Boa Vista Island

Cruises & boat tours

Begin the tour with pickup from your hotel in Santa Maria. Transfer to the local partner's main office where you will be required to show your driver's license. Get kitted out and board your 4x4 to begin your adventure.  On the two-hour tour, discover the salt flats of Santa Maria, surrounded by beautiful sand dunes. Zip past Kite Beach, the favorite beach of kite surfers, before cruising along to Serra Negra, Sal's natural reserve. Stop at the viewpoint here, where you'll be rewarded with an amazing panorama of the entire south part of the island and out to Boavista Island (weather permitting) Buzz across the desert and then stop at the Palha Verde Oasis. Finally, end the tour with a stop at Ponta Preta, the most beautiful beach on the island. Return to the main office and then to your hotel in Santa Maria.

Welcome to the west coast of Boavista, where nature did an amazing job! We’ll start our journey by collecting you from your hotel in a 4x4 pickup truck and then head off to Morro de Areia “mountain of sand”, for the first stop. You’ll be amazed with the beauty of this “mini” Sahara! To be more involved, you’ll experience the new activity of the island: Sandboarding to feel free like a child! After this enjoyment, we then drive between the Dunes and along the coast to reach the Turtle’s bay “baía de tartaruga”. There is nothing better than watching animals in their natural habitat having normal behavior, that means they re happy! The specie is Green Turtle and oppositely to Loggerhead Turtle, they only feed themselves here and spawn somewhere else. We keep going and just a few minutes later we reach de Shark’s bay “baía de tubarão” where depending the sea level we can be lucky to sea this amazing Lemon Shark specie! After this amazing experience we go to the Old Village “Povoação Velha”, the first village of Boavista, inhabited by agricultures, fishermen and goat harders. There you’ll have chance to taste the local specialities in a comfy place. The Rum (Grogue) and Licor (Pontche) are a must to try as people say after 3 shots you start speaking crioulo!! This tour was designed to be nice and cool combining Nature, Adrenaline and Local taste. See you soon!!

Depart to Rabil village where the team will provide instructions for the tour and ATV vehicle. Then, pass by Povoação Velha and discover some still intact houses built with handmade clay bricks and thatched roofs, which testify to the beginning of the history of Boa Vista, having been the first village to be populated. Continue to Santa Monica beach, considered the most beautiful beach of the archipelago and one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Swim in the crystal clear waters and relax on the white sand. After that, travel along the coast to admire the entire southeastern side of the island with long and beautiful beaches that end in breathtaking dunes. Discover the wonders and secrets carved behind the Varandinha limestone caves, formed naturally by the erosion of the sea in the dunes. Finally, head towards Morro de Areia Nature Reserve before being dropped off at your hotel.

Boa Vista is a hotspot for whale activity. The impressive humpback whales (adult size approx. 15 m) stay around Boa Vista from March till May to mate or give birth to their babies. Your chance for unforgettable experiences! This half-day cruise takes you into the waters around the island to spot these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. Start with pickup from your hotel and travel to the port of Sal Rei. From there, transfer to the yacht by dinghy. Board the yacht and meet your crew, which can draw on over 12 years of experience with whale watching tours at Boa Vista. Receive a detailed briefing with many interesting facts about the humpback whales. All tours are accompanied by local biologists, so you can learn as much as possible about the amazing wildlife. After the briefing, start your quest to find the humpback whales. From March until May, the whales are abundant in the waters of Boa Vista as they migrate to the region to mate and give birth to their offspring. With patience and some luck try to spot some whales in their natural habitat as they swim, play, and put on dazzling, natural acrobatic shows. After about 3 hours on the ocean, return to the port of Sal Rei and you will be driven back to your hotel.

The Tour starts with the pick up at your hotel, after which you will be taken to our base were you will be briefed and prepared, to then start your adventure to go discover the North of Boa Vista Island. Once ready, the tour will pass through the Via Pitoresca, an off-road path in the middle of an Oasis, to then reach Cabo Santa Maria, a captivating and remote coastal area that showcases the untamed beauty of the island and features the wreck of the Spanish cargo that ran aground in 1968. After the stop in Cabo Santa Maria, you will be taken to the Panorama Point Ponta do Sol where, with good weather, you can enjoy a breathtaking view the South of Boa Vista, including Cabo Santa Maria from a different perspective. The tour ends at the starting point, after which you will be taken back to your hotel.

Designed to be impressive, this trip won’t be forgotten at all… Boavista has 55 kilometers of white Sandy beach along its coast providing a wild environment where Nature still surprising us with its beauty. To enjoy this beauty we scheduled an itinerary that we call “South - The Big Surprise” which you will understand and agree once you do the trip. Firstly we visit the biggest desert of Cape Verde, known as Deserto de Viana by the locals. There’s a massive blanket of Sand Dunes that will catch your attention by its perfect harmony totally untouched and virgin. You can have fun jumping on the Dunes to feel free like a child. Next stop will be for local taste by visiting the Old Village Povoação Velha, known as “Stanxa” between the locals. Stanxa is inhabited by fishermen, farmers and cattle breeders which nowadays there are facing a migration of its population to Sal Rei city for better life conditions. You have chance to get some souvenirs, see how local life is here and use toilet if needed. Then we keep our journey to Varandinha’s beach or “Bracona” as locals call it. The big Caves formed by nature effects through thousands years are just magical and a Must to see. Depending the season we can find endemics birds and we can not forget it’s a sea turtle spot from June till October well visited for spawning. After Bracona’s enjoyment, we head-off, along the west coast, to Santa Monica beach for our last stop. Santa Monica is the most beautiful beach of Cape Verde, holding 12 kilometers of white sand and crystal clear water, which you’ll have chance to enjoy a swim having our included cocktail from the local beach club “Boca Beach” Finishing our journey, you’ll be dropped off at your hotel with an impressive smile of satisfaction. That’s what we offer!!!

After being picked up, start your day with a visit to the stunning Morro de Areia nature reserve. This area is famous for its magical sand dunes that stretch down to the sea, creating a unique, surreal and captivating natural spectacle. Next, head to the Varandinha Cave, a must-see for its breathtaking landscapes and photo opportunities. These limestone caves, sculpted by the relentless forces of sea erosion, reveal a mesmerizing array of textures and shapes. Continue to Santa Mónica beach, considered the most beautiful beach of the archipelago and one of the most stunning beaches in the world, whether permitting, swim in the turquoise waters and relax on the white sand. Take a break for a delicious lunch in Sal Rei, and enjoy the local cuisine before a drive to the Cabo de Santa Maria Shipwreck. Hear of how this old boat has been stranded for 50 years and became a symbol of inspiration for local painters and photographers. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation, leaving you with lasting memories of the island's natural wonders and cultural highlights.

The Tour starts with the pick up at your hotel with our Toyota Landcruiser, after which you will be taken to discover the North of Boa Vista Island. Once everyone is on board, the tour will start passing through the Via Pitoresca, an off-road path in the middle of an Oasis, to then reach the Panorama Point Ponta do Sol, where with good weather you will be able to see the South of Boa Vista together the shipwreck in Cabo Santa Maria. Here you will stop for a few minutes to relax and take some pictures. After the stop at the Panorama Point, the tour continues to reach Cabo Santa Maria beach to see from close the Spanish cargo ship that ran aground on 1968. This will be the second stop of the tour, where you will be able to take some other pictures of the ship and you can enjoy the beautiful colours of the beach. Next on the list is the Bofareira, a picturesque bay that capture the attention of the visitors for its natural beauty and tranquility. After taking some pictures you will head to the Espingueira where you can enjoy a complimentary refreshment. The last part of the tour is to go see the amazing sandy dunes of the Viana Desert and the Chimney of Praia de Chaves, once used for artisanal pottery and ceramic works. The tour ends back at your hotel.

Discover the Northwestern region of Boa Vista Island on a 4x4 adventure. Head to Rabil to visit a local handicraft center and appreciate the work of artisans. Continue into Deserto de Viana and learn how the dunes were formed as you admire the incredible landscape. Visit a wreckage of Cabo Santa Maria, and pause to enjoy the beautiful Praia da Atalanta beach where it is stranded. Head towards Sal Rei, stopping at the Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima for breathtaking views over the sea. The tour ends with drop-off back at your hotel.

Discover the beauty of snorkeling in Boa Vista, Cape Verde! Our snorkeling trip takes you to Djeu Island or to the Zans wreck in the bay. It is only a 2-5 mins boat ride from the Diving Center to these amazing snorkeling spots. These gorgeous, 1-6 meters shallow places let everyone join the waterworld without diving. Friendly fish, inquisitive turtles, naughty yellowtail snappers and maybe even baby sharks will greet those who want to peek into the busy life of a coral community. For more fun, after snorkeling, we stop at Djeu Island for a short stroll or relax on the sandy beach. You can see the lovely lighthouse and the cannons that are left there from the Portuguese times. We have daily snorkeling trips for an hour. During snorkeling activities we only observe but do not touch marine life to preserve habitats and species.