Unique Stay: Add the Banana Eco Camp to Your Glamping Airbnb Must List!
If you like bananas, coffee, farm stays, A-Frames, glamping Airbnbs, islands, sustainable tourism, shared spaces with the opportunity to meet other travelers, and nature, wooo have a I got a place for you!
The Banana Eco Camp features a handful of hand-built, wooden, A-frame cabins sprinkled throughout a working banana farm on Terceira Island in Portugal’s Azores. Hooked yet? I was. Here’s everything to know about staying in one of these glamping Airbnbs for yourself!
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Angra do Heroísmo
Getting There
Terceira is part of a nine-island archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic called the Azores. They’re an autonomous region of Portugal, and if you happen to be in the country, a flight to one of these islands is relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately, it’s quite a bit more spendy if you’re coming from the US. The good news is, they have direct flights out of Boston and Newark!
Check out Skyscanner for the best deals and cheapest times to visit.
Once on Terceira Island, hop in a taxi for a 25-minute drive to the south side of the island.
Look for the white taxi with blue stripes at the airport. After your stay, call Hildeberto Cabral (+351 963 729 390) to schedule a pick up with an awesome English-speaking driver.
The Banana Eco Camp is just about a 5-minute drive west of Angra do Heroísmo.
The Farm
Walk through the gate to find avocado trees lining the volcanic rock driveway. To the left: bananas. To the right: coffee plants. But that’s not all this gorgeous property grows–stroll the farm to find papayas, mangos, grapes, passion fruit, and more! They even grow flowers to ship off to the Netherlands, and there’s talk about a vegetable garden or two coming soon.
Farmers were working the banana fields as I walked up the driveway to meet the property owner, Bernado, and Airbnb managers Sergey and Nina. They showed me around the farm, walking me through the flower, banana, and coffee fields and encouraging me to taste a coffee berry from one of their 4,000(!!) coffee plants (which was surprisingly sweet!). We ended the tour at the Coffee Cabana for a taste of their hand-roasted espresso **heart eyes**. This place has it all!!
The A-Frames
The Banana Eco Camp’s concept is simple: community living with plenty of privacy and built with the environment in mind.
There are a handful of A-frames available for rent built with local Japanese pine and a bit of metal where needed (like the roofs)–most sleep two people and are erected in a semi-circle in the middle of the property.
They have a shared fire pit kitchen, and open-air bathrooms and showers. On the west side in their own little section of banana farm are two two-story A-frames, each sleeping 3-4 people with their own shared kitchen, bathroom, and showers.
I LOVE showering outdoors–something about hot water and fresh air that feel so good together. Freaking magical.
Note: The accommodations have cracks and all the facilities are open air–eco camps are very much one with nature, and this is no exception. There are bugs, so if you’re super squeamish, this unique stay may not be for you.
The Hangout Spaces
There are two covered platforms with hammocks and beanbag chairs. Move them out of the way and they become a prime spot for a little yoga!
Wifi pairs nicely with an espresso, no? Sergey, Nina, and Bernado thought so too. Head to the Coffee Cabana to try their hand-roasted coffee beans plucked from their on-site coffee plants while checking your email or chatting with a fellow traveler!
The property boasts two fire pits–one by the studio-sized A-frames and the other by the two-story A-frames. Swing by around sunset to talk story.
Who knows, you might meet your new best friend or future travel buddy! I met three awesome guys from Italy–we chatted around the campfire and they were kind enough to offer me a beer!
Both kitchens become an awesome hangout spot–chat it up while you’re cooking a meal or share a banana with a stranger :)
Electricity and Wifi
All the A-frames have electricity, which is a big plus, especially if you need to keep all your camera gear charged (hi, hello that’s me).
The only wifi in the camp is up at the Coffee Cabana–the Cabana stays locked unless you give Nina or Sergey a call and ask for their expert barista skills, but the two picnic tables on the front porch are open and accessible 24/7 in case you need to check your email or hop on a work call during your stay.
I personally love that they kept the wifi out of the cabins–I’m all about unplugging, but sometimes I need a gentle push to make it happen.
Part of the fun of community living is getting to meet other travelers, so put that phone down, head out to a fire pit, and ask your neighbor about themselves.
The Kitchen
Both shared kitchens each feature a two-top gas stove, pots and pans, percolators to make coffee (check to see if some of their hand-roasted beans are available in the coffee bin!), dishes and silverware, refrigerators with freezers, and select spices and seasonings.
Did I mention the unlimited fresh bananas? Find them hanging in the kitchen area (please, do not pick them from the trees).
The main kitchen (by the studio-sized A-frames) has an outdoor BBQ, and every Friday night, the Banana Eco Camp hosts a community grill out for €10 each. I sadly wasn’t there on a Friday, but someone please let me know how you liked it! Seems like an absolute blast.
The Bathrooms
They thought of everything, right down to the toilets. There are four toilets and six showers (four hot and two cold), and all but one are in totally separate rooms, so there’s nearly always at least one available. And again, all but one are open-air, meaning they have doors, but there are large open spaces to the outdoors. I personally enjoy showering in nature–it always makes me feel more clean and refreshed!
Pro Tip: If nature calls at night, leave the lights off while you do your business to not attract bugs (and avoid seeing the bugs that are already in there).
Things to do on Terceira
Terceira is one of the larger Azores Islands with a population of 53,311 and an area of about 246.5 square miles, and there’s plenty to do for travelers of all styles!
Stroll the Azores’ First Town: Angra do Heroísmo
Colonized by the Portugues in 1450, Angro do Heroísmo is the oldest town in the Azores and is now a World Heritage Site. Walking these historic streets is an activity of its own! Swing by the town’s beach, pop into a restaurant for top-notch eats, do a little shopping in the town’s boutiques, hike or drive up to Miradouro da Cruz do Canário for epic views of Angra and the impressive Atlantic Ocean. You have to pass through an old Spanish fort to get there too–pretty rad.
Swim in a Natural Pool
Piscinas Naturais de Porto Martins on Terceira’s east coast is a beautiful swimming hole with everything you need to spend a comfortable relaxing day on the Atlantic coast. I’m talking a bar, restaurant, showers, and restrooms.
View the Island’s Impressive Patchwork
An epic viewpoint, and probably the most Instagrammable spot on the entire island, Miradouro da Serra do Cume looks out over Terceira’s farms divided by volcanic rock walls that turn the landscape into a big green quilt.
Visit the Wine Museum
Wine lovers, this one’s for you. Terceira not only has some quality wine, but an entire museum dedicated to the process. Swing by the Museu do Vinho. Learn about the Verdelho grape variety, tour the wine cellar, distillery, and sample a few of their best bottles on your tour.
Enjoy Sunset at Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado
Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado’s western location and epic clifftop views make it the perfect spot to catch sunset. It was once a working whale lookout for 19th century whalers!
Go Caving in a Lava Tube
Ever wanted to walk through a lava tube? Algar do Carvão is a super unique experience for those wanting to get up close and personal with the Azores’ volcanic origins. Stairs lead visitors down into a lava tube and into two magma chambers–they look like underground lakes made of rock. Wild.
Go for a Hike!
There are plenty of treks around the island. Consult Gaia GPS for some of the best!
Where to Eat on Terceira Island
Tasca das Tias
For the fancy night out, Tasca das Tias offers delectable and traditional Portuguese dishes in a cozy, upscale atmosphere.
O Cachalote
Steak served on a lava stone? Yes, please!
Beiro Mar São Mateus
Get your seafood fix at this Mediterranean-Portuguese mainstay.
Taberna Do Teatro
If you still want to eat local but are a little over all the meat and potatoes, Taberna do Teatro offers local dishes with a twist.
