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Voykit pocket guide · Cape Verde
Santo Antão
Spend 3–4 days hiking valleys and swimming at Tarrafal beach; arrive via ferry from Mindelo and use collective taxis to get around.
Santo Antão offers rugged mountain roads, pine forests, and the island’s best hiking in the north plus a sheltered beach at Tarrafal. A 3‑4‑day stay covers the main valleys, a beach day and a taste of local culture.
- Country
- Cape Verde
- Best months
- Nov–Jun
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CVE
- Money
- Currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE), pegged at about 110.27 per euro; euros are sometimes accepted in tourist areas, usually at a rounded rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget 150 CVE–250 CVE excl. bed · Mid 250 CVE–400 CVE excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- CV Movel and Unitel T+ sell SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; a few GB costs a few euros.
- Emergency
- Police 132 · Ambulance 130 · Fire 131
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10% if service is good.; Hiking guide: €5–10 a day.; Taxi: Round up.
- Water
- Mostly desalinated; bottled water recommended.
- Toilets
- Western toilets everywhere tourists go; bring paper on hikes.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ferry Porto Novo ↔ Mindelo | 800 CVE |
| Collective taxi (aluguers) 10 km (6.2 mi)Collective taxi (aluguers) 6.2 mi (10 km) | 100 CVE |
| Private taxi (frete) Porto Novo → Paúl | ≈4 000 CVE |
| Car rental | ≈€55 / day |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VXE · Cesária Évora Airport (São Vicente)
- Fly to São Vicente, then taxi to Mindelo harbour (15–30 min) and ferry to Porto Novo (1 h). No airport on Santo Antão.
Typical fares
- Ferry Mindelo → Porto Novo
- ≈800 CVE per person, 1 h
- Collective taxi Porto Novo → Paúl
- ≈400 CVE per person
- Private taxi Porto Novo → Paúl
- ≈4 000 CVE per vehicle
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Collective taxis (aluguers) are the cheapest, 400–500 CVE per ride to main towns; private "frete" taxis cost ~10× more. Car rental €55 / day is possible but not needed for most hikes.
See and do
Known for
- Hiking in Ribeira do Paúl, Torre and Figueiral valleys
- Tarrafal de Monte Trigo beach
- Grogue distilleries
- Scenic coastal routes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrafal de Monte Trigo beach | Collective taxi from Porto Novo, ~700 CVE | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Casa Cavoquinho
- Ribeira do Paúl; dinner 1650 CVE per person.
- Casa Xoxo
- Ribeira de Torre; basic clean rooms.
- Pousada Green Place
- Coculi; pool, valley views, grilled grouper.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Desculpedes-ku-le |
| Thank you | Obrigadoob-ree-ga-do |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?kwan-toh koos-tah |
| Where is the ferry? | Onde está a balsa?on-deh es-tah a bal-sa |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, or cheek kisses among friends; greet everyone in a small shop; avoid: Skipping 'bom dia'
- Dress: Cover up in towns and churches; avoid: Beachwear in the street
- Pace: Relax and wait; avoid: Showing impatience
- Music: Join in, applaud, buy the musicians a drink; avoid: Filming performers without asking
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry times can change; check the schedule on the operator site before travel.
- No Wi‑Fi at ferry terminals; plan offline maps.
- Mountain roads are steep and windy; drive cautiously.
Generally safe for tourists, but watch steep mountain roads, keep valuables secure, and be cautious with night travel on unlit routes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Santo Antão yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hiking in Ribeira do Paúl, Torre and Figueiral valleys
- Tarrafal de Monte Trigo beach
- Grogue distilleries
- Scenic coastal routes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Cape Verde tourism authority: www.visitecapeverde.com/
- Wikivoyage: Santo Antão, revision 5322188 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322188
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/santo-antao). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.