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Praia Tours
Ribeira da Barca: Boat Trip to the Cave, Snorkeling and BBQ on the beach
5

Ribeira da Barca: Boat Trip to the Cave, Snorkeling and BBQ on the beach

By Bu Country Tours
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Ages 3-99, max of 8 per group
Duration: 7h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
More


  • Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in Praia
  • Transportation
  • Tour Guide
  • Life jacket on board and Snorkel equipment
  • Snorkel equipment
  • Excursion cooler with ice
  • 2 Course meal including appetizer, rice, vegetables, fish barbecue and water
  • Water and soft drinks
  • Liability insurance
What's not included
  • Boat trip ticket (€25/Person)


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • If your accommodation is not listed, please send us an email with your pick-up address. Airport pick-up is not included. An additional fee will apply for travelers who require this service. A different drop-off location can be arranged if requested beforehand.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 104417P4

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Boat rental plus its driver and assistant is not included in the tour price. Therefore, a fee of 25 Euros/person will be required locally. If there is only one participant the fee will be 50 Euros.
        • Travelers who want to have specific drinks should purchase them in advance as lunch will take place in a remote area.
        • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
        • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
        • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
        • Most travellers can participate
        • In the event of bad weather, we preserve the right to cancel or postpone this experience at short notice. In that case, you will have an alternative date or a full refund.
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
        • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travellers

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 104417P4

        From
        AU$182.87
        per adult (price varies by group size)
        Select date and travellers
        Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Bu Country Tours
          263
          Praia, Cape Verde
          Joined in October 2018
        • AngeloPsychSA
          0 contributions
          1.0 of 5 bubbles
          Rip off - rude 'tour guides'.
          DONT pay anyone to see these turtles. You can swim to them off the beach if you can handle the harassment and veiled threats from 'tour guides'. Don't even bother. If you feel guilty for having $ or Euros donate to Simabo the dog rescue place on Mindelo. These places rip you off.
          Written 13 November 2024
        • deebsahara
          0 contributions
          3.0 of 5 bubbles
          nice tour of sal island
          full tour of sal island in a pick up toyota hilux, bad point two many client for one a bit too much , even if i had a seat in front , nice view special moment at the blue eye cave, food was a bit simple
          Written 27 October 2024
        • deebsahara
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Friendly & professional cultural & historical tour
          Very nice friendly & instructive tour, getting counted story of discovery of cabo verde in the 14s century, by visiting the forteress of cidade de Velha, and green valley surrounding it, amazing rua Banana. Then visit of the old city, president palace, old portugeuse houses ... finaly the market Cultural & Historical tour nicely accompagnied guided by Ivana & driver Neilton who were realy friendly & professionnal at the same time I recommend this tour a must do in praia for knowing the history of the country
          Written 18 October 2024
        • tenthlisten
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Good Experience with BU Country Tours
          I booked a few tours and transfers through BU Country Tours. I mostly communicated with Admilson. He was very patient with my questions and responded quickly with thorough answers. He was very helpful with creating my itinerary. I booked three tours and one airport transfer. The tours were great, but my airport transfer wasn't at the airport when I arrived. It was easy for me to get a taxi outside so I cancelled the transfer with BU Country Tours. This wasn't a great first impression of the company and was a bit surprising after the good conversations with Admilson. They agreed that this was unacceptable, offered to refund the transfer cost, and immediately set up a WhatsApp group to improve communication. They also followed up to see how I would like the transfer cost refunded. I appreciated that they made a proactive effort to ensure that the rest of my trip went smoothly. I posted reviews on two of the tours that I took, both of which were excellent. - Swim with turtles on Sao Pedro beach in Mindelo - Praia: Santiago Island Tour with Tastings and Tarrafal Beach   I also took the Santo Antão Full Day Island Tour & Visit to Cova de Paúl as a private tour as I wanted to include a stop at Fontainhas. Ianne was a great guide. He shared a lot of knowledge about Santo Antao and stopped at some great points for photos. His English is strong, so it was easy to communicate. He also speaks French, Portuguese, and Creole. He apologized for arriving late due to a guide mix-up (the guide that they had originally assigned to my tour did not speak English), but the rest of the day went well and he dropped me off at the ferry port on time. I would recommend BU Country Tours because the communication before the trip was excellent. They were also good to work with throughout my trip and the guides were great. It might be helpful to check in with them to ensure that all is scheduled according to plan, especially if you are on a tight timeline.
          Written 26 September 2024
        • lolak556
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great half day out
          We had a great time with Ailton hiking the Calabaceira Valley - absolutely amazing! He is lovely and gave us lots of information and history on the way about the plants and wildlife, the region and Cape Verde in general. He patiently answered our many questions. The 400-year old baobab tree is incredible. Cidade Velha and the fort are interesting places to explore - we spent less time there at the end. Nilton was friendly and drove us around. The hike and tour starts early but finishes around midday/lunchtime, leaving you with the rest of the day to do other things. Alex was kind enough to arrange it for us last minute. Would definitely recommend this tour company!
          Written 26 September 2024
        • Camper565872
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing time
          It was a great experience Great guide and fun adventures !!! We really appreciated all the explanations of our guide The food was also well appreciated We had an amazing time!
          Written 17 September 2024
        • tenthlisten
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Excellent and Fun Tour of Santiago Island
          This is an excellent tour of Santiago Island. It stops at key highlights and includes a cooking experience where we were able to eat two local foods. The only thing to note is that the roads are quite windy, so come prepared if you are prone to car sickness. Our group consisted of people who spoke French, Spanish, and English, so we had three separate guides who spoke each of those languages. As my friend and I were the only two who spoke English, it almost felt like a private tour with our guide. Ricardo was excellent. He showed us our route on the map throughout the journey, went out of his way to show us around, and made sure that we were comfortable. He walked us through a local market, ordered lunch on our behalf, and guided us to the beach at Tarrafal. The conversations in the car with him were very easy and his English is excellent. Thanks for a great day, Ricardo! I highly recommend this tour for a comprehensive overview of Santiago's beautiful culture and nature.
          Written 16 September 2024
        • christianbarnab_2024
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Sao Vicente Excursion
          We absolutely loved this excursion! Swimming with the turtles is an incredible experience. Our guide Nelson was really nice and friendly.
          Written 13 September 2024
        • tenthlisten
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Beautiful Experience with the Turtles
          My guide Maira was excellent. Her English was great and I was picked up on time (the bus arrived early) from my guesthouse. We went to San Pedro and joined other people waiting to take the excursion from the turtle house. About 45 - 60 minutes is spent with the turtles. One has the choice to remain in the boat or to snorkel. I do not have strong swimming skills, so I chose to spend most of my time in the boat photographing the turtles. Maira was kind and empathetic to my lack of swimming skills. She gently encouraged me to go into the water and offered to join me, but was also supportive when I quickly wanted to return to the boat. We were given snorkeling equipment and life jackets, although we had to share the life jackets as not enough were available. A ladder was also not available to go in and out of the boat, although I was told that there would be one on board. These oversights were the result of poor planning and the excursion would have been safer with enough life jackets and a ladder. I would recommend this excursion because the turtles are impressive and the BU Country Tours staff was great, but more attention to safety would be an area of improvement.
          Written 10 September 2024
        • thekatespanos
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Incredible experience with the turtles of São Pedro
          We loved this excursion! It is incredible to swim with the turtles. We would, however, recommend more safety measures for entering/exiting the water.
          Written 14 August 2024
        • ashleypB7979YT
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          A must do that’s not in any guidebooks
          Incredible trip through the plantations, getting to find lots of fruits and meet locals. Elton was a superb tour guide who provided all the information and made the trip feel unique.
          Written 5 August 2024
        • roryjdoyle
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Santiago Island
          Best way to see the island is to hire a driver and car and to drive you up through the island and down the right side of the island coast. So much overwhelming natural valconic beauty. Highly recommended
          Written 17 July 2024
        • fernandorC2263QR
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Perfect!
          I was travelling for business to Sal and Praia and booked all needed transfers with Bu Country. Everything was just perfect. From the booking process to the amiability and professional approach of the staff. I will definitely repeat in my next trips to Cabo Verde
          Written 12 July 2024
        • RaluM4
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Hiking and beach day
          The trip was nicely organized, the hike was pleasant and the time at the beach was very relaxing. The guide, Ricardo was very informative and all in all it was a good day. I think the tour was a bit over-priced.
          Written 27 May 2024
        • S3345IQcatherinec
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Loved the Sea Turtles
          Fabulous! Great Experience. We were picked up promptly and delivered to the beach. Our guide made us feel very comfortable. Entry to and from the beach went very well. Being in the water with the sea turtles was such a wonderful experience. We spent 40 minutes swimming very close to them. Beautiful creatures.
          Written 16 May 2024
        See all 263 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


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        5.0
        5.0 of 5 bubbles7 reviews
        Excellent
        6
        Very good
        1
        Average
        0
        Poor
        0
        Terrible
        0

        These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
        This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

        Stephanie L
        North Providence, RI10 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Nov 2021 • Family
        Amazing experience. Our guides made us feel safe and welcome like family. They did their best to translate the multiple languages in our group. My little one had a great time snorkeling and in the caves. The picnic was beautiful and delicious plus you can't beat the views around Santiago. The day was stress free and fun my little one had an amazing time he felt safe swimming around and seeing all of the fish. Water shoes and reef safe spf are a must!
        Written 29 November 2021
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        The safety of our clients is always our top priority. We are pleased to know that you felt safe and welcomed like family during your experience with us. Our goal is to make everyone feel like part of our family and carry Cabo Verde in their hearts. Thank you for choosing our services, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon for more amazing moments
        Written 5 June 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        alvaro5000
        The Hague, The Netherlands73 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fun day and great bbq at the beach.

        We were picked up at the hotel in Praia at the agreed time by friendly staff. It was about 1hr. 20 mins drive to Ribeira da Barca, from where the boat departs.

        The boat ride was easy and the scenery really beautiful. Landscape and rock formations are quite impressive. Unfortunately we could not swim or snorkel in the cave due to seasonal seaweed which was not anticipated.

        We continued to the beach where we dedicate snorkel and were able to see plenty of marine life despite some seaweed around, while our guides prepared BBQ. The food was amazing and plentiful.

        Altogether a good, fun experience!

        Negative: it is quite a drive, and transportation takes a large part of the day. Price is slightly high considering the actual activity, but we still believe it was worth it

        Positive: good communication, timely pick up, pleasant and friendly guide & staff, nice beach spot (incl. possible snorkeling), great views, amazing fish BBQ).
        Written 31 December 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the day, the beautiful scenery, and the delicious BBQ at the beach. We appreciate your positive comments about our friendly staff, timely pick-up, and the overall pleasant experience. We apologize for the inconvenience regarding the seasonal seaweed in the cave, which prevented swimming and snorkeling. Unfortunately, nature can sometimes throw unexpected challenges at us. However, we're glad to hear that you still had a good time snorkeling at the beach and were able to witness plenty of marine life. We understand that the transportation time and cost may be a concern for some, but we're grateful that you found the overall experience worth it. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we'll continue working to enhance our services. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable adventure in the future. Thank you for choosing our tour!
        Written 4 January 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Deeb Sahara
        Dakhla, Morocco159 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        June 2024 • Solo
        awesome trip bu traditionnal fishing boat of cabo verde , navgating throught the shore , then arriving to amazing caves for diving , clear blue water, then amazing tasty barbecue in beautiful black sand beach with cabanes of rastas, & nice snorkelling in the beach
        Written 27 October 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted that you enjoyed the trip on the traditional Cape Verdean fishing boat and had such a fantastic time exploring the caves and diving in the clear blue waters. It sounds like the beach barbecue and snorkeling among the beautiful black sands were the perfect touch to an unforgettable day. We hope to see you back for even more unique experiences in Cape Verde!
        Written 29 October 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        R v
        Heerlen, The Netherlands2 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sept 2019 • Friends
        Travelling with Admilson Garcia was the best choice we have made for a guide. The trips were well planned with pickup from the airport and a meeting on the day of arrival.
        We learnt alot about the Santiago Island in just one day. It was a day's trip full of humor, nice food, music, personal stories and information about the culture as told by our guide.There were gracious mountains,lovely sea shores,and very friendly people.
        Remco and Vera
        Written 29 September 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        We greatly appreciate your feedback and for choosing Bu Country Tours. We take pride in ensuring your convenience, from pick-up to drop-off. It's wonderful to know that you learned so much about Santiago Island in just one day. Our goal is to share our authentic Creole hospitality, along with personal stories and cultural insights through our guide. Thank you, Remco and Vera, for your kind words. It was a pleasure to have you as our customers, and we look forward to welcoming you again for more memorable adventures in the future.
        Written 6 June 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Amilson G
        1 contribution
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Feb 2019 • Solo
        The bu country tour made my day with a perfect combination of history and adventure, and he mada me fell into the nature of capeverdian lifestyle!
        I really recomend to all the travelers!
        Written 12 February 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        We greatly appreciate your positive feedback! Customer satisfaction is our top priority. We are always committed to providing the best possible service. We hope to welcome you again in the future for more incredible moments in Cape Verde. Thank you for recommending our services and for sharing your satisfaction. We look forward to making your next visit even more memorable.
        Written 6 June 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Ele
        16 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        July 2024 • Family
        An incredible experience with passionate guides. We recommend this organization Bu County Tour 100% . Thank you for being so kind and attentive to our needs and for making our stay amazing!!!

        THANK YOU <3
        Automatically translated
        Written 16 July 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Merci infiniment pour votre retour! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez passé une expérience incroyable avec nos guides passionnés. Votre recommandation à 100% signifie beaucoup pour nous. Nous sommes heureux d'avoir pu répondre à vos besoins et rendre votre séjour mémorable. Merci de nous avoir choisis!
        Written 16 September 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
        *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

        Ribeira da Barca: Boat Trip to the Cave, Snorkeling and BBQ on the beach provided by Bu Country Tours

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