Jan 21, 2025
Excellent Value Group Tour - The charming and affable Edgir Pires grew up in Rhode island so speaks perfect English albeit with a Boston accent. He is the coordinator for Union and they get HUGE groups (99% from the DREADFUL all inclusive monstrosities at far West end of Santa Maria) . We were in our own group of 8, the MAX size I can tolerate as we are fully indepdent travellers (on Boa Vista we had a group size of 2, my preferred size)!
So our group was subcontracted out to Morabeza Tours. Our guide/driver was excellent, spoke fluent English and intrigued us very much about his home island of Santa Antao, the coolest and grrenest of the 10 islands in this country.
The only two bummers were the HUGE CROWDS at each site, like Europe, and the Red flag that prevented us from swimming at Buracona (The Blue Eye). Murdeira and Buracona were the highlights for me as I love spectacularly seascapes. My better half was most impressed with the salt pond float at Pedra de Lume (Ive swum in the Dead Sea and have a slight cut in my foot which would have really hurt had I entered the brine).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dec 20, 2024
Fantastic Value for money and top tour company - We booked the full day Island tour and the electric bike guided tour through Edgar Pires (who is based at the lighthouse, on beach outside Riu Palace). Got in touch with him through whats app prior to arriving and i was sent so much detailed information regarding all trips. He was outstanding from 1st contact right through until end of both our trips, keeping in touch and very informative.
The island tour was fabulous, got to see so much of Sal Island, and our tour guide Paulo was very informative at every place we stopped. Electric bike tour was also a fun half day tour, getting to see more of the island. Would definitely recommend both these trips as brilliant value for money and Edgar Pires and Union tours were so friendly to deal with. Do not hesitate to book with them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 26, 2024
Local top class operator!! Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - From the initial contact from Edgar, to the no obligation information about the tours to the tips on making the best of your holiday to Cape Verde, has been faultless!
We paid €30 each for a full day Island Tour. Extras were clearly set out before the trip, the payment was actually paid at the end of the trip!!!
More than a tour, given by Marcio. He was so personal and informative, he was nothing but polite and helpful, and looked after us along with the two other couples joining the tour.
4x4 vehicles are clean and safe. Some of the locations we visited could not be made by a hire car and the sights of the real parts of the island of Sal, Cape Verde just reinforced how valuable tourism is, and a local tour operator of UNION TOURS keeps the money local..
The whole day was wonderful, we have been fortunate to have used UNION TOURS and I can recommend this company to everyone!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 3, 2024
Union Tours saves the day!! - Went on a great half day tour yesterday seeing the Lemon sharks, Blue Eye, Salt lake, mirage and a fab ride in an open back jeep. All organised by the very knowledgeable, professional and efficient Edgar. He outlined the whole day with lots of additional information on WhatsApp which was easy to access.
His team of tour guides, drivers and photographer were all friendly and extremely helpful.
The day was nearly ruined as when I returned to our hotel I realised I’d lost my phone 😱. The hotel receptionist called Union Tours and our driver quickly checked the jeep and to my relief it was found on the back seat. Within a few minutes one of the boys brought it back to the hotel and I was reunited with my phone. I can’t thank Edgar and his team enough for dealing with what was a very stressful situation with such care and efficiency.
Thank you Union Tours ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 20, 2024
Best on the island by far - I would recommend any group, couples or individuals contact Edgar Pires and his Union Team if considering the full island tour. Or any trip for that matter!
Edgar was based at the light house, off the rear of RIU Palace Santa Maria, next to the scuba centre and is very amiable, honest and trustworthy unlike many on the island.
He will go through the itinerary with you then send everything via What’s App even his knowledge of the local town, places to eat, see and frequent. Best advice is to contact him from day one or two of your trip to maximise your holiday experience.
The trips costs around €30pp with additional costs of €6pp salt lakes, €3pp for lemon sharks, €3pp for the blue eye.
Take a bag with a towel, water and plenty of high factor sun cream. €1pp for showers and be prepared to tour the island with no stress 😎
They stop for lunch at a very nice eatery which the food is brilliant anything from pasta, chicken curry to octopus 🐙 which is around €15pp with a drink.
TUI will charge €24pp just to see the sharks with those bagging nice profits. Please, spend the money with the likes of Edgar who will make your experience personal, person centred and one full of enjoyment.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 25, 2024
Fantastic trip and organiser - Fantastic full day out,the driver was great and new his stuff about the island and took us to some amazing places,the shark experience and salt lakes were amazing and definitely worth visiting while in Cape Verde,overall I would 100% recommend it to anyone
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 23, 2024
Union tour to Espargos - I ⁇ the tour, our guide Daniel is very friendly and responded to all my fragrances. Cape Verde is beautiful and has wonderful landscapes
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 2, 2024
Go and see Edgar!!! - We recently went on the half day island tour arranged by Edgar, he was such a delightful man,so helpful and personalable. We have Paulo as our driver, he was lovely and told us lots about Sal. We also did the No Limits Catamaran trip, which we also booked through Edgar, that too was AMAZING!!! We had such a great time, our kids 11 & 12 also loved both trips. We would highly recommend both trips and union tours. Hopefully we'll be back again xx
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mar 15, 2024
Booked island tour as buggy half day experience absolutely brilliant value for money - Absolutely brilliant and informative Cari g person Edgar Pires was such a gentlemen and knowledgeable person you’ll find Edgar at the lighthouse everyday 10am till 1230 except Sunday
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 2, 2024
Nightmare Experience From Unprofessional Union Tour Operator - Firstly there was no communication whatsoever from this tour organisers with no answer to their phone number or email so only got an update on meeting point after I contacted Viator customer care team directly .Secondly to make our experience even more miserable on the day of pick up some bloke called Edgar turned up cracking silly jokes with some of the people in the group waiting outside the hotel and after few expired jokes eventually told me that I’m not of his list and I will have to take this up to his boss as there is nothing he can do . After few calls he said that I need to go with some unregistered local guide as there is no place for us on his vehicles so I ended with my family up in a minibus which took us around island , which luckily turned up to be safe in the end ,but definitely not an experience as advertised on Viator . In conclusion please beware and probably best if you use some more reliable and recognised tour operators.
Review provided by Viator
