Laid-back luxury
with accommodation and food of Caribbean standards, with an Italian restaurant and a mindblowing sushi place that makes the best of the local catch of the day.
The pool areas are spacious. If you book a villa you can have your own private one. If you fancy even more opulence then trade up to The Level, which gives you access to exclusive pools and even more upscale food and drink.
There’s a Marbella-style beach bar perched on the edge of the ocean for those who want to change the pace either up or down depending what time of day it is.
But with so much to see, you can’t simply stay in the hotel (although actually, you probably could).
Nearby Santa Maria is well worth a visit. The taxi ride is only about €5 – euros are widely accepted here although the local currency is the escudo, which can only be bought in Cape Verde.
ROAMING
Santa Maria is the place where the fresh catch of the day is proudly paraded on the pier front before it makes its way to the island’s restaurants and hotels.
It boasts the 23rd best beach in the world which doesn’t disappoint – and I’ve been to Rhyl.
There we ate at Odjo d’auga where the tuna carpacchio is a must; drizzled in olive oil and full of crushed peppercorns, it’s perfect eating on a warm night as you watch the waves roll in.
A starter sets you back €8, a fresh fish main €18, with a bottle of house wine such as Portuguese rose €25.
After the meal we were lured into the nightlife by the far off beats of a roaming drum band.
When we tracked them down through the winding cobbled streets, we saw dancing everywhere. Literally everywhere.
Outside the bar, inside on the Melia Llana Hotel
tables and even up and down the street revellers followed in their wake as they loudly made their way through the streets. That night was full of dancing and cocktails, but to make the most of your surroundings – and work off the hangover – you need to hit the water.
Cape Verde has all the elements
for great kite-surfing with its Atlantic breezes and wide sandy beaches.
But don’t expect to get out there straight away. Kite-surfing takes time and you’ll need lessons on how to control your kite before you even think about getting on the water.
A lesson with a smiling lad called Gene cost us €30 as he took us through the basics on the beach in a friendly, patient style. On the water the wind grabs your kitesail and pulls you over the waves on a specially-made board, with the skills you learn on the beach the key to skipping up and down in the air.
Quad biking is the most exhilarating way to explore the island. Like the sea fishing, it’s not a polished holiday experience – and all the better for it.
But it’s also not for the faint-
hearted as you dart up and down the sand dunes guided by adrenaline and your wits. From salt mines (hence the island’s Portuguese name) to the Buracona Lagoon – the Blue Eye – there’s plenty to see.
In the dusty capital Espargos you catch a glimpse of local life as card players sit outside shanty shops looking like they don’t have a care in the world – a sentiment that sums up Cape Verde perfectly. If you want polished opulence head for the Caribbean. If you want to explore ancient monuments and old churches, this isn’t for you either. But if you want a relaxed, unfussy all-year-round break next to blue seas, this is a good option.
For somewhere that’s just two hours flight time south of Tenerife, Cape Verde feels far more exotic.
It truly is the “no stress” place to be. Even on a rolling fishing boat.