Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE NORTHEAST
TOP OF CHAPTER
Bafatá & Gabú
Bafatá ('the place where the rivers meet' in the Mandinga language), feels surprisingly hot
and dry. Independence hero Amílcar Cabral was born here in 1924 and Unesco has trans-
formed his childhood home into a
museum
that's open daily (ask for the
'casa rosa Amílcar
Cabral'
).
You can sleep at the basic but clean
Hotel Maimuna Capé
( 6648383; s/d CFA10,000/15,000; )
or try the yellow
Apartamento Imel
(r CFA5000)
in the centre of town.
Ponto de Encontro
( 6921690;
Chez Celia; dishes around CFA3500)
, at the end of the main street, is run by a charming older Por-
tuguese couple. Head there for hearty fare and a glimpse into Bafatá's past.
Transporte misto
to Bissau (CFA1750, two hours) and Gabú (CFA800) departs from the
petrol station area.
Gabú, once the capital of the eponymous 19th-century kingdom is mainly a stopover on
the way to Guinea, or a base for excursions to the rocky lands of Boé (40km from Gabú).
The best hotel in town is the
Boca-Branco
( 7229065, 6744403; r from CFA24,000)
. There's also the
central
Residencial Djaraama
( 6938442; r/d without bathroom CFA15,000/20,000)
, or the simple
Hotel
Baga Baga
('Termite Mound' in Crioulo; s CFA 15,000)
, near the entrance to town.
