Mar Tranquilidade

For those who are adventurous enough to travel to the far west of Santo Antão, the Mar Tranquilidade combines a welcoming ambience, beachfront location and thoughtfully prepared cuisine that uses local ingredients. Set back from the beach, the guesthouse really does blend in with the environment.

The guesthouse was established in 1999 when the current owners arrived by boat… and decided to stay. The emphasis here is in living in harmony with the locality and this is very evident in the construction materials, the cuisine and the activities on offer. The rooms are housed in cottages, which are high-ceilinged and have tiled or thatched roofs. Most of the seven rooms are en-suite. The cool and refreshing tap water comes straight from the spring, and to the bathrooms, which don’t have any hot water.

The premises are surrounded by an acacia grove, which contributes to the privacy, and guests can always find a quiet area to read or think within the guesthouse’s gardens. There is a shady terrace to the front, where meals are taken and out on the beach, a further terrace where guests and locals gather at sunset to enjoy a relaxing drink and exchange chat.

The owners are very committed to providing high-quality cuisine, using fish caught only a few metres away, as well as yams, manioc and other vegetables produced by the local farmers. Special diets, such as vegetarian, can be accommodated with advance notice.

Activities in the area include hiking, fishing, snorkelling and diving. Life is simple in Tarrafal, an ideal location for those who are seeking a place to wind down with few distractions and who want to get a good understanding of a community that makes its living from fishing and agriculture.