Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
7 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Cape Verde Boa Vista Viana Desert

Viana Desert

Rolling sand dunes of the Sahara... in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

Added By
Jaszmina Szendrey
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
From the edge of the “desert” Sept 2023   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean off of Africa's western coast sits the island of Boa Vista, known for its marine life, traditional music, and something more unusual: a small patch of desert on the northwestern part of the island, formed by the accumulation of wandering sand grains from the Sahara.

Great volumes of sand are continuously carried from the African continent towards the sea by trade winds. Much of this sand is deposited on Boa Vista because of its proximity to the mainland and the particular shape of the terrain. The resulting desert patch makes for an unlikely landscape on the island—rolling dunes of white sands interspersed with black volcanic rocks and very sparse vegetation.

This small extension of the Sahara is protected by the Government of Cape Verde, which forbids the use of motorized vehicles and promotes the construction of stone walls to limit the movement of the sand dunes toward the coast.

Related Tags

Geology Geological Oddities Islands Dunes

Community Contributors

Added By

Jaszmina Szendrey

Edited By

Blindcolour, Dr Alan P Newman

  • Blindcolour
  • Dr Alan P Newman

Published

October 17, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.boavistaofficial.com/EN/excursion-desert-dunes-viana-boavista-cape-verde.php
Viana Desert
Unnamed Road
Rabil
Boa Vista
Cape Verde
16.137641, -22.866027
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Ruins of Fabrica de Chave

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Wreckage of M/S Cabo Santa Maria

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Curral Velho

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boa Vista

Boa Vista

Cape Verde

Places 4

Nearby Places

Ruins of Fabrica de Chave

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Wreckage of M/S Cabo Santa Maria

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Curral Velho

Boa Vista, Cape Verde

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boa Vista

Boa Vista

Cape Verde

Places 4

Related Places

  • A beach on the island with distinctive rock formations.

    Malpe, India

    Thonsepar

    These four small islands contain unique hexagonal rock formations.

  • Ancient sand dunes from Glacial Lake Hitchcock.

    Bloomfield, Connecticut

    Matianuck Natural Area Preserve

    Sand dunes from a glacial lake are preserved in this woodland park.

  • Macquarie Island lengthwise, the research station at center.

    Australia

    Macquarie Island

    One of the only places where Earth’s mantle lies above water.

  • Lake Posta Fibreno

    Carpello, Italy

    Lake Posta Fibreno

    This serene, turquoise lake in an extraordinary nature reserve showcases a rare natural phenomenon.

  • Prelate, Saskatchewan

    Great Sand Hills

    These little-known sands dunes are a geological anomaly in Saskatchewan's southern prairies.

  • Footprints on the dunes.

    Mears, Michigan

    Silver Lake Sand Dunes

    An unlikely beach paradise of giant sand dunes lies between two lakes just a few minutes from Michigan's cherry country.

  • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

    Keahole Point Blowhole

    This unusual lava tube spouts seawater during high surf.

  • Fabled Water of Runaway Ghaut.

    Woodlands, Montserrat

    Runaway Ghaut

    Legend says those who drink from this trickle of water are destined to return to Montserrat.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.