The 14 Best Tarrafal Beach Trips on Santiago

1.Santiago Island Tour with Tastings and Tarrafal Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 416 reviews · 7 - 8 hours · from $76Our pick

A 7 to 8 hour Santiago day trip from Praia with a family breakfast tasting, Assomada market, Serra Malagueta views, and Tarrafal swim time.

“Usually i dont take the time to write reviews, but i actually had an amazing day. Our guide Elton, was very nice and taught us on the island and cape verde in general. Not only was he a good guide but he also radiated a very positive energy which was contagious. The couscous workshop was also very nice and delicious. Definitely worth your money and your time!!”

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2.Santiago Island Tour: Meet with a Local Family & Tarrafal Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 127 reviews · from $103Top rated

A full-day Santiago tour from Praia with a home-cooked breakfast lesson, Assomada market, big views, and Tarrafal swim time.

“Very organized tour. The guide tour Ricardo was amazing full of knowledge. All our question got answered”

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3.Serra Malagueta & Tarrafal Beach Trek Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 61 reviews · 8 hours · from $106

Hike Serra Malagueta Natural Park on Santiago Island, enjoy a picnic, then unwind at Tarrafal Beach in an 8-hour tour.

“Elisanto was an awesome guide and I will rate it a 10/10”

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4.Serra to Principal Hike & Lunch with locals

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 5 hours · from $70Best value

Hike from Serra Malagueta to Principal on Santiago Island, then enjoy home-cooked lunch with a local family. Small group, pickup in Tarrafal.

“Alex is an excellent guide, with lots of interesting observations and anecdotes about the flora and fauna and the islands in general. The food prepared by Mama was absolutely delicious.”

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5.Serra Malagueta Natural Park Hike & Relaxing Swim at Tarrafal Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $104

Guided Serra Malagueta hike from Praia, then swim at Tarrafal Beach. Small group, picnic included, moderate trail, park fee extra.

“The hike was not very challenging, and we went at a good pace for enjoying all of the beautiful views. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a nice reward to end the hike in Tarrafal at the beach.”

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6.Cidade Velha, Tarrafal & East Side Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 10 hours · from $141

A 10-hour guided tour from Praia covering UNESCO Cidade Velha, a family cooking class, Serra Malagueta views, and Tarrafal Beach.

“My tour guy ( Elisandro )knows the island in and out had all the information and all the answers I had a lovely day I was able to discover and learn about the island in one day Everywhere we went was prettier than the one before, Kevin the driver knew the road very well made the whole trip safe. I was extremely satisfied with their knowledge of the island, I’m from the country but now thanks to them I can happily say I know the island because of them. Well worth the money. I highly recommend them. What a lovely day I had.”

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7.Verdant Valley Hike & Lunch With Locals

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $82

Hike Serra Malagueta from Tarrafal, spot endemic birds, then enjoy a home-style lunch in Principal Valley with local families.

“It was a very fun excursion. You start at the top and the hike is walking down into the valley. While receiving information about: plants, animals, culture and also rum. It was very interesting. The meal at the locals house was really good. My husband and I are vegetarian which was not a problem at all. They made the meal vegan. Absolutely amazing! We took a “bus” / local taxi with multiple people, which was very interesting, entertaining and gave insight into the culture and commutation. I recommend bringing hiking boots or some shoes with a good grip as some stones on the way down are slippery.”

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8.Boat Tour with Drinks and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · 1h 30m · from $76

Tarrafal Bay boat tour on Santiago: 90 minutes, drinks included, swim or snorkel with a local pilot.

“Excellente activité ! Nous étions en couple et avons passé un super moment inoubliable à deux ! Je recommande.”

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9.From Praia:Hike in Serra Malagueta Natural Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · 5 hours · from $111

Half-day guided hike in Serra Malagueta Natural Park from Praia with panoramic views, endemic plants, lunch, and hotel pickup.

“We were guided by José Correia, most friendly, pleasant and knowledgeable guide. There are beautiful views and surroundings to be seen and sensed. Again many thanks José for your company, guidance and overall explanation not just about the park but also Cape Verde in general. We definitely would recommend the tour and return hopefully some time soon to discover more!”

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10.Airport to Tarrafal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $82

Praia Airport to Tarrafal transfer on Santiago with Nelson, quiet modern car, door-to-door dropoff, and short stops at Assomada and Malagueta.

“Nelson picked us up in the night at the harbour and brought us safe to Tarrafal. He is a very safe driver and gave us a lot of information and Tipps for our Tripp!! Thank you from Jan and Family from Berlin”

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11.Tarrafal Beach Tour: Boat Trip to the Lighthouse, Snorkel & BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $128

Boat to the Ponta Preta lighthouse, snorkel at Agudoal, and a beach BBQ on Tarrafal Bay, with Praia pickup and sunset return.

“Everyone was very helpful and professional. Very good boat tour, the boat guide was from Tarrafal and he really knew the area history and had a real proud for his land. The lunch with fresh tuna was amazing. The driver and the guide were always available and very professional. Congratulations to the organisation. It was a great family moments knowing Trarrafal and his culture.”

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12.Best of Santiago Island: Cidade Velha, Workshop & Tarrafal Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $140

Private Best of Santiago Island tour with Cidade Velha, fortress and cathedral ruins, a couscous cooking workshop, and Tarrafal Beach swim.

“We had a great an very special time. The guides are very professional, they know how to adapt to your needs and preferences and they always do their best to assure you have a wonderful time. After this first excursion we booked the rest of the days with them and it was aRead more”

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13.Tarrafal to the Airport.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $82

Door-to-door private transfer from Tarrafal to Praia Airport or Praia Port, with a reliable driver, flexible pickup, and mobile ticket.

“Nelson is reliable and very nice and a responsible driver. We had 3 drives with him on Santiago island.”

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14.Tarrafal Bay Boat Trip and Beach Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3 reviews · 8 hours · from $117

Tarrafal Bay boat trip plus beach day on Santiago Island: lighthouse run, snorkel gear, fish barbecue lunch, and a sunset drive.

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