๐ Quick Facts About Cape Verde ๐จ๐ป
Cape Verde (officially Republic of Cabo Verde) is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. It has become a popular holiday destination thanks to its beaches, year-round sunshine, strong winds for kite surfing, and desert-like landscapes.
For this trip, I visited Boa Vista rather than Santiago, where the capital Praia is located. Boa Vista is mostly known for beaches, resorts, sand dunes, and a remote feeling that makes the island feel far away from everything else.
Cape Verde was uninhabited until the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century. It became independent from Portugal in 1975. Portuguese remains the official language, although most locals speak Cape Verdean Creole, also known as Kriolu.
- ๐๏ธ CapitalPraia, on Santiago Island
- ๐ต CurrencyCape Verdean escudo (CVE)
- ๐ฃ๏ธ LanguagesPortuguese and Cape Verdean Creole
- ๐ RegionWest Africa / Atlantic islands
- ๐ Plug typeType C/F ยท *Anker Universal Travel Adapter
- ๐ฆ MalariaOfficially certified malaria-free in 2024
๐ถ Arriving on Boa Vista and Walking Into Town
I flew in from Dรผsseldorf, explored Boa Vista, and then continued onward to London.
The trip started with a very spontaneous decision. As I was landing, I noticed that the airport and the city seemed to be connected by a long stretch of beach.
Looking at the map, I figured I could probably save some money and simply walk into town instead of taking a taxi. So that is exactly what I did.
The walk took well over an hour, but honestly it was a beautiful introduction to Boa Vista. Endless beaches, palm trees, warm weather, and almost nobody around. It immediately became clear why people come here for beach holidays.
๐๏ธ Sal Rei: A Surprisingly Rough First Impression
The main town on Boa Vista is Sal Rei. To be completely honest, I was a bit disappointed by it.
Most people visiting Boa Vista stay at large beachfront resorts and rarely spend much time in the town itself. Sal Rei felt surprisingly rough and underdeveloped. Many roads were unpaved, some areas felt more like a construction site than a tourist destination, and there was not actually that much to do.
In some ways, it reminded me more of a small West African town than the luxury beach destination that many people associate with Cape Verde. That being said, there are some colorful buildings, a relaxed atmosphere, and the harbor area was still enjoyable.
๐จ Where to Stay on Boa Vista
Most visitors stay at one of the island's larger resorts rather than in Sal Rei itself. I personally did not stay at one of these resorts, but the following 3 are among the most popular accommodation options on the island.
- Hotel Riu Karamboa: one of Boa Vista's best-known resort options.
- Hotel Riu Touareg: another popular resort choice on the island.
- Occidental Boa Vista Beach: a beachfront resort option close to Sal Rei.
I personally stayed at "Apartment Salinas Vila do Maio", it was a very budget-friendly, basic, but affordable accommodation with friendly hosts.
๐๏ธ Exploring Boa Vista
One thing that surprised me was how empty the island felt. You can walk for hours along the beach without seeing many people. There are huge open spaces, endless sand, and a feeling of isolation that is difficult to find in many other beach destinations.
Another thing you notice immediately is the wind. Boa Vista is one of the world's best destinations for kite surfing, and you constantly see kite surfers taking advantage of the strong Atlantic winds.
The island itself is classified as a desert. If you like sandy deserts, you can go to Deserto de Viana. But even just walking around the island randomly, you feel completely disconnected from the rest of the world. I spent quite a while simply walking around and enjoying my time in the sand dunes by the coast.
โช Capela de Nossa Senhora de Fรกtima
One of the more interesting walks on the island is the hike to the Capela de Nossa Senhora de Fรกtima. The chapel sits on a hill overlooking the surrounding landscape and offers beautiful views of Boa Vista.
It is not a difficult hike and I'd recommend going if you want to see something beyond the beaches. In hindsight, I probably took a slightly inefficient route because I walked around the roads first instead of heading directly there, but it was still a nice excursion.
๐ฅ Local Food and a Cachupa Disaster
One thing I really wanted to try was Cachupa, Cape Verde's national dish. It is a slow-cooked stew made from corn, beans, vegetables, and often meat or fish. I found a restaurant on HappyCow that does a vegan version.
Unfortunately, this created a problem. When I arrived at a restaurant and tried to order Cachupa, they told me they only served it for two people. As a solo traveler, that was not ideal. Even worse, they said I should have ordered it the day before.
So apparently the process was: go to the restaurant, order Cachupa, come back the next day, and then eat Cachupa. Needless to say, I did not get my Cachupa.
- Backup meal: I ended up ordering a salad somewhere else for 10 Euros.
- Local beer: I tried Strela, the local beer, and gave it a thumbs-up.
- Cost level: Cape Verde is definitely not cheap by African standards.
๐ Things to Do if You Have More Time
If you stay longer on Boa Vista or Cape Verde, these are the four things I would prioritize:
๐ญ Final Thoughts on Visiting Cape Verde
Cape Verde was an interesting experience. I absolutely loved the beaches, the desert landscapes, and the feeling of isolation. It is the kind of place where you can truly disconnect from the world for a few days.
At the same time, I found Sal Rei itself somewhat underwhelming. Most of the appeal of Boa Vista lies outside the town rather than inside it.
If you are looking for a remote beach destination with beautiful scenery, kite surfing, endless sand, and very few crowds, Cape Verde is an excellent choice. It is also the sort of place where I could imagine doing a Think Week, which I do at least once a year.
Personally, I would like to return one day and explore other islands such as Sal and Santiago, which many consider more interesting than Boa Vista.
