Discovering Santo Antão
Santo Antão is the second-largest island of Cape Verde (779 km²) and by far the most dramatic. A massive mountain range divides the island into two completely different worlds: The Northeast side (Barlavento — facing the wind) captures the trade wind clouds and is lush green, covered with sugarcane, banana plants, mango trees, and dragon trees. The Southwest side (Sotavento — leeward) is barren, dry, and lunar — a moonscape of lava and scree.
The contrast is incredible: you drive over a mountain pass and switch from the Sahara to the tropics within minutes. This contrast, paired with a network of trails from the Portuguese colonial era (old cobblestone roads winding in hair-raising serpentines over 1,500-meter steep walls), makes Santo Antão the number one hiking paradise in Macaronesia — and one of the best trekking destinations in Africa.
There is no airport on Santo Antão — the island is only accessible by ferry from São Vicente (Mindelo). The crossing takes an hour and passes through the Canal de São Vicente, one of the windiest straits in the Atlantic. The ferry docks in Porto Novo on the south side, from where Aluguers (shared taxis) go in all directions.
Plan at least 3–5 days for Santo Antão — the island deserves to be explored on foot. The main towns are Ribeira Grande (Ponta do Sol) on the north coast, Paúl in the northeast, and Porto Novo on the southwest coast.
