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Ponta do Sol, Paul and Ribiera Grande

Across the mountains of Santa Antao

The most attractive part of Santa Antao is the north coast, where the old airport still stands. Ribiera Grande was the provincial centre in Portuguese times and nearby Ponta do Sol the main harbour. But there is not much there now, not even a river at most seasons. Ponta do Sol, a little along the coast is nicer. And Fontanhas, a village perched on a cliff side is an amazing site. Paul has some true vegetation and can be really pretty after the rains. It is all worth the trek over very poor and dizzying roads. There is a small shingle beach at Ponta do Sol.

J from London liked Ponta do Sol

"Ponta do Sol is a nice little fishing town with just the right mix of bars and restaurants without there being too many which would spoil the local feel of the place."

H from Essex liked the north

"Everything went well, all flights and transfers on time. The reps and drivers were very reliable and accommodating. I took hundreds of pictures and am now sorting through them all. We did manage to spend a fantastic day on Santo Antao. - very like rural Cuba without the rain. The isolation and undiscovered raw beauty, and lack of conventional tourism creates an edginess that has remained with me since I returned home. I can't wait to go back - I just need to find a publisher. "

Ribeira Grande

Although the river bed is usually dry, it remains an attractive village, steeped in the island’s culture. Traditional sugar cane mashers still produce grogue in the centuries-old manner.

It is the place to forget modern 21st Century civilisation. Little has changed in the pattern of life since sailing ships called here. The great Chinese fleet came here in 1451. Rugged and mountainous, it is ideal for hikers, with fantastic views. It lacks golden beaches and the best beach is at Ponta del Sol on the North of the island which is only a few hundred metres of shingle. It can only be reached by light plane from Sal to Mindelo and then by the very efficient Mar del Canal ferry (fare £6) for the last 10 nautical miles. The small runway still exists next to the beach at Ponta del Sol but it was abandoned after a Navy plane crashed into the mountains, behind in fog. Ponta del Sol and Paul ( say Powoool) are the best place for a long cheap stay in the Cape Verdes as they are little touched by tourism - apart form energetic German hikers. If you do not suffer vertigo it is worth a slow twisting trip by taxi along the cliffs to Fontainha where a placid life of farming and fishing continues barely changed for hundreds of years. Pedracin offers a ranch existence where you can scan the clouds for eagles and falcons whilst you sip the local grogue from sugar cane. growing in the valley below.

Paul village and the lovely valley of Paul

N from Arizona loved Paul

"You marvel at the purity of the town. There aren’t words to describe it; it is simply a small town, cuddling against the mountains, shying away from the ferocious waves that crash on the other side of the town’s only road. You stay the first night here with a cute little Italian man who runs a cute little bed and breakfast he has built himself to preserve the inherent nature of his surroundings. His modern-style buildings are brightly colored and yet blend in with the background. Your room has a large balcony and the most magnificent view of the ocean. On the other side of the balcony, you can see the statue of Saint Anthony, patron saint of lost children. He is standing several feet tall holding a little child in his arms and watching over the town on the island that bears his name. The next morning you continue your drive through the ribeiras and see that every piece of accessible land is tiered for farming. These people have taken advantage of all the resources they can to build a small life for themselves. Nearly everyone on the island is a farmer on one capacity or another. And for good reason: the earth is rich, the land fertile, and the food needed. It is not easy work, however, as the mountains are steep and difficult to climb. They seem to have no problem accessing places on the mountaintops that you would never dare to venture"

This is the only island that always has water in the rivers. The abundant vegetation is almost a shock. It's an amazingly scenic journey, going rapidly from dusty roads to pine forests and dramatic peaks. We hurtled along the precarious road that winds along the ridges, trying not to look down - it would be a long drop into the volcano crater. Oddly, the French you learned at school will help you the most on this island. There's little in Ponta do Sol, but it is heart-wrenchingly picturesque, with stunning sunsets setting the rocks ablaze each evening. These days the coastal airport is just a convenient place for the locals to fish. Tourism consist mainly of hiking in the dramatic mountains, but one adventurous Spanish soul has set up a dive centre. Diving is just one of the things Eduardo does, along with trekking, canyoning and rock-climbing. Eduardo is great fun and never stops laughing. His mother claims that he giggled rather than cried when he first entered the world! His eccentricity runs to keeping as a pet a goat, which the villagers would prefer nicely roasted.

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