Category Snorkeling

Cape Verde · SNORKELING

The 13 Best Snorkelling Trips in Cape Verde

13 reviewed

Warm water, big shoals, and green turtles that feed close enough to shore to swim out to. Below are the best snorkelling trips: which reefs each visits, whether gear and a wetsuit are included, how deep the stops sit, and which suit a first time in a mask.

Santa Maria: Guided Snorkeling and Reef Tour

Santa Maria: Guided Snorkeling and Reef Tour - Getting to the water: pickup options and the wet Zodiac ride

1.Santa Maria: Guided Snorkeling and Reef Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 809 reviews · 2 hours · from $44Our pick

Guided snorkeling from Santa Maria to Bolama wreck and Farol reefs, with wetsuits, life jackets, and easy reef entry in Cabo Verde.

“spent about 50 minutes in the water we were all given swim vest but you could take them off if you didn't need one. At one point I was adjusting my mask and one of the guides was straight over to ask if I was ok. I saw and swam close to two turtles and lots of different fish. the water was clear if a little rough but felt safe the whole time. we didn't do the statue but found by the end of the swim I hadn't even noticed we hadn't done it”

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Santa Maria: Snorkeling Boat Tour

Santa Maria: Snorkeling Boat Tour - Meet Nando at the Pier: How the tour starts in Santa Maria

2.Santa Maria: Snorkeling Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 213 reviews · 2 hours · from $44

Snorkel by boat from Santa Maria to the Caldeirinha shipwreck and the Christ statue, with turtles, full gear, and a safety-first crew.

“Great friendly crew who explained everything well. Really enjoyed seeing the variety of fish around the wreck and it was great to see a couple of turtles. Would recommend as a fun family activity”

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From Mindelo: São Vicente’s Enchanting Sea Turtle Snorkeling

From Mindelo: São Vicente's Enchanting Sea Turtle Snorkeling - Getting There From Mindelo: Pickup, Transfers, and Timing Reality

Short Snorkeling Trip

Short Snorkeling Trip - From Sal Rei to Djeu Island: what the water feels like

4.Short Snorkeling Trip

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

Short Boa Vista snorkeling from Sal Rei, gear and English guide included, to Djeu Island or Zans wreck for turtles and reef fish.

“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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From Praia: Boat Trip, Snorkeling, Cave & BBQ on the Beach

From Praia: Boat Trip, Snorkeling, Cave & BBQ on the Beach - Traditional boat time: what the 30 minutes on the water really feels like

6.From Praia: Boat Trip, Snorkeling, Cave & BBQ on the Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 45 reviews · 7 hours · from $129

From Praia, sail to Ribeira da Barca, swim in the Àguas Belas cave, snorkel, then end with a black-sand BBQ on Santiago.

“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.”

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São Vicente: Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles

São Vicente: Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles - Mindelo pickup, then a simple trip to São Pedro

7.São Vicente: Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 44 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

Snorkel from a fishermen’s boat near São Vicente for guaranteed sea turtle sightings, plus gear, lifejackets, and a small-group experience.

“Unforgettable experience. Richard was lovely tour guide and spoke English very well. Tour was as described. Pick up was perfectly on time. Transfer to beach was smooth. We saw 6+ turtles. Sting ray, puffer fish and lots of other fish. Transfer back to town was smooth. Thanks for a great experience.”

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Snorkeling Tour

Snorkeling Tour - Timing, meeting point, and what the 2 hours really feels like

8.Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 43 reviews · from $44

Snorkel Santa Maria’s multi-level reef and a shallow shipwreck on Sal, Cape Verde. Short trip, all equipment included, guided in water.

“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!”

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Snorkeling Experience in Santa Maria Bay by boat

Snorkeling Experience in Santa Maria Bay by boat - Getting in, staying with the group, and seeing sea turtles

9.Snorkeling Experience in Santa Maria Bay by boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · from $34Best value

Snorkeling in Santa Maria Bay by boat in Cape Verde. Small group, pickup included, Zodiac ride, sea turtles, and clear gear coaching.

“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.”

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Ilha Do Sal: Snorkeling with Local Guide

Ilha Do Sal: Snorkeling with Local Guide - Getting ready: what to bring and what to check first

10.Ilha Do Sal: Snorkeling with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 34 reviews · 1h 30m · from $35

90-minute snorkeling in Santa Maria, Sal. Clear water, reef life, a shallow shipwreck stop, and a multilingual local guide for $35.

“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”

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Snorkelling trip with certificate local guide

Snorkelling trip with certificate local guide - The Shipwreck Stop Near Ponta Sino: 1 Hour of Fish-Filled Floating

11.Snorkelling trip with certificate local guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 31 reviews · 6 hours · from $50

6-hour Santa Maria snorkelling trip with a certified local guide, wet suit and gear included, shipwreck plus underwater Christ statue, turtle time.

“The guides were amazing such good vibes even helping with the less confident swimmers which was nice to see I highly recommend this they made me feel so safe and also did not leave until I saw a turtle ! Thank you so much”

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Fishing Snorkeling and Barbecue

Fishing Snorkeling and Barbecue - From Te Manché to Estoril, Then South for Fishing

12.Fishing Snorkeling and Barbecue

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 31 reviews · from $92

Private boat fishing and snorkel near Djeu on Boa Vista, plus a fresh fish BBQ lunch. Rods, safety gear, and pickup options.

“‘Best trip ever!’ Direct quote from the eldest, we had a fabulous time with ‘Boat trips & Fishing Boa Vista’ our first time ever fishing and were clearly in good hands! Collected and dropped off at our hotel, there were just the three of us in our group so we had a small boat wiRead more”

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Live Snorkeling & Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Atlantic

Live Snorkeling & Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Atlantic - How the Boat Swim Works: Food, Turtles, and Your First Look

13.Live Snorkeling & Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Atlantic

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 29 reviews · 1 hour · from $57

One-hour Atlantic snorkel in São Pedro, Cape Verde, swimming with sea turtles in their natural bay, with pickup from Mindelo and gear included.

“Bellissima esperienza. Nuotare in mezzo a queste creature è stato davvero stupendo. C'erano 6-7 tartarughe che stavano lì girando intorno senza paura, è stato possibile sia fotografarle che fare video. Hernani (driver) e Diego (in barca) sono davvero simpatici e ci hanno fatto sentire a nostro agio. Lo rifarei senza dubbio”

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