Santo Antão: organizing luggage transfer

Hi, Without booking in advance through an agency, is it possible/easy to organize luggage transfer from one night to the next between accommodations in Santo Antão? Thanks.

Hi Olivier

Possible? Yes. Easy? No. Budget-friendly? Definitely not.

Actually, the only way to move your luggage from one place to another is by taxi. So without an agency, it’s doable but expensive. At a push, travel light for your hikes on the island and pick up your suitcases at the end, storing them in Porto Novo.

Hi Olivier As Montagnard74 mentioned, it’s possible but not cheap. Depending on your accommodations, they might be able to help with organizing and finding a taxi, but it won’t be cheap, especially if there’s a long distance involved. Marie

Hello! Yes, it's totally possible with the Nobai agency in Mindelo. We got a detailed quote, and it cost us 840 € for 4 days! We simply took inspiration from their itinerary and did roughly the same thing using taxis and collectivos to transport our luggage... it takes a bit more energy, with the risk of not always finding the accommodation at the destination and having to look for another lodge in the same area, which is why it's better to have light luggage like backpacks rather than big suitcases! But it ends up costing about half the price... Try to book the first night either at Quinta Cochete in Ribeira das Patas, L'Aldea Panoramica in the Paul Valley, Luz do Sol in Cidade das Pombas, or Musica do Mar in Ponta do Sol. I can give you more details if you'd like... Otherwise, Nobai has great ideas and provides GPS track maps, ferry tickets, and a taxi with a driver who takes the client to the start of the hike and picks them up at the end if the hike doesn't finish at the hotel or guesthouse where they're staying...

Thanks for your replies. One additional question (not related to my initial request): is it possible/easy to withdraw cash on Santo Antao? (I imagine there’s no major issue in Minelo)

Yes, of course, there are banks and ATMs on Santo Antao. Personally, I withdrew almost everything in Mindelo. The exchange rate was 110.28 for 1 €. For info, the exchange rate is the same everywhere, but the fees vary from one bank to another. At the airport, you should exchange the minimum because the fee is 5% of the amount exchanged. At Caixa Económica in town, it’s 0.5%, so a big difference! This bank is said to have the lowest fee, but I didn’t check since I only went to Caixa Económica... I’ve never tried the ATMs. On Santo Antao, card payments are practically never possible, so you always pay in cash. In Sal, it’s best to pay in euros—no need to exchange. Prices are systematically 10% more expensive than elsewhere.

Thanks for your replies. One additional question (not related to my initial request): is it possible/easy to withdraw cash on Santo Antão? (I imagine no major issues in Minelo)

Hi Olivier, To add to the other reply: On Santo Antão, there are banks and ATMs (Vinti4) in Porto Novo, Vila das Pombas, Ribeira Grande, Coculi, and Ponta do Sol. Be aware that in Cape Verde, there’s a withdrawal limit per transaction and per day (regardless of your card) of 20,000 escudos (around 200 €). Fees depend on your bank’s terms. Marie

Hi Marie! Without meaning to contradict you, in January in Cape Verde I was able to make two successive withdrawals of 20,000 escudos, and this on two occasions—one of them at São Vicente Airport. With a Visa Premier card and subscribed to Société Générale’s Traveler Option, there were very few exchange fees: 189.20 € debited for each transaction.

Hi Andy, thanks for this info. Good to know. Not everyone has Premium, but maybe the "travel" subscription is a good option. But you say there’s a 20 € fee for each transaction?? That seems expensive—or is it a typo?

Anyway, it’s not the case for most people, but thanks for the info. Still, the limit is 20,000 escudos per withdrawal, so apparently, under certain conditions, you can make several withdrawals in a row. Great!