A laid-back links with a light touch on the land
The much-anticipated golf course at Tarafo Bay Resort is officially set to launch, bringing a new era of sustainable, coastal golf to the island of Boa Vista.
Situated on a pristine, 6km stretch of white sand beach, the first of four courses offers more than just breathtaking views, it delivers a carefully crafted golfing experience that balances laid-back enjoyment with a serious commitment to environmental stewardship.
Designed by award-winning international golf course architect Jon Hunt, the course was conceived with one clear vision: to create a fun, relaxed, and visually stunning layout that would sit gently in the landscape.
“We weren’t interested in creating a course that dominated the land,” said Jon. “The beauty of this site is its raw, natural character that goes on forever. Rocky landscape with deep creek beds, sparse vegetation, and that ever-present Atlantic breeze. We worked with the land, not against it.”
Sustainability at its core
From the earliest stages of planning, sustainability has been at the heart of the Tarafo Bay and the golf courses will match this ethos. The design uses minimal earthworks, preserving the existing contours of the land. Native dune grasses, succulents, and salt-tolerant species have been specified extensively throughout the course, reducing the need for irrigation and retaining that raw and rugged aesthetic.
Water conservation has also been central to the design but not to the detriment of playability. The resort boasts a solar farm capable of creating sufficient electricity to power all the resort needs as well as running cutting edge reverse osmosis machinery to provide an abundant water supply. No freshwater is used for course maintenance, only desalinated water – an important innovation in this arid Atlantic setting.
Laid-back golf, serious fun
While its environmental credentials are impressive, the course is also a joyful and engaging play for golfers of all levels. At 7,130 yards, this par 72 championship course is big on character, offering a strong challenge to professional golfers whilst retaining a resort feel for the daily tees.
The layout features a series of playful holes that wind through the xerophytic rocky landscape, natural swales, and coastal vegetation, with elevated views of the ocean beyond.
With a strong coastal breeze often in play, club selection becomes part of the challenge, and the fun. The greens are subtly contoured, rewarding touch and creativity over strength. The relaxed atmosphere is felt throughout: there are no dress codes, no starter marshals, and no pressure.
It’s golf at island pace.
“Tarafo Bay’s course is about rethinking what a great round of golf means,” said Hunt. “It’s casual, it’s connected to nature, and it’s meant to be shared with friends, maybe with a cold drink in hand and your toes in the sand after your round.”
Set just inland from the beach and seamlessly integrated into the wider Tarafo Bay Resort, the golf course offers not just a new amenity but a new way of thinking about resort golf in fragile island environments.
With its eco-conscious footprint, strong design principles, and vibrant beachside energy, this is golf that feels good, in every sense.
