A few miles west of Calheta are the small coastal villages of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar which are well worth a visit. We rarely get over to this corner of the island as it is so awkward to get to, still only accessible by old roads winding down to the sea and old dark tunnels.
Positioned on a lovely stretch of the island with no fewer than three beaches, Jardim do Mar is a tiny village with a population of only a few hundred. Visitors are attracted by the peace and quiet and the beautiful scenery as well as the expanse of ocean which attracts surfers.
The residential part of the village, clustered around the parish church and plaza, is completely pedestrianised with narrow tiled pathways and levadas winding between the flower filled gardens and well-kept houses like a maze, and along the seafront is a promenade where you can walk easily and enjoy the crashing waves, palm trees and the magnificent backdrop of red cliffs.
At the end of the promenade you can see the village of Paul do Mar just a few kilometres away and at low tide you can even walk along the beach to get there, although be prepared for wet feet. At high tide, like today, the only way to get there is by hiking high above the cliffs on the Caminho Real, up 2600 ancient steps to Prazeres and back down again on the other side, or by driving through the long man-made tunnel. Today we chose the latter.
Paul do Mar is one of the most important fishing villages on the island and is so isolated that, until the 1960s, it was only accessible by boat, and until the 1990s by a single dangerous winding road. Still remote, despite more modern access, it is the sunniest place on the island and remains a coastal paradise, sandwiched between the sea and the imposing cliffs, and its main income still comes from banana cultivation and fishing, with the range and quantity of fish caught off the west coast of the island making it a very important place, gastronomically. Historically, because of regular flooding, there used to be a salt factory as well, but after the construction of a new sea wall the flooding stopped, and the factory has now been converted into apartments, although the tall chimney has been retained and can still be seen. As in Jardin do Mar, it is a pretty pedestrian village centred around the church, and walking its paths is almost like stepping back in time seeing men playing cards at the tables in the cafes, children playing and fishermen tending their boats and nets.
By the small harbour is a colourful boatyard, behind which a waterfall can usually be seen, cascading from above. A small statue of Santo Amoro, their patron Saint, stands in a case on the harbour and a festival is held each January in his honour. A much larger bronze statue called Homem do Mar, 'The Man of the Sea', is four metres tall and can be found standing on a rock looking out to sea. The monument is a tribute to all of the fishermen, past and present, who risk their lives every day at sea and is inscribed with the names of those who have lost their lives.
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