Bonthe

Bonthe sits on Sherbro Island in southern Sierra Leone, a town that was a substantial port in the nineteenth century when palm oil and timber went out through it, with a grid of streets, colonial-era buildings, a cathedral and warehouses along the water. The trade moved elsewhere and the town became very quiet. Grass grows in the streets and the buildings are weathering slowly. Sherbro Island is one of the largest in West Africa and the town sits at its eastern end.

Background

The town faces the Sherbro River estuary from the eastern shore of Sherbro Island, in Bonthe District of the Southern Province. By distance it sits about 60 miles from Bo, to the south-west, and 187 miles from Freetown, to the south-east. Of Sierra Leone's six municipalities it is by far the smallest, with 9,535 people at the 2004 census and a later estimate of 10,206. Fishing is now the main industry, while in colonial times the town was a major trading hub for piassava and other agricultural goods. Most residents are Sherbro or Mende, and Krio is the main language of daily life. Records for 1960-1990 show July averaging 844.2 mm of rain and January 6.2 mm.

Source: Wikipedia, "Bonthe"

What's there

• The colonial buildings - the surviving fabric of the Victorian port.
• The waterfront warehouses - the structures the trade was handled through.
• The street grid - the laid-out plan of a town built for more traffic.
• The quiet - a port that trade left behind.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and calmest for the crossing. The rains from May to October are heavy. Boats depend on the weather.

Practical notes

Much of the historic fabric is derelict. Facilities are very limited. Getting there means a road journey plus a boat crossing, both slow.

Nearby

Turtle Islands are west, and Plantain Island is northwest.

Key facts