The 15 Best Boa Vista Tours & Day Trips

1.Shark, Turtles, Cave, Sandboarding & Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 328 reviews · 4 hours - 270 minutes · from $70Our pick

Join guides such as Veronique, Joshua, or Gil for a half-day 4x4 trip across Boa Vista. You will sandboard at Morro de Arreia, look for turtles and lemon sharks, visit Varandinha caves and Santa Monica Beach, then sample grogue and ponche in Povoação Velha. Wildlife sightings depend on weather and nature.

“We were a group of 6, our guide Veronica made our tour fun. She’s so interactive and made us all feel so comfortable. The tour itself self was amazing, from start to finish. We would definitely recommend to anyone. Thank you Veronica and Gil for an awesome experience.”

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2.Turtle, Shark, Santa Monica, Sandboard & Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 228 reviews · 4 hours · from $76

Spend four hours crossing Boa Vista’s west coast in a 4x4 with guides such as Fredy, Evandro, Anna, and Cristiano. Sandboard at Morro de Areia, look for green turtles and lemon sharks, pause at Santa Monica Beach, then taste snacks, grogue, and pontche in Povoação Velha. Shark sightings depend on tide and sea conditions.

“We had a great day. The hosts were very nice, and had a lot of helpful information. We got to see the turtles and the sand boarding was a fun unique experience! Unfortunately we didn’t get to see any sharks but I’m still happy with the value for money! They also took lots of photos that are available to download.”

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3.Santa Monica, Dunes, Caves and Village 4×4 Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 137 reviews · 4 hours · from $76

Take a four-hour guided 4x4 trip across Boa Vista’s south coast, from the white dunes of Viana and village life in Povoação Velha to Varandinha’s sea caves and Santa Monica Beach. Guides such as Freddy, Evandro, Nielson, and Julie are praised for clear explanations and confident off-road driving. Hotel pickup, drop-off, and a beach-club cocktail are included.

“Freddy was a really nice tour guide. We enjoyed it a lot :)”

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4.Boa Vista Jeep Expedition: Shipwreck & Viana Desert (4-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 134 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Ride a Toyota Landcruiser across northern Boa Vista with a local guide such as Vagner, Hendrick, Fabrizio, or Silvano. You’ll stop at Ponta do Sol, the 1968 Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck, Bofareira Bay, Espingueira, Viana Desert, and the Chimney of Praia de Chaves. Water, hotel transport, and a refreshment are included.

“Our guide Hendrick Lima was absolutely brilliant. He was courteous, friendly and helpful. He went out of his way to ensure we all had a great time. We met local people, who were really friendly and welcoming. I would recommend this trip if you want to see another side of the island.”

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5.Boa Vista Quad Tour: Shipwreck & Viana Desert (2-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 121 reviews · 2 hours

Take a guided quad ride from Sal Rei to Cabo Santa Maria’s 1968 shipwreck, then cross the white dunes of Viana Desert. No-Limits Adventure provides fuel, equipment, water, hotel pickup, and safety guidance. Guides including Vagner, Fabrice, Fabricio, and Mauru have helped beginners gain confidence, though the short tour leaves limited time for desert riding and detailed explanations.

“Excellent from start to finish our tour guide was Fabricio and he was Great, knowledgeable and took some good pictures for us, highly recommend I would do it again!”

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6.Whale Watching Trip with Motoryacht

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 115 reviews · 3 hours · from $94

Join Boa Vista Tours for a three-hour whale-watching cruise from Sal Rei, led by local marine biologists such as Josie and Sarah. From March to May, humpback whales gather near Boa Vista to mate and give birth. Expect a careful search, useful wildlife briefings, drinks, and the possibility of seeing mothers with calves, but no guaranteed sightings.

“Saw no Whales which was fine- understood the risk whilst booking the trip. The thing that agitated me was the instructor who when asked 'did you see any whales on the morning trip?' (we were on the afternoon slot)- told us 'No, to be honest we are now out of season for the whales we likely won't see any.' keeping the trip open and available to book. Paying £130 for two people, and knowing we weren't really in season. This is greed by the provider, and the option to book should be limited to the particular season. All should be refunded. thanks”

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7.2-Hour Buggy 1000cc North Island Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 113 reviews

You will drive a powerful 1000cc side-by-side buggy across northern Boa Vista with a local guide, stopping at Cabo Santa Maria, Ponta do Sol, and the Viana Desert. Hotel transfers, fuel, helmets, goggles, water, and overalls are included. The route suits confident drivers and costs $153 per buggy for up to two people.

“Great activity and experience. Guides were excellent, driving the buggies was so much fun. Just the right amount of time at each of the 3 stops to take photos and enjoy the views. Highly recommended.”

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8.Boa Vista Island: Northwest & Deserto de Viana 4×4 Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 113 reviews · 4 hours · from $53Best value

Take a four-hour 4x4 tour through northwest Boa Vista, with stops at Rabil’s handicraft workshop, the Deserto de Viana dunes, Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck, Praia da Atalanta, and Our Lady of Fatima Chapel. Your guide explains the island’s sights in English, Spanish, French, Italian, or Portuguese. Pickup and drop-off are included, except at Hotel Riu Touareg.

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9.Beautiful Beaches, Turtles & Djeu Island Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 100 reviews · 7 hours · from $100

Spend seven hours exploring Boa Vista with local guides such as Joshua, Veronique, or Axurance. Snorkel around uninhabited Djeu Island, visit Santa Monica Beach, shark and turtle bays, Praia Varandinha caves, and Morro de Areia dunes. Hotel pickup, equipment, boat transport, lunch, and optional sandboarding are included or available as noted.

“The guides picked us up on time and were super friendly and informative all day with a choice of sitting inside or outside the truck. The activities were in a slightly different order than as described and we were taken to a grogue tasting also which we didn’t expect. The restaurant for lunch was delicious with a great selection of reasonably priced food. Overall a fantastic experience highly recommended!”

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10.Boa Vista Island Full-Day North to South Discovery

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 79 reviews · 8 hours · from $94

Spend eight hours crossing Boa Vista from Morro de Areia to the Viana Desert, with stops at Santa Monica Beach, Varandinha caves, Povoação Velha, Rabil’s pottery school, Sal Rei, and the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck. A multilingual Spot Travel Tours guide, including guides such as Silvio, leads the route. Lunch, one drink, and hotel pickup are included.

“Très bonne journée en compagnie de notre guide qui parlait français. Les paysages sont à couper le souffle. Nous visitons beaucoup de lieux d'intérêt du sud de l'île. Ce serait super de pouvoir profiter un peu plus longtemps des plages et du désert. Le repas compris dans le prix de la journée est très bon.”

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11.Short Snorkeling Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 76 reviews · 2 months · from $53

You’ll take a short boat ride from Diving Center Riamar to a shallow snorkeling site in Sal Rei Bay, either Djeu Island or the Zans wreck. Swim among colorful fish, turtles, yellowtail snappers, and possibly baby sharks, then relax on Djeu Island’s beach or walk to its lighthouse and old Portuguese cannons. Gear and an English-speaking guide are included.

“Yesterday I waited half an hour for the driver to come pick me up. When the program organizer finally called me back, they said the program was canceled, didn't they tell me? They didn't say anything. I was supposed to go today but again no communication, I want my money back and the time I wasted!!! This is a scam!”

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12.2h North Buggy Adventure 1000cc

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews Top rated

You will drive a powerful 1000cc buggy along Boa Vista’s northern coast, crossing the Via Pitoresca oasis route to Cabo Santa Maria’s 1968 shipwreck and Ponta do Sol Panorama Point. The two-hour outing includes pickup, fuel, helmets, glasses, bottled water, and return transport. Bring your driving licence and expect an afternoon start.

“Be aware you need to bring your driving licence and the pick up is at 1 from your hotel - this isn’t sign posted anywhere. It seemed one rule for one another for others apart from that the guides were friendly, informative . There isn’t much to do on the island so this was something good fun for a few hours”

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13.Sal Rei, Santa Monica Beach, Caves, Dunes & Shipwreck Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 67 reviews · 6 hours · from $94

Travel across Boa Vista in an air-conditioned, certified vehicle with a local guide such as Nicole, stopping at Varandinha Cave, Santa Monica Beach, the Viana Desert, and the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck. You’ll have time for photos, a beach walk, and Sal Rei, with several languages and private or small-group options available.

“Unser Tourguide Nicole hat uns perfekt durch den Tag geführt. Genau die richtige Mischung aus atemberaubender Landschaft , Kultur und jeder Menge Spass! Defnitiv zu empfehlen!!”

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14.Guided turtle tour in a group in Boa Vista

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · from $104

Join Cabokaitours for a five-hour evening trip from Boa Vista to Ervatão, where you may watch loggerhead turtles lay eggs or see hatchlings reach the sea. The group is limited to 12, with hotel pickup, a briefing, guided beach time, and respectful viewing led by the local team, including Kai and Minesh on some departures.

“We attended this trip as a group of 4 and from start to finish found it equally enthralling and informative. The drive to the nature reserve, through stunning countryside and talking in small villages, was spectacular and saw dusk descend. We thRead more”

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15.Boa Vista 4h South Buggy Adventure 1000cc

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews

Drive a powerful 1000cc buggy from Sal Rei toward Praia de Chaves, Morro de Areia, Praia de Verandinha, and Santa Monica Beach. You get a helmet, glasses, bottled water, fuel, and pickup and drop-off. The route mixes sandy tracks, sea views, photo stops, and a good dose of speed.

“What a fantastic time we had, we were a bit apprehensive over the cost but decided to take the plunge and were were so glad that we did. What value for money we had, a great group of adrenaline junkies who all put their foot down and enjoyed the sheer thrill of the varioRead more”

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