Travel Guide Calhau

Just 20 minutes from Mindelo, on the other side of Monte Verde, Calhau is the direct competitor of Baia das Gatas, and home to the beautiful Praia Grande, which, as its name suggests, is a large stretch of fine sand. It's one of the island's best surfing spots, and a favorite meeting place for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Now a popular holiday destination, many Mindelenses families set up their second homes here for weekends or vacations. Along the way, you'll discover desert and mountainous landscapes, where a few small villages cluster around palm oases, where windmills are used to extract water from the subsoil. If you head north along the beach, you'll come to Baia das Gatas. Calhau is the starting point for numerous hikes and excursions to discover the beauties of the island of São Vicente. The uninhabited island of Santa Luzia, a nature reserve, is just a stone's throw away. Don't hesitate to hire the services of an experienced fisherman to discover this small deserted island of wild and austere beauty. You can also visit Calhau to stroll through the fishing village wedged between two extinct volcanoes. The rocks overhanging the ocean form a sought-after diving board, and its natural pools offer bathing sheltered from the current.