Boa Vista Islands 4x4 excursion

Jasmine-Jaed
Apr 12, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Sep 15, 2024

I love sightseeing, I just want to absorb as much of the culture, food and traditions as possible. It's so nice to leave your hometown and explore all the different parts of the world, really experiencing how the locals live, where they hang out and where they go to eat.

We went on a total of three excursions, we booked them directly through the Tui app and used the 10% discount you get when you purchase three excursions together. The first one was a tour of the island and basically had everything instead of booking the trips individually. This included a 4x4 transport pick up to Sal Rei, we saw the village and were told some interesting facts of the country's history, click here for the link to this excursion.

I found out the native language was Creole, and some locals would speak Portuguese or Senegalese as a lot of people from Senegal migrate over there for work in tourism. Around 60% of all income is generated from tourism such as; tour guides, stool shops, restaurants, airport, hotel s and entertainment. Shout out to our tour guide Wilfred, he was such a happy guy and was very informative about the history of the people and island.

There was not much in Sal Rei, the country is in its early stages of tourism in Butler's life cycle model (Click the link to see Butler's theory). The Spanish cargo ship washed ashore in1968, it has become a popular landsite to visit because of the famous Shipwreck site. This landmark is a big tourist attraction for the visitors and helps contribute towards the local economy, through guided tours and the locals selling hand-made crafts and trinkets on the beach. Although, over the next couple of years, the wreckage will be no more. I'd definitely advise anyone who wants to see it, to travel within the next 5 years, before the ships disappear forever.

We then got to go sand boarding and have a drink at a local hangout spot, which had such a great viewpoint. The only downside was it was kind of in the middle of nowhere, so as long as you have a car, you'll be okay. The sandboarding did not live up to what I thought it would be, the ride was much shorter and slower than I'd expected, but I am glad I gave it a try. Click here to see the video of me sand boarding on Instagram. I'd advise you to not buy it as a singular excursion, it would be better to save your coins and buy it as a multi-package excursion.

One of my top 3 favorite spots on the holiday was the Perola d' Chaves! We stopped there for lunch and the view was breath taking! Click here to see my video of this hidden paradise on my Instagram. The food and staff were great, and I had just enough time to stop and buy some beach wraps from a stool shop. When buying souvenirs, it is best to pay in euros, so make sure you exchange your money before you arrive in Cape Verde, as it can be very costly and difficult to convert the money at the hotel. You also have the option to pay in Cape Verdean escudos (CVE), but note that once you exchange into CVE, you cannot spend this foreign currency anywhere else in the world, expect from Cape Verde. So, whatever money you have in CVE, you'll have to spend it all on the island.

Great view, food and vibes, we stayed at this spot for a short while before moving on to a historic site. We had a chance to take in the outdoor scenery and check out the locals' shops to buy things. My aunt brought herself a bottle of one of the fruit flavored liquors that we had tried earlier at the bar. The last stop was Saint Monica Beach, when I tell you the view was DREAMY! You really had to be there to appreciate it. We received some alcoholic beverages on arrival, but you could opt for a mocktail. Then we finally got to go into the sea and sun bath for a little while before heading home.

The day was so jammed pack, I would rate the overall excursion an 8/10, you get to experience a range of activities all for one price. I would strongly recommend anyone who is planning to do an excursion to be aware that there is one main road on the islands, so during the excursion it can get very bumping. Additionally, there is a lot of walking and getting in and out of vehicles, so keep this in mind before booking. If you love exploring and want to really experience the island, then you should try to book this tour. My only recommendation to make the experience better would have been to stay longer at Perola d' Chaves. I would suggest to anyone looking for a relaxing day trip out, to book a taxi to Perola d' Chaves and spend the afternoon sipping cocktails.