Mindelo, Cape Verde.

I shared some photos of Mindelo and Bird Island in the Cape Verde archipelago a while back. Then, I promised to share some more details of our stop at Mindelo. The port city is not the largest in Cape Verde, nor is the island of São Vicente the largest island in the chain. The natural harbor that became the hub of trade in the region makes Mindelo an excellent stopping point since the islands were discovered off the coast of Africa in 1462. However, before we explore the island, let’s backtrack to our arrival.

As the Norwegian Star neared the islands, it was easy to see the volcanic nature of the archipelago. Our excursion would take us out of the city, and our tour guides would take us to near the top of Monte Verde, which rises almost 2500 feet (750 m) above the sea.

For centuries, the islands were a colony of Portugal, but in 1975, negotiations with Portugal led to a peaceful transition to independence. As veteran cruisers, we are used to seeing pilot boats arrive to transfer the harbor’s port pilot and crew to help guide the ship safely into the port. The first thing I noticed about this pilot boat is its condition. The pilot boats are often some of the best-looking boats in a harbor. My online research for this post confirmed that the country faces many economic challenges.

The country’s leaders are aware of the economic power of tourism, and besides encouraging tourists with hotels, restaurants, and shops, the Port Authority has a recently built cruise terminal project underway. With a tourism-dependent economy, it’s no wonder that Mindelo has a vibrant music scene and a robust cultural energy.

Our ship docked among freighters, which made us realize that an island economy depends on resources that aren’t readily available on the islands. Some excursions focused on the city, its colonial-era architecture, and cobblestone streets. We opted, however, for an excursion that would take us high on Monte Verde.

A main road runs between Mindelo goes up the north side of the mountain and heads easterly to Baia das Gatas and Praia Grande on the northeast end of the island. In the photo above, that road is visible as it transits Parque Natural Monte Verde. We exited the highway and headed to another road that led to the summit.

There Is a viewing area where we stopped, and our guides spent some time telling the story of their path to independence and facts about the island and its economy. We could see the secluded beach at Baia das Gatas, where we would go next.

We saw the uncrowded beach at Praia Grande from high on the mountain. Amidst volcanic rocks, the beach is relatively undeveloped, but it is more accessible than some of the secluded beaches found on the island.

The small community of Baia das Gatas is only a 20-minute drive from Mindelo, but it took us quite a bit longer to get there because of our stops on the mountain. As our tour bus unloaded, we noticed that our group far outnumbered those who came to the beach to relax and enjoy the sand and surf. After a short break, we continued east on the highway toward Praia Grande.

We never actually got to the beach at Praia Grande. Our last stop before returning to the ship was a scenic viewpoint on the coastal highway. We were told that the beach is busy mainly on the weekends and locals are the usual visitors.

After a much shorter return trip to Mindelo, we reboarded the Norwegian Star and were soon underway toward our next stop at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Our excursion was a mix of scenery and the history of Cape Verde. Check out my Flickr album of 2K HD images here for photo details and better pixel-peeping.

John Steiner