Transport from São Vicente Airport to Mindelo and then ferry to Santo Antão

Hi everyone who loves Santo Antão in Cape Verde! 🙂

I’m arriving at São Vicente Airport in Cape Verde around 2:00 PM. Are there buses or *aluguer* that go to Mindelo, and is it possible to catch a ferry to Santo Antão right after, or is it better to leave the next day?

Thanks so much for your help

Hi Mickael, From the airport, there’s no bus. But there’s a line of taxis waiting at the exit! So no problem! It’s 1200 escudos to Mindelo. As for the ferry, it won’t be possible. On weekday afternoons, ferries leave at either 2 PM or 3 PM. With the time it takes to go through customs, pick up your luggage, and potential flight delays (which are common!), I think it’s mission impossible. On Sundays, there’s one at 5 PM if that helps. But in my opinion, it’s better not to start your vacation stressed out—planning an overnight in Mindelo is a good idea. Plus, exploring the city in the afternoon is worth it! Marie

Hi Marie,

Thanks for the tip—I’ll follow it! 😉

I’ve got two more questions, if you don’t mind: 1) Is the coastal hike better from Cruzinha to Ponta do Sol or the other way around, or does it not matter?

2) Is it possible to do the uphill hike from Paul to Cova in one day, then descend via Xoxo and try to catch an *aluguer* back to Paul?

Thanks so much!

Hi there, For your questions: 1-I’d say it doesn’t really matter in general. But personally, I prefer the Ponta do Sol to Cruzinha direction. That way, if you’re staying in Ponta do Sol, you can set off early, walk in the cool morning air for a while, tackle the toughest part in the morning, and finish with the easier section. Going the other way, the climb between Corvo and Fontainhas is harder at the end of the hike. I also think the arrival in Fontainhas from Ponta do Sol is way more "wow"! 2-Yes, it’s possible, but it makes for a long hike! I’d say a good 7 hours of walking. Marie

Hello,

Thanks for the feedback about the coastal hike. I’ll be in Caculi the day before—will it be possible to take an *aluguer* from Caculi to Ponta do Sol and then start the hike?

I’m also struggling with transport for the return from the Paul > Xoxo hike via Cova, unless I sleep in Xoxo. However, the next day I need to be in Tarafal, and it seems the *aluguers* from Ponta Novo to Tarafal leave around 11 AM. So, would I have time to go from Xoxo > Porto Novo before 11 AM and then catch an *aluguer* to Tarafal in the morning?

Thanks a lot! 🙂

Hi there, I think you can find shared rides from Coculi to Ribeira Grande, then from there to Ponta do Sol. But that’ll delay your departure a bit. Otherwise, a private ride should be around 2000 escudos. For your second question, no, I don’t think it’s possible to do everything in one day. The hike takes about 7 hours... so being in Porto Novo by 11 AM the same day is mission impossible! ;O) But you mentioned needing to be in Tarrafal only the next day... morning or evening? If it’s the evening, you can sleep somewhere and take the shared ride to Porto Novo very early the next day, then catch the one to Tarrafal.

Hello,

Thanks for the two tips. I’ll take the aluguers from Coculi > Ribeira Grande > Ponta do Sol.

About the 7-hour hike from Paul > Cova > Xoxo, I’ll sleep in Coco that evening, which’ll let me catch an early aluguer to Porto Novo in the morning and then the aluguer to Tarafal around 11 a.m. After that, I’ll take a 4-day break to recover from all these early mornings and hikes 😉 though I might be tempted by the Tarafal > Monte Trigo hike.... Is it worth it in your opinion?

In Tarrafal, you can do the coastal hike and get a ride back in a fishing boat. It's really nice. It's a change of pace and gives you a different view. Just chat with the fishermen about it. Otherwise, you can also just take a walk by heading up to Corvoa (lovely view overlooking Tarrafal) and coming back down through the Ribeira de Tarrafal.

Hello Marie,

Thanks for the tips about Santo Antão.

Finally, I did the two hikes back-to-back from Xoxo to Paul via Agua das Caldeiras. It’s definitely long and exhausting toward the end on the descent into Paul, but the beauty of the landscapes sends your dopamine and adrenaline levels through the roof...

I’d love to go back to Cape Verde this summer because Fogo and Brava have caught my eye. How many days would you recommend for these two islands? Are there any spectacular hikes on Brava, and is there an equivalent of Tarrafal de Monte Trigo there? 😊 I loved the vibe of Tarrafal on SA.

Thanks a bunch

Hi there! I’m so glad you enjoyed your stay on Santo Antão! For Fogo and Brava, you can check out my travel journals on this site. We spent almost three weeks there the first time, but I should mention we did pretty much everything on foot or nearly so, and independently. Plus, things have probably changed quite a bit in 10 years... But otherwise, I think 3-4 days on Brava and about 5 days on Fogo could already be a good amount of time. On Brava, there’s Fajã d’Agua, which, at least back then, was pretty isolated with a beach. Though it’s not a beach like Tarrafal. Still, there’s a real end-of-the-world vibe. Either way, the island is sparsely populated and still not very touristy, so you’ll have peace and quiet! ;O) And the hikes are great. But take a look at my travel journals first. After that, I can answer your questions in more detail. Here’s the link: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6504077;#6504077

Marie