and the odd fisherman hauling a net.
- Dugout canoe and fishing boat landing. Local fishermen bring their wooden boats up the sand in the late afternoon, and the beach turns into a working dock. Women wait to buy the catch, kids dash through the shallows, and you can watch the sorting of fish by hand. Buy a few fish if you have a place to cook them, or simply watch and say hello. A greeting in Kriol goes a long way.
- Swimming in the surf. The water is warm and the waves roll in with real push, so you get proper bodysurfing fun rather than a flat pond. Stay in the shallows and watch for rip currents, because there are no lifeguards here. Go at mid to high tide when the water is deeper and less muddy.
- Birdwatching along the mangrove fringe. The coast of Guinea-Bissau is a major wintering ground for migratory shorebirds, and the muddy edges here draw waders, terns and herons. Bring binoculars if you have them, and come early when the light is soft and the birds are active. Even without gear, the flocks lifting off the flats are a sight.
- Sunset on the sand with local snacks. The sky over the Atlantic turns orange and pink while the day's heat lets go. Bring a cold drink and grab grilled fish or roasted peanuts from whoever is selling nearby. Evenings are quiet, with no club scene, just voices, music from a distant radio and the sound of surf in the dark.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.