Staying in Jemberem gives an incredible insight into traditional village life in this part of Guinea Bissau. There is so much to take in

Arriving in Jemberem was like ending up in another world. On a dusty road side next to a small number of shops, I needed to get orientated. There was a map showing the layout of the NP and the location of the villages.

I spend a morning with a group of military officers based at the Fortaleza d'Amura in the centre of old town Bissau - its the original fort encampment used as the military base and currently surrounded by the development of an upgraded road system funded and managed by a Chinese company.

This island stay is certainly conducive to deep sleep and beautiful scenes. This morning I woke up to the most incredible sunrise over the sea and total solitude on the beach. I was filled with an incredible sense of gratitude and expansion.

Today I just walked on the beach for miles; its endless, empty except for the few cows and flocks of birds.

This evening I walked the length of the beach and could have walked all around the island - the beach is unbelievable. Clean, fringed by palm trees and mangrove and full of different birds. I saw lots of herons and eagles just on this one walk. The sunset was amazing.

I took a shared taxi to Bissau from the garage in Ziguinchor for 4000CFA. The driver needed to navigate a potholed road, swerving on and off the tarmac to try to keep it as smooth as possible for the passengers.

I took a shared taxi to Bissau from the garage in Ziguinchor for 4000CFA. The driver needed to navigate a potholed road, swerving on and off the tarmac to try to keep it as smooth as possible for the passengers. There were numerous police checks along the way, all of which the driver managed smoothly.