Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten volcanic islands located in the central region of the Atlantic Ocean, about 570 kilometers off the coast of West Africa. São Vicente Island is particularly great for diving, surprising everyone with its incredible underwater biodiversity. São Vicente is the second most populated island in Cape Verde, located in the Barlavento group of the archipelago.
Diving in São Vicente Island
The climate and sea conditions in Cape Verde allow us to dive all year round. Cape Verde offers exciting dives with a great diversity of species, including some endemic ones such as the white-tailed damselfish (Chromis lubbocki), the nurse shark, the exotic frogfish, and not to forget the huge schools of surgeonfish, soldierfish, yellow grunt fish, and other large pelagic fish.
Water temperature ranges from 21ºC to 27ºC, and visibility is between 15 and 30 meters. Diving is boat-based and is done from rigid inflatable Zodiacs, with boat trips lasting between 10 to 30 minutes. The embarkation point is easily accessible from the hotel.
This is one of the best places in Cape Verde for diving, but not the only one. In this article, we show you everything about Sal Island, also in Cape Verde.
Dive sites in São Vicente
Below, we show you some of the best dive spots on São Vicente Island:
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Fateixa
The perfect place for a relaxed dive, protected from strong currents and always full of life. Ideal for buoyancy control dives and for beginning your diving training.
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São Pedro Lighthouse
At the southwestern tip of the island, there is an incredible dive site with a higher chance of spotting some manta rays or other large pelagic fish due to the strong currents often found here.
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Aquarium
A dive as its name suggests! A long vertical wall that stands out for its numerous schools of damselfish and seabream that remain throughout the dive, as well as rays on the sandy bottom. At the end of the dive, there is a small cave concealed by a curtain of soldierfish at its entrance.
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Cubes
This dive is located on the northwest side of the island, making it more exposed to waves and full of life with more pronounced reefs. This is the habitat of many parrotfish, lobsters, and even some juvenile dusky groupers. A dynamic dive with a different layout compared to the dives on the southwestern part of the island.
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Pontão Da Macro
This is not a “typical” dive, but a very special place for those looking to find interesting and camouflaged creatures such as sand octopuses, frogfish, and even seahorses. At night, it becomes even more special, being one of the favorite spots for night dives.
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São Macário
A dive at a shipwreck in Mindelo Bay about 80 meters long, home to an immense and diverse marine life, from giant pufferfish, colorful nudibranchs, and huge schools of soldierfish, goatfish, and yellow grunts. It is an easy and accessible dive for all types of divers, as the maximum depth is only 15 meters.
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Furna Da Rosa
A large cave with a sandy bottom is the highlight of this dive, where you can see rays and sometimes a sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus). The cave’s entrance/exit is covered by sun coral, creating a beautiful underwater setting with strong light contrasts and schools of yellow grunts.
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Ponto de Tartaruga
The perfect place to see many turtles from the surface. This calm and shallow spot allows for an incredible snorkeling experience with green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in São Vicente.
More information in our travel guide, contact us without obligation and we will provide you with all the details.
What to visit on São Vicente Island
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Baía das Gatas
Baía das Gatas (Bay of Cats) is the name of a beautiful natural bay and its small village, where an internationally renowned music festival takes place every year.
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Calhau
Calhau is a small fishing village on the east coast of the island, 22 km from the city of Mindelo. It belongs to the Ribeira de Calhau region and has a swimming beach and a small fishing port in Calhau Bay.
If you want to discover more about this fantastic dive site, contact us without obligation. Our team will be happy to assist you.
