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.

What you actually see

• 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.

Honest expectations

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.