Holiday in Santo Antão, Cape Verde

Hi there, I was supposed to go to Santo Antão on November 24th for two weeks of hiking. Due to health reasons and a flaky travel partner, I had to cancel my trip. I’m postponing it to late November 2025. If you could give me some tips on budget accommodations, the average daily cost, and maybe the contact details for the agency (though I usually travel backpacker-style), that’d be great. Thanks

Hello, Our trip was organized by an agency in a comprehensive way. So, I don’t have the details of the hotel and transport services. However, I can still recommend a pretty basic but nice accommodation with an excellent host table (avoid the expensive and not-so-great Fogo wine): Casa Espongeiros. A good stop after your first hike on the island following the morning ferry, starting from the crater. See the attached map. Plus, the accommodation is close to the beautiful hike down to Coculi. Otherwise, for a little treat upon arrival or departure: enjoy a drink or tapas at sunset at Terra Lodge in Mindelo—unforgettable! And for a bit of a splurge (I imagine it’s not cheap) in a mineral environment in the center of the island, spend 1 or 2 nights at Quinta Cochete after a stunning hike from Alto Mira (2nd and 3rd photos). All the other hotels were very good but maybe a bit pricey for a tight budget. For a decent meal, you can count on 10 € or less; lobster in Tarrafal is under 20 €, and beer is under 1.5 €. The agency that handled everything was NOBAI in Mindelo, via Evaneos in France. I had overestimated expenses and came back with over 18,000 escudos, which I can exchange for 150 €. The exchange rate seems fair, and it avoids hassles upon arrival (many terminals don’t have cash, including the one at the airport!). Happy to help with any other info. Jean-François

Hi there,

I’m usually supposed to go to Cape Verde this summer with a friend. I was wondering where you exchanged your euros for Cape Verdean escudos? Because I’ve read several times that exchanging money in Cape Verde can be complicated.

Thanks in advance! Nolwenn

Hi there, Yes, it’s not exactly easy to get hold of Escudos. The ATMs (including the only one at Mindelo Airport) often run out of cash, and the banks are always packed... and they close at 3 PM. We ended up exchanging at our hotel at a decent rate (1 € for 105 Escudos) and finally at an ATM (watch out—the amount available is limited) in downtown Mindelo. We exchanged enough for our whole stay since we weren’t sure what to expect on Santo Antão. I miscalculated and have over 18,000 Escudos left. If you’re interested, I can sell them to you for 150 €. Jean-François

Hi SaoAntao

I’m planning a trip to Santo Antão in June. I might be interested in your escudos—just wondering how to go about exchanging them...

Best regards

How did you handle water supplies if you went hiking? I doubt that the drinking water for Cape Verdeans is the same for us, used to water with advanced treatment.

Hi there

If you live in the Paris area, no problem. Otherwise, depending on where you are, we can see what’s possible. It’d be even more interesting for you because I checked: I actually have 19,000 Escudos left, so for 150 € it’s a great deal. Best, Jean-François

Hi there

We prefer to hike light, so we set off with 1.5 liters of water each. That was enough for us, especially since most of the hikes were downhill. We were a bit tight on water for the hike from Alto Mira to our accommodation above Cha da Morte—it was a long, rough route with heat. We’d brought a 10-liter water container for the two of us from Ponta do Sol, and with the picnic, hotels often gave us a bottle of water too.

Thanks for your reply! I do drop by IRL from time to time, so it’s doable. First, I need to confirm the trip and flights, so it won’t be for a few weeks. For water, we’ll be staying with locals or in guesthouses most of the time (no hotels during the hike), so it’ll be a bit different...

Hi Jean François Where do you live? I’m interested in your Escudos. You can email me directly at: rando2a@laposte.fr See you! Roland

The rando2 address isn't working. I live in the southwest area of the Paris region. Actually, I checked—I have 19,900 escudos to exchange for 150 €. See you soon!

Hi Jean François, I’m in Levallois this weekend and the one of February 8th, for an in-person exchange in Paris if you’re available. Yann

it's "rando2a" so rando2a@laposte.net

Hi, no worries—you’ll find bottled water everywhere there are small villages. In guesthouses and with locals too. Otherwise, you can bring a small supply of microfiltration tablets to treat the water. Marie

Thanks Marie! I’ll book by the end of the week for 11 days—6 days of hiking and 2.5 days of relaxation.

Hi,

Do you still have your escudos left?

Thanks in advance, Nolwenn

Sorry, I found a Cape Verdean family who’s interested