Concelho da Boa Vista Things to Do

drinks on the beach

by kat-m

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drinks on the beach
by kat-m
Santa Maria shipwreck, Boa Vista island
by SWFC_Fan
Santa Maria shipwreck, Boa Vista island
by SWFC_Fan
Sand dunes and shipwreck at Santa Maria
by SWFC_Fan
Santa Maria beach and shipwreck, Boa...
by SWFC_Fan

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

how about nothing

by kat-m

Well there are things to do on Boa Vista, we looked at the available trips, into the desert, round the island, to see the shipwreck, into the town of sal rei, the prices for the trips were extortionate and if I had been on the island longer would have got bored and went on some trips. I believe you can do trips through locals a lot cheaper than through tour organisers and that would be the route to take. We were also there at the wrong time of year for deep sea fishing which my husband would have liked.

Turtle watching

by MarcW_DE

If you are on Boa Viste in July, August or September you have to do the Turtle Tour at night. You will watch Turtles nesting at the beach at night, guided by experts who are doing research while you are watching and who ensure that this trip is not interfering with the turtles nesting.Expect to pay roundabout 50 Eur for the trip which takes a few hours.We watched a 85cm turtle doing 90 eggs in her nest and crawling back into the ocean.The only drawback: Ensure you book a tour in your language. We asked for a tour in either Portugues, English or German and have been booked on a French tour ;-( (see my tourist trap comments for this)

The northern villages of Boa Vista

by SWFC_Fan

During a tour of Boa Vista island in May 2011, we visited the cluster of three villages in the north east of the island: Cabeça dos TarafesFundo das FigueirasJoão GalegoOur guidebook stated that these villages were located in the greenest part of the island, in an area known as "The Garden of Boa Vista". They didn't appear to be particularly green, but compared to the rest of the island (which consists of sandy beaches and a rocky, dusty interior) there was certainly more plant life here than elsewhere. There were trees lining some of the streets and bright pink and red bougainvillea on the front of many of the homes.We first arrived at Cabeça dos Tarafes having travelled up the east side of the island over rough tracks in a 4 wheel drive pick-up truck. Compared to the road that we had travelled along up until this point, the road into Cabeça dos Tarafes and onto the other two villages...

Ervatao beach

by SWFC_Fan

Ervatao beach is a secluded and unspoilt beach located on the east coast of Boa Vista island.There are no settlements close to the beach and it can only be reached, over rough, rocky terrain, in an off road vehicle. We visited the beach in a pick-up truck during a tour of the island in May 2011.The beach was empty when we visited. A refreshing breeze blew across the beach (as it does on much of Boa Vista's coast) and a constant succession of waves broke on the shore. There was a solitary thatched roof shelter on the sand, offering a little shade from the strong sun.In the distance, at the far end of the beach, we could see a Land Rover parked up and a makeshift camp being constructed. Our guide informed us that the camp would house students and researchers during the forthcoming turtle nesting season. Ervatao beach is one of the world's most important nesting grounds for loggerhead...

Santa Maria shipwreck

by SWFC_Fan

Santa Maria shipwreck is one of the main must-see sights on a visit to Boa Vista island. We were therefore keen to ensure that we saw it during our visit to the island in May 2011.The problem is that it isn't particularly easy to get to. We had hoped to see it during a minibus trip to Sal Rei, but our driver informed us that the vehicle wasn't suitable for such a trip; a dedicated off road vehicle would be required. Although it is located only 6km from Sal Rei, just off the island's north coast, there is no paved road leading to Santa Maria beach – just a rocky track and sand dunes.Two days later, on a tour of the island in an off road pick-up truck, we were able to visit the shipwreck. It soon became obvious why we couldn't have visited in the minibus; only an off road vehicle could handle the requisite journey over the rough terrain.Our driver parked the truck up on sand dunes...