Cape Verde · SNORKELING
Warm water, reef fish, turtles and the odd wreck in swimming distance. The 15 below cover Sal, São Vicente and Boa Vista, priced by trip length, with a note on which suit a first-timer and which need a bit of fin.
Set out from Cabo Verde Diving Aquarium or the Melia Tortuga center for a two-hour guided snorkeling trip. Guides such as Adi, Daniel, and Wesley help with equipment, safety, and spotting turtles, rays, moray eels, reef fish, and a shallow wreck when sea conditions allow.
“Very well organised. Great health and safety. Saw beautiful fish and ship wreck was amazing! We would do that again next time we visit.”
Join Nando Tours for a two-hour boat snorkeling trip from Santa Maria, Sal. Local guide Nando leads you to the Caldeirinha shipwreck, coral reefs, and the underwater Christ statue, with turtles promised as part of the experience. Equipment, boat transport, safety briefing, and multilingual guiding are included.
“Trip was overall good. We showed up half an hour early, just on time would have been sufficient though. Provided equipment looked good, though we just borrowed the fins (brought our own goggles and snorkel). Neoprene -suites were not offered, my kids could have used one though. First stop for snorkeling took us over a reef and the shipwreck. About 1 hour of snorkeling, but no really amazing fish to be seen (saw more or less the same when just starting from the beach somewhere). My kid stopped early, as he was getting cold. The boat was always close by, so no issue with that. Second stop at the Jesus…”
Meet your guide in São Pedro, collect snorkeling gear, learn basic safety, then take a short boat ride to a turtle area for time in the water. Pickup and drop-off are included from Mindelo port or your accommodation. Guides speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. Soraya and Eddie have earned special praise for their patient help.
“Alles super, aber vor Ort bekommt man das Schnorcheln für 15€ p. Person.”
Travel from your hotel or port to São Pedro, learn the basics from a multilingual guide, then take a short boat ride to a turtle-filled bay. You get about an hour in the water with snorkeling gear and a life jacket. Guide Elder has earned praise for his calm, friendly help, especially with nervous swimmers.
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!”
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!”
From Mindelo, drive to São Pedro, then join guide Diego or another marine professional for a short boat ride and a guided swim with sea turtles. Groups are limited to nine, and your time in the water is capped at 20 minutes to protect the animals. Transport, life jackets, masks, tubes, and insurance are included.
“We highly recommend this tour! 💯👍 A very smart driver picked us up at our hotel in Mindelo. We drove approx. 15 minutes to the beach in Sao Petro. Diego, our tour guide was already there and started immediately to prepare the boot. He gave us security instructions also life jackets. My wife stayed in the boot while I went snorkeling. It was amazing to see the sea turtles and fishes too. Four big ones surrounded me while swimming and snorkeling. After a while even a bigger one showed up. On board again Diego told us about the wildlife and fishing activities in this area. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ka and Andi”
Spend four hours snorkeling the calm, shallow reef at Gatas Bay, then stop in Fundo das Figueiras for goat cheese, pastries, and a local drink. A qualified guide, often José, leads the small group in several languages, provides equipment, and explains how to protect marine life.
From Praia, travel to Ribeira da Barca for a traditional fishing boat ride along Santiago’s volcanic coast. You’ll visit Pilon de Achada Leite, swim or snorkel in Águas Belas cave when conditions allow, and eat a fish BBQ on a black-sand beach. Guides may include KID, Cátia, or Dany. The boat costs an extra 25 EUR per person locally.
“Our driver and guide were great. Activity said snorkeling but there were 6 people and 3 snorkels. The swimming and snorkeling were over the side of the boat in the cave we only stayed for about 15 mins. The current was a bit rough and it was only large rocks to see. BBQ was tasty but beach is very rocky (recommend water shoes) and dirty with no good place to sit. Does seem typical. Overall trip was great but felt expensive.”
From Mindelo, you’ll ride to São Pedro, board a local fishermen’s boat, and snorkel with sea turtles in clear coastal water. The tour takes up to 12 people, includes gear, lifejackets, transfers, and guides in English, Portuguese, or French. Turtle sightings are guaranteed year-round, with water time limited by local rules.
“Het was magisch, en heel respectvol naar de dieren toe! dank jullie wel!”
From Santa Maria, you take a short boat ride to a reef 3 to 8 meters deep and the shallow Calderinhia wreck. An instructor stays with you for about 45 minutes in the water, pointing out fish, rays, turtles, moray eels, and the wreck’s old boiler. Equipment is included, but bring water and snacks.
“Found the company very professional. Good safety brief before the start of the activity. Equipment provided. It’s only a short boat ride out to the location for snorkelling. We saw plenty of fish! I could have stayed snorkelling all day, fab activity!”
Join Taruga Sal Tours for a 90-minute snorkeling trip around Santa Maria Bay. Your guide explains safety and equipment use before you visit reefs and a shallow shipwreck where soldierfish, snappers, parrotfish, trumpetfish, rays, turtles, and moray eels may appear. Alexandre is one guide praised for his friendly, reassuring manner.
“Foi tudo muito bom. A simpatia do Alexandre foi contagiante. Senti-me sempre muito à vontade com a experiência que ele demonstrou. Como ponto menos positivo o facto dos óculos de mergulho não vedarem bem”
At 2:00 pm, Atlantic Star takes you by Zodiac into Santa Maria Bay for an easy surface snorkeling session with mask, snorkel, and fins. A professional guide helps you prepare, then leads you to spots where you might see tropical fish and sea turtles. Hotel pickup may be available, and groups are limited to eight.
“Great trip pick you up and drop you back to the hotel. Need to be a strong swimmer. But the instructors very helpful and knowledgeable and always there to help.”
From Santa Maria, you take a short boat ride to a shipwreck and an underwater Christ statue. Nando Tours provides a wetsuit, mask, fins, life jacket, photos, and videos, with a certified local guide helping beginners in English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, or French. The water session lasts about two hours.
“nous avons bien aimé les spots sur lesquels nous avons été déposé pour la plongée 3 spots au total. ce qui pourrait être amélioré, la liste est longue : - l'organisation générale - la ponctualité 45min 1h de retard au départ. - prise en charge a l'hôtel annulé car le taxi n'est jamais venu et nous sommes donc allé a pied a l'activité... - le matériel est très vétusté, non entretenue, encore plein de sable de la veille ce qui rend les plastique cassant ce qui est arrivé à mon masque... - aucunes communication avant/pendant/après activités. - dépose dans l'eau parfois très dangereuses, il ne faut vraiment pas avoir peur…”
Set out from Sal Rei on a private boat with a local captain, fishing rods, and safety gear. Fish along Boa Vista’s coast, then head to Djeu for beach time and possible snorkeling while your catch is grilled. Tuck and his crew have hosted this trip, while Yara helps with tour-day communication.
“Excellent from start to finish... we had communication the full time from yara who text us let us know what to expect and when our taxi had arrived on the morning of excursion. We travelled around 20 minutes to the boat. Taxi driver was lovely and made you feel really relaxRead more”
Pick an island, a boat or a kitchen.
