We had arrived at our 6th day in this great country of Cape Verde and we had not really had the opportunity to explore the island of São Vicente, where our hotel was yet located! The idea of a quad tour seemed to perfectly meet these expectations we had because it allowed us to explore the island with a new and rather unusual perspective. The advantage of the quad is that it allows access to less accessible and therefore a little less crowded locations, perfect! So we went to the Quad Center of Mindelo, the only one at the time, located near the city center. Do not make the same mistakes we made, poor beginners tourists, and don’t forget to bring your driver’s license and sunglasses! If the first was ultimately not much missed thanks to our understanding loaners, the seconds were needed and we would have avoided having to choose between painfully taking dust in the eyes or enjoy the scenery!

The tour started in Mindelo with a first step on the road. It allowed Séb to take control of the machine and learn to deal with our guide’s accelerations. It wasn’t always easy to follow him but Séb really enjoyed testing the limits of the machine. We then left the well-paved roads to venture a little on dirt roads and gravel paths. We soon found ourselves in the middle of lunar and totally boggles landscapes, in the palm of dormant volcanoes craters. Unfortunately, we did not think to write down the names of the crossed volcanoes but the images speak for themselves!

[photosetgrid layout=”131″]

[/photosetgrid]

We took the time to make a few photos and went to discover new landscapes. We quickly reached Topim, rightly renowned among surfers for its waves! The white sandy beach was completely deserted and we were able to see some brave surfers take on some pretty impressive waves to us who are accustomed to the calm of the Mediterranean sea. We then went along the beach to Calhau where we made a stop to admire a natural swimming pool apparently known in the region. Many people were bathing or just sunbathing at the water’s edge and a group of teenagers were making some perilous dives. The beach tour ended in Baia das Gatas where the famous annual festival is held.

[photosetgrid layout=”24″]

[/photosetgrid]

The 4 hours announced tour has largely been fulfilled and, after crossing volcanoes and white sand beaches, our great guide, Roberto, did us the pleasant surprise to take us to the heights of Mindelo to visit a former Portuguese artillery. It was a strategic location with a panoramic ocean view, allowing to see the arrival of the invaders from far away. A very nice bonus!

[photosetgrid layout=”21″]

[/photosetgrid]