Boa Vista - White Sand, Crystal Clear Water

Boa Vista – Cape Verde

If you are looking for a vacation destination rich in natural diversity, then you should consider Boa Vista. The pearl of the Cape Verde Islands, located off the west coast of Africa, offers you just that. Although the Cape Verde Islands are growing in popularity and are often called the “second Canary Islands”, Boa Vista is still an insider’s tip. The 15 islands that make up the Green Cape have a lot to offer. Boa Vista is characterized by its wild and breathtaking nature and dreamy beaches.

Boa Vista is one of the easternmost islands of the Cape Verdean archipelago and is known for its stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters. Boa Vista is part of the  Ilhas de Barlavento archipelago and is a popular destination for tourists seeking beach vacations, water sports, and relaxation. 

With an area of 620 square kilometers, it is the third largest island of the Cape Verdean archipelago and has an impressive landscape. Deserts, salt flats, and dunes characterize the environment. There is a long coastline with white sandy beaches where you can enjoy the sun. The most famous beach is Praia de Santa Monica, which stretches for several kilometers and is known for its crystal clear water and unspoiled nature.

Discover the island of Boa Vista

Boa Vista offers a variety of opportunities for adventurers and water sports enthusiasts. Surfing, kite surfing, and catamaran sailing are popular activities on the island. Some schools and rentals offer equipment and instruction. You can also discover the beauty of the underwater world, with dive sites offering a fantastic variety of fish and coral reefs.

Exploring the desert and nature of the island is a highlight. Several hiking trails lead through the impressive desert landscape and salt flats, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of the landscape from a whole new perspective.

The island has a rich culture due to the Portuguese colonial period and the African roots of the population. Some museums and galleries document its history. Cape Verdean cuisine combines African, Portuguese, and Brazilian influences. There are many restaurants and street stalls where you can taste typical dishes such as cachupa (a national dish made of corn, beans, and meat) and caldeirada (a fish stew).

Although Boa Vista is a quiet and relaxed island, it offers a good selection of accommodations and restaurants. Hotels and resorts are offering different price classes and amenities. 

Boa Vista Video

Getting to Boa Vista

If you decide to vacation on the island of Boa Vista, you will find its international airport, the Aeroporto Internacional Aristides Pereira, located about 5 kilometers from the capital, Sal Rei. If you stay less than 30 days, you do not need a visa for Cape Verde. Entry is only possible with a valid passport, not with your identity card. 

You must register on a government platform at least five days before your arrival and pay the airport security fee of approximately 31€. Fortunately, major travel companies like TUI offer this service as part of the price of your trip, so you only need to fill out a form and send it to TUI in time.

The Capital Sal Rei

Sal Rei, the capital of Boa Vista, is a lively city (approx. 6500 inhabitants) with various attractions and activities. It is known for its rich salt deposits, which gave it its name. In the northeast, you can visit the former salt mines. Today, there is little left of the former economic importance. After the beginning of the 19. English merchants settled in the city, which was called Porto Ingles, for the first few years. Mainly salt was exported, but after about 50 years the salines were closed again.

The city is the island’s center and is home to a large part of Boa Vista’s population. During a visit, you should not miss the Praça de Santa Isabel market. The Mercado Municipal takes place daily. It is a great place to browse and immerse yourself in the friendly, stress-free local life. Try fresh fruits and vegetables or find a souvenir of African jewelry. Salt and coffee are also easily transported and make great gifts for friends and family.

Due to tourism, the Sal Rei has expanded in the last few years and offers numerous small hotels and guesthouses for individual travelers. Several apartment complexes have also been built. Due to the island of Ilhéu de Sal Rei, the harbor and beaches of the city are somewhat sheltered from the wind, and there are significantly fewer waves at the city’s Praia de Diante than at other beaches on the island.

Adjacent is the 5 km long sandy beach Praia de Chave, at whose northern end there are some hotels. To the south, the beach is bordered by the “Reserva Natural do Morro de Areia”. It was created to protect the dunes and the local fauna. The reserve includes a 300 m wide marine reserve.

The Igreja da Santa Isabel is a pastel yellow and blue church located at the large Praça de Santa Isabel. Here, you will also find the post office and the bank. Colorful boats give the port a particularly picturesque panorama. Here, you can watch the fishermen at work and admire the pastel-colored houses. 

Top 6 Excursions & Sights in Boa Vista

If you are looking for relaxation and Mediterranean flair, you will find it on the tranquil island of Boa Vista. But the island also offers plenty of entertainment for adventurers and cultural vultures.

1. The ruins of the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Fátima, a historic building in the northeast of Sal Rei, are well worth a visit. The ten-minute climb is rocky but worth it: the building is a real highlight. The simple, white chapel towers over the rugged, steep cliffs. The church has been renovated in recent years and was rededicated in 2015. Enjoy the view over the cliffs and take some unforgettable pictures!

2. Another highlight is the wreck of the Spanish freighter Cabo Santa Maria, which ran aground off the northern coast in 1968. The skeletal remains of the freighter still lie on the beach and invite you to a unique experience. In the meantime, it has rotted so badly that it is broken in two. It is one of Boa Vista’s most famous attractions. Discover the wreck and take unique pictures of it in the surf in front of the beautiful sandy beach. The sea will have swallowed most of the wreck in a few years. The dunes start behind the beach, and most jeep or quad tours include a stop at the wreck: A real adventure on Boa Vista!

3. Another fascinating destination is the Deserto de Viana, a white desert with dunes up to 50 meters high. This mini-sandy desert is a unique attraction on Boa Vista and part of many island tours and offers an unforgettable adventure. It is located east of Rabil and Sal Rei and west of Bofarreira. The desert itself is not a protected area, but it is adjacent to the Boa Esperança Nature Reserve, which also includes Lagoa do Rabil and Praia de Atalanta. Try sandboarding :-)… If you are exploring the desert alone, please remember to bring enough water. The sand reflects the sun and keeps the temperature higher than in the surrounding area. 

4. The small village of Bofarreira will bring you in touch with the Cape Verdean population. Experience the warmth and joie de vivre with a Cape Verdean grog and small Cape Verdean snacks. If you are traveling with children, you should visit the Santos Farm. Delicious food and a petting zoo for the kids are waiting to be discovered. Stone kilns around Bofareira still bear witness to the 19th-century limestone mining in the area. Century around the village. The surrounding trees were burned down, and the small town is now a desert-like landscape.

5. An excursion to the lighthouse of Morro Negro offers a beautiful view. It is well worth the fifteen-minute walk uphill from the parking lot. The Morro Negro lighthouse was built around 1930. It is 12 meters high and has a light range of 31 nautical miles. The hill is part of the Reserva Natural Tartaruga. The reserve protects the beaches as nesting places for the population of turtles and the wetlands and salty soils for birds.

6. The Ilhéu de Sal Rei protects the port of Sal Rei. You can visit this attraction on Boa Vista either on a boat trip or on your own with a kayak over the 1000m wide strip of sea. Please make sure to have sturdy shoes with you for both options. The ground on the small island is rocky and uneven. On the Ilhéu de Sal Rei, the ruins of the Forte Duque de Bragança are worth a visit. The fortress was named after the Duke of Bragança. It overlooked the port to protect it from pirates and was built in 1818 after several attacks. You can still see the original walls and some cannons. Do not forget to take a photo from the island’s highest point. The lighthouse is 28 meters high ;-).

The best beaches and water sports in Boa Vista

Boa Vista offers 55 kilometers of unspoiled beaches, some of the most beautiful in the Cape Verde Islands. The Praia de Cabral in Sal Rei is particularly suitable for swimming, as the island Ilheu de Sal Rei protects it from the wind. Praia de Santa Monica, known as the most beautiful beach in the Cape Verde Islands, is only accessible by car but worth visiting. It is 15 km long and invites you to relax, swim, and walk. Do not forget to take a photo during a romantic sunset. There is even the possibility to observe whales right from the beach. It is unsuitable for swimming due to the strong swell and underwater currents.

The Praia Carlota in the south of the capital is very popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers because it offers plenty of space and perfect wind conditions. Praia de Chaves in the south provides a beach bar and surf school for those who prefer a more touristy beach. Here, you will also find various hotels to suit every taste.

You can find more information about the other islands of Cape Verde in our island overview. Everything you need to know about traveling to Cape Verde can be found in our blog article!

Scuba diving and snorkeling in Boa Vista (incl. video)

Boa Vista offers several spots for scuba diving. There are no extensive coral reefs, but there are some coral-rich snorkeling and diving spots with a great variety of interesting fish, such as the Bermuda barb, the striped sergeant, or the squeezing fish.

One of the top snorkeling spots is Gatas Bay or Baia das Gatas on the northeast coast. The best time to snorkel there is at high tide when the coral is easily visible from the surface. The drive from Sal Rei takes about 50 minutes. The various operators provide the necessary equipment. Gatas is what the locals call the small mother fish you can see there during the summer months. 

Another worthwhile destination is the João Valente reef, which rises to the surface at low tide. There is a great diversity of fish species. The riff is between Boa Vista and Maio, about 20 nautical miles off the coast. Schnorcheling there is only possible at low water, for divers the riff is always worth an excursion. In the following video, you can see impressive shots of the riff’s biodiversity: