Family trip to Cape Verde: questions about accommodation and activities

Good morning! We're heading to Cape Verde for 2 weeks at the end of April—São Vicente, Boa Vista, and Santiago. We’re a family of 5: 3 kids (4, 6, and 12) and 2 adults.

My questions revolve around beaches (a spot with interesting snorkeling and safe swimming for the kids), accommodation (kid-friendly, parks nearby, pool, beach, or nature—more like guesthouses or family-run pensions), hikes (accessible for kids), and whether renting a car makes sense depending on the island, even though local buses are an adventure in themselves.

**Santiago:** - Beach & snorkeling: Tarrafal, Quebra Canela in Praia, Ribeira da Barca (okay for kids?), Águas Belas? - Any nice places to stay? - Hikes: Malagueta?, Baobab Boa Entrada, Pico António (accessible? elevation gain, time to climb, difficulty, interest for kids?)

**Boa Vista:** - Beach + snorkeling: Santa Mónica, Praia de Chaves, Gatas, ... Estoril Beach in Sal Rei maybe? - Can we swim at Turtle Bay to see the turtles even though it’s not nesting season? - Any nice places to stay? - Hikes: Viana Desert? Can we explore it solo by renting a 4x4 and easily find the points of interest? - Is it worth renting a 4x4 for our stay in Boa Vista?

**São Vicente:** - Beach + snorkeling: Laginha, Porto Grande, Praia Grande, Baía das Gatas, São Pedro...? (safe, good snorkeling?) - Any nice places to stay? - Hikes: cliffs?, Monte Verde?

Thanks for your feedback, great tips—especially for accommodation where we’re totally in the dark! And your thoughts on whether renting a car is a good idea and which beaches are safest for kids.

See you soon! Christophe

Hi there, from my point of view, it’d be a real shame to go all the way to São Vicente and not visit Santo Antão (1-hour ferry ride), which is one of the most beautiful islands with spectacular landscapes, lush green valleys, and way nicer for hiking than SV, in my opinion. Plus, in summer, you can definitely go swimming there, like in Ponta do Sol or Sinagoga, for example.

It’s true that in two weeks, that might mean too many islands and a lot of inter-island transfers, which can be pretty unpredictable around here (except for the ferry between SV and SA—that one’s reliable). Have you already booked your tickets? Where are you arriving? Departing from where?

Hi Ptitortue,

We arrive in SV on 20/4 and leave from Santiago on 3/5, with Boa Vista and its mini desert in between. We’ve heard great things about Santo Antão, but we can’t do everything—while our 6- and 12-year-olds can handle hiking, our 4-year-old really limits us for long treks. So Santo Antão will have to wait for another time when the kids are a bit older. In SV, there are some shorter, more family-friendly walks that look nice, like the small volcanoes in Calhau, Monte Verde, or the São Pedro lighthouse... Choosing means letting go ;-)

Hello, Okay. Well, it’ll have to be next time then! Have a great trip! Marie