The Cape Verde Islands
The Cape Verde Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, 620km west of Mauritania on the west coast of Africa. There are 10 major islands (9 of them inhabited) and 5 islets, all of volcanic origin and grouped into the Barlavento (Windward) group (Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, Ilheu Branco, Ilheu Raso, São Nicolau, Sal and Boa Vista) to the north and the Sotavento (Leeward) group (Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava) to the south. The contrast between the "flat" islands like Sal, Boa vista and Maio and the "mountainous" islands like Santo Antão and Fogo is very dramatic indeed.
With vast beaches that allow for all types of water sports, impressive mountains, high quality fish, various types of delicious seafood (particularly lobster) and the melodious beauty of its music all point to Cape Verde as an exciting tourist destination.
There is a huge variation in the scenery and atmosphere on the different Islands. Sal, Maio and Boa vista are for the most part low, sandy and parched but with fantastic white beaches, and whilst Santo Antão and Fogo both have dramatic mountains, the former is green and fertile whilst the latter is green, or parched (according to season) and in the huge crater, barren (but it does grow wonderful grapes for it’s famous wine). Santiago is a mixture of mountains and flattish parched land.
The ambience of each Island is different and the inhabitants of every Island have no doubt that their Island is the very best place to live!
Common plants in the islands include rhododendrons, the fire tree, dragon tree, farmland, corn plant and the Florida Beauty dracaena.
Among the islands' most colourful fauna are its’ coral and fish, especially in the waters around Sal and São Nicolau, where you'll see parrot fish, barracuda and moray eels. You might also spot blue and humpback whales, the narrow-snouted dolphin, harbour porpoise and loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles.
Despite being near to the African continent, Cape Verde has no contagious or endemic diseases, and has good medical coverage both private and public to greater or lesser extent on all the islands. No vaccination is required before entering the country. However all our Clients are required to seek up-to-the–minute advice from their GP? One should beware of eating uncooked food and drinking from unsealed bottles. Also avoid ice if possible.
General Information
• The local currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo, though Euros are widely accepted (but at an inferior rate of exchange). Credit cards are not always accepted even in Hotels.
• Electricity is 220 volts with European style 2 pin sockets.
• Banks open Monday to Friday 0800-1400hrs only.
• Religion: Christian, mainly Catholic.
• All commercial ventures are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays (8 per annum).
• Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond date of return travel.
• A Visa is required to enter Cape Verde. This can be purchased at Airport on arrival. However we can pre-arrange for it to await your arrival at point of entry – this saves considerable time queuing!
• Inter-Island flight times vary between 15 and 40 minutes depending on route, usually in 48 seater twin engine turbo-prop ATR42-300 aircraft. The TACV inter-Island fleet consists of just 4 aircraft and if one needs maintenance, schedules are severely disrupted!
• Local time is GMT-1 so 1 hour behind UK in winter and 2 hours in summer.
• Shortage of water dictates that many hotels offer only showers rather than bathtubs.
• We have used the local star rating for accommodation, but this overstates the situation compared with European ratings by between 1 and 1.5 stars.
Activities (varying from Island to Island)
• Snorkelling and Scuba diving
• Sailing, surfing and Windsurfing
• Walking and Trekking
• Cycling
• Bird watching
• Fishing (Big Game, shore and Salt Water Fly)
The Cape Verde Islands have the coolest temperatures of any country in West Africa. The climate is tropical and dry. The average daytime temperature remains around 25°c and whilst there are highs and lows due to the influence from the ocean, the changes do not exceed 10°c. The sea the temperature is between 21°c in February and March up to 25°c in September and October. Rainfall is, unfortunately for the farmers, very rare.
Politics
After a flirtation with Communism after the Portuguese left, the Islands have settled down to a slowly improving market economy working on slightly left of centre principles and has been stable for many years.
SAL - A Desert Island
The desert-like landscape of Sal Island does not always create a ‘love at first sight’ situation, it is mainly flat, rather grey, sandy and featureless, and however the perception changes on arrival at the phenomenal beaches around the Village of Santa Maria. The amazing white sands and the many colours of the sea form a delightful backdrop for the beach orientated activities which are the main reasons for visiting the Island.
Sailing and wind-surfing, are well organised and as the breeze nearly always blows, are great fun. The clear waters provide great experiences for SCUBA divers and again the sport are well organised.
The first International Airport in the Archipelago is on Sal where the tourist infrastructure is now well established, particularly around Santa Maria.
There are several new Hotels planned together with many apartments, shops, restaurants etc; so for the next few years one might expect some disruption from building works. The big plus is, however, that all the new and projected buildings are low rise.
Restaurants in Santa Maria:
Restaurant Funana – good food and a lively show – good party venue.
Restaurant Turifogo - for the freshest fish but no meat!
Restaurant Atlantis – right on the beach, French owned with good wine list, the grilled lobster or Cape Verdean "Cachupa" are recommended.
Restaurant Americos – great sea food, in the Village centre.
Restaurant Odjos d’Agua – for romantic dinners overlooking the sea.
Restaurants in Espargos:
Restaurant Universo – pre-order the spectacular sea food platter (lobster, crab, mussels, goose barnacles and many other items, some difficult to identify!)
Restaurant Melanesia - try "Polvo Gratinado" baked Octopus with cheese topping.
Santiago - Where Cape Verde is most African!
Santiago is the largest and most populated Island and its principal City, Praia , is the Capital of the Republic. It has picturesque coastal and desert panoramas with cultivated valleys and inland zones. The traditional festivals and day-to-day atmosphere of the whole island makes Santiago the most African of all the islands of the archipelago. Curiously, there is also a large Chinese population in Praia .
The immense plantations of banana and coconut trees that stretch as far as the eye can see are very impressive, and the visitor can enjoy the juice of a coconut, freshly picked and opened for the occasion.
The second International Airport on the Archipelago was recently opened near Praia , and this is having a marked affect on tourist development. The Island only has quite small grey or black sandy beaches, the only exception being the white beach at Tarrafal.
Restaurants in the City of Praia:
Restaurant O Poeta has an open-air esplanade with wonderful views over the sea plus an air-conditioned dining room.
Plaza Park – for both open-air and enclosed dining.
Restaurant Gamboa – famous for meat "Rodizio" at the weekends.
Restaurant Falesia – in the Hotel Praia Mar with views over the sea.
Boavista - Island of Dunes
Similar to the "flat" islands of Sal and Maio, the climate and countryside of Boavista is also heavily affected by the dry, hot winds blowing from the Sahara.
The countryside, dominated by sand dunes and plantations of coconut and date palms, has a white sand desert in the interior, almost cheek by jowl with a sub-tropical oasis where the infrequent rainfall is trapped. The white, sandy beaches that stretch for mile after mile make Boavista one of the islands with the highest tourist development potential.
The airport is being extended and they hope to be able to accept international flights in the relatively (in Caboverdian terms!) near future. This will galvanise the development of Hotels and apartments.
Restaurants
Try Restaurant Riba D’Oite in Sal Rei or Restaurant Sodade de Nha Terra in Rabil.
São Vicente - Island of Poets and Musicians
São Vicente is the island of Cesária Évora , that great artist and interpreter of Cape Verde music.
The focal point of the Island is the magnificent bay which provides a deep water harbour. The hinterland is mountainous and attractive but very arid.
The village of São Pedro in the south-west of the Island has a superb beach.
The City of Mindelo is famous for its beauty, well preserved colonial architecture, and the hospitality of its inhabitants. Here, the nightlife, especially from Thursday to Sunday, consists of live music and makes the City a place of great animation that must not be missed. It is from here that one can take the 1 hour ferry trip to the island of Santo Antão.
São Vicente is also about to complete an International Airport which will generate more tourist infrastructure.
Restaurants in Mindelo:
Restaurant Archote and Churrasqueira Grill’s
Santo Antão - A Trekking Paradise
Santo Antão is considered by many to be the most beautiful of the Cape Verde Islands, and it is certainly the most sought after by visitors who love trekking.
Here nature lovers can discover fascinating landscapes of towering mountains and cliffs that fall headlong into sea.
The landscape on the western side of the island is one of desert, contrasting sharply with the fresh and green eastern side and which makes Santo Antão an eminently agricultural island.
Fogo - The Volcano Island
The Fogo volcano, a major tourist attraction reaching a height of 2829 metres, the highest point in the Archipelago, should not be missed.
Chã das Caldeiras, situated inside a huge and much larger crater of the still active volcano, is a village of some 600 souls that provides the visitor with unforgettable memories of varied colour tones, contrasting lava landscapes with the agricultural and vineyard plantations that produce the famous Fogo wine. The lava flows of 1951 and 1985 are still very evident and cut dramatic black swathes through the cultivated uplands. Walks from Chã das Caldeiras to the smaller crater (1985) up shifting lava ash take about 2 hours, whilst for those wishing to experience the higher, larger crater (1951) must budget 3 hours to climb and 1 hour to "slide" down.
The remainder of the Island is fertile and green or dun coloured according to season.
Restaurant in Sao Filipe –
Tropical Club
Restaurant in Chã das Caldeiras – Pousada Pedra Brabo (they also have simple rooms)
Maio - Refuge for Individualists
Almost a desert island, with an oasis and wells using water provided by windmills, Maio is today the home of the largest forestry area in Cape Verde, thus making it an important producer of coal and timber.
Just a 12-minute flight from the city of Praia, it possesses such main tourist attractions as vast sandy beaches, delicious sea foods and above all, peace and quiet.
São Nicolau - The Big Game Fisherman’s Paradise
Lovers of deep-sea fishing have chosen São Nicolau as the Island “par excellence” for their fishing trips. Various fishing clubs provide equipment and trips for all those who enjoy this sport, from the amateur to the professional
Considered by many of the natives as the most beautiful, the Island of São Nicolau offers mountainous landscapes that run from north to south and from east to west.
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