Cape Verde consists of an archipelago of islands located in the Atlantic Ocean, 500km off the west coast of Africa. The total land mass is approximately 4,000km2, with each island deriving from volcanic origin. The landscape of most of the Cape Verde islands are rugged and mountainous however three of the islands; Sal, Maio and Boa Vista, are flat with extensive sandy beaches.
The Islands
• Santo Antao Island
Considered one of the most spectacular islands of Cape Verde, the north and south of Santo Antao is divided by an extensive, stunning mountain range. The easiest way to reach the island is by Ferry from the port of Mindelo on the neighbouring island of Sao Vicente. The island does have a regional airport, yet limited flights make the ferry crossings most convenient.
Villages of Sao Antao consist of many colonial style houses and elegant buildings. Considered a walker’s paradise, many tourists visit the island for the trekking routes with breath taking views through the tropical vegetation.
Another feature of the island is a road journey along a 26km long mosaic style route constructed from volcanic stones. Travelling over deep gorges and volcanic ridges from the coast into the misty hillsides, the scenery and the route itself provide a spectacular experience.
• Sao Vicente Island
The capital of Sao Vicente, Mindelo, is a cultural centre of the Cape Verde Islands. A Cosmopolitan town with a large community of intellectuals, musicians and artists. The town hosts the annual carnival, a lively international music event lasting for three days, with traditions influenced from the famous Brazilian carnival.
The port of Sao Vicente is one of the busiest in the Cape Verde Islands, as it acts as one of the main hubs between the lesser densely populated surrounding islands.
Sao Vicente features spectacular beaches, popular amongst wind surfers and sailing enthusiasts. One of the more famous beaches of the island is located on a natural lagoon, separated from the ocean by previous volcanic activity.
• Sao Nicolau Island
Visitors enjoy a dramatic curtain raiser to Sao Nicolau’s breathtaking scenery en-route from the airport to Ribeira Brava, as the road edges a deep fertile valley before turning to reveal the pretty capital cascading down a mountainside. Many of the towns of Sao Nicolau are small, traditional rural communities located along the coastline.
The landscape of Sao Nicolau bears the mark of a past intense, volcanic activity. The rugged features have made the island popular amongst waling and trekking enthusiasts enjoying the arid, volcanic landscape of the interior and the black sandy beaches. Many visitors to the island wish to visit the ‘dragon trees’, a native plant to Sao Nicolau and an endangered species.
• Sal Island
Sal Island is one of the main gateways to Cape Verde, due to the main international airport providing connections from Portugal and several other major European cities. For the holidaymaker, Sal provides an abundance of white sandy beaches and the resort style hotels most holidaymakers are familiar.
Due to the increasing tourism and improved infrastructure on Sal, the island has developed in recent years as the most cosmopolitan and lively of Cape Verde.
The beaches provide one of the main characteristics of the island for holidaymakers, with an abundance of water sport activities. Tourism growth is on the increase with government initiatives in place to open the location to the wider international market.
The island received its name from the natural salt pond from an extinct volcano, used in the past for mining. With salt levels similar to those of the Dead Sea, many visitors visit to enjoy the feeling of weightless floating.
• Boa Vista Island
Boa Vista is a popular touristic location due to the extensive white, sandy beaches and clear, turquoise waters of the ocean. The island is the closest to West Africa and very popular amongst water sports enthusiasts.
The climate of the island is influenced by the hot, dry winds from the Sahara and the interior landscape is mostly barren volcanic rocks contrasting with an occasional green, leafy, palm filled oasis.
The local town squares will often come alive on the weekends with local bands playing the traditional rhythms created from a fusion of African and South American beats.
• Maio Island
Maio Island is one of the most tranquil and deserted islands of Cape Verde, with extensive stretches of unspoilt white sandy beaches. The island is an ideal location for holidaymakers wishing to find a quiet, peaceful beach location, with sleepy local towns and warm, clear waters.
The landscape of the island is desert-like with various sand dunes, an occasional palm filled oasis and minimal evidence of its volcanic past. Some of the beaches of Maio are populated by sea turtles, which have chosen the location for laying their eggs. Protection of the turtles and their habitat is important, so activities such as dune buggy rides are not permitted along these beaches.
• Santiago Island
Santiago is the largest of the Cape Verde islands and one of the busiest, with a distinctly African ambience. The island comes alive with bustling, brightly coloured markets and villagers bartering around the local fishing boats.
While the centre of the island thrives with farming plantations along the extensive mountain ranges, the coastal areas are rugged with occasional stretches of sandy beaches.
With the fortunes of the old town, Cidade Velha, deriving from the slave trades and merchant ships, various remnants of the country’s history, with cobbled, narrow walkways, a former cathedral and the old fortress, can be viewed. Many of these constructions date back to the 15th century, with exceptional views from the fortress.
• Fogo Island
Fogo is an island of contrasts created from the volcanic activity leading to black sandy beaches and green fertile valleys and hillsides. Along the hillsides, various coffee, banana and orange plantations are found, while the towns are awash with pastel painted colonial style houses, along with wide European style avenues.
The centrepiece to the island is the ‘Pico de Fogo’ volcano summit, providing fantastic views of the island and surrounds. Guides are available for trekkers wishing to hike to the summit of the volcano and see the point of the 1995 eruption, where steam is still visible
Fogo is the hottest island of Cape Verde due to its tropical location and relatively recent volcanic activity. The island offers extensive natural contrasts between the arid, dry south and the humid, green northern areas.
• Brava Island
Brava is the smallest inhibited island of Cape Verde, and less frequented by tourists. Considered one of the more attractive islands due to the abundance of flora and vegetation, that thrives in the cool yet humid climate, enveloped in a near permanent mist.
The island has managed to retain its traditional charm, with agriculture and fishing being the main activities. While not a touristic location, the island offers many hidden delights for the visitor, with spectacular scenery from the mountainous landscape.
Accessible by ferry from the neighbouring island of Fogo, many visitors enjoy the bustling activity of the port during the day, along with the high mineral content of the sand found on the island’s only beach. The small beach of black volcanic, mineral dense sand is considered by many to ease the symptoms of arthritis.
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