Boa Vista Island Sal Rei, Cape Verde
Cape Verde

16 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Ponant (16 Cruises)


Frequently Asked Questions

By tender. Ships anchor in the bay off Sal Rei, the small island capital, and passengers land a few steps from the coloured houses of the seafront.
Yes, the town is walked at an easy pace. Around the main square, buildings from the Portuguese colonial era sit beside facades painted blue and ochre; the market offers fruit, fish and craft work, and sandy lanes lead to the Nossa Senhora de Fátima chapel and the Santa Isabel church.
A morning in Sal Rei, then an excursion to the Viana desert by four-wheel drive or quad, easily booked near the landing when the tenders arrive. A beach such as Praia de Chaves rounds out the afternoon.
Waves of pale sand dotted with tufts of hard grass, inland from the coast — a miniature Sahara set in the middle of the Atlantic. The wind reshapes it daily, so no two visitors see quite the same landscape.
Praia de Chaves unrolls kilometres of dune-backed sand southwest of Sal Rei, and Santa Monica stretches some fifteen kilometres of wild shoreline with no buildings and no shade, where you can walk a long time without meeting anyone.
With care. The water keeps the coolness of the Atlantic and the currents demand respect: swim where others are and keep an eye on the flags.
Depending on the season, yes: turtles come to nest on these shores, and guided outings allow you to witness the ritual with the respect it requires. Never approach a nesting site without a guide.
A cargo ship stranded on Boa Vista's northern shore, whose salt-eaten hull has become one of the island's emblems. Its skeletal outline on bare sand makes an image you do not forget.
Yes. The bay of Sal Rei, sheltered by an islet that breaks the swell, gives windsurfers and kitesurfers a well-regarded stretch of water served by steady trade winds. Catamaran outings also run along the coast with a swim stop.
The Cape Verdean escudo, with euros often accepted; bring cash and small notes for the market. Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole are spoken, and a few words are enough to start a conversation.