Santiago Island Beaches: Tarrafal, Black Sand & Cape Verdean Coast
Santiago island's beaches range from the turquoise sheltered bay at Tarrafal to the dramatic black volcanic sand beaches near Praia — all set against the island's stark volcanic landscape
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Tarrafal Beach North
The most beautiful beach on Santiago — a sheltered bay at the northern tip of the island with calm turquoise water, coconut palms and a small fishing village
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Tarrafal Concentration Camp Memorial
The former Portuguese colonial concentration camp at Tarrafal - which used to hold political prisoners from Portugal and Cape Verde - is now a cool museum of the Estado Novo dictatorship
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Praia Beach Quebra Canela
The town beach below the plateau is where the Praia people swim — a sheltered bay of calm water next to the ferry terminal, busy on weekend afternoons
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Black Volcanic Sand Beaches
The coast south of Praia has dramatic black volcanic sand beaches where the Atlantic surf crashes against lava formations — wild and completely undeveloped
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Estuary of Ribeira da Barca
The seasonal estuary at Ribeira da Barca on the west coast creates a lagoon behind the beach — flamingos and waders feed in the brackish water
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Cabo Raso Clifftop Views
Santiago's southwest cape has a dramatic rocky landscape — volcanic rock formations, crashing Atlantic swells and panoramic views of the islands of Fogo and Maio