Cape Verde: which island to choose? -

Once you have chosen to go to Cape Verde, the choice does not stop there. Indeed, Cape Verde is not a destination but 10 different destinations because of its 10 islands that compose it.

Obviously, if you go to Cape Verde 15 days or 3 weeks, you will not have time to visit each of the islands. You will therefore have to make a choice on the islands to visit. And it depends on what you are looking for.

I hope this article will help you to have a clearer vision of the islands to choose according to your desires.

Which island to choose in Cape Verde for the beach?

Cape Verde, an archipelago of islands off the coast of Senegal, is a heavenly destination both for its location and for its very pleasant temperatures throughout the year.

Each island is different, some are volcanic, others arid and others host magnificent beaches of fine white sand.

If you are looking for splendid beaches, some of the most beautiful can be found mainly on these islands:

Mayo: little visited and therefore rather reserved, this island offers magnificent beaches of fine white sand and wild
Boa Vista: Nicknamed the island of dunes, this island is completely covered in sand. You will inevitably find your happiness there if you are looking for beautiful beaches. Boa Vista remains a more touristic island than Maio, but less than Sal.
Sal: probably one of the best known islands and therefore one of the most visited. Rather arid and flat island, there are very beautiful beaches mainly in the South with the beaches of Kite Beach, Ponta Preta Beach etc.

Cape Verde: which islands for hiking?

Obviously, Cape Verde is a very well-known destination and above all a must for hikers, both for the number of hiking proposals that can be found on the different islands and for the splendid landscapes that can be seen while doing these hikes.

So indeed, if you want to visit the most suitable islands for hiking, I recommend these islands:

Santo Antao: indisputably the essential in terms of island for hiking in Cape Verde. With its breathtaking landscapes with one part of the island very dry and arid and the other extremely green. This island is definitely worth a visit. Many say it is the most beautiful island in the archipelago.
fogo: volcanic island that houses the volcano with the highest peak in Cape Verde (the pico do Fogo). This island is popular with visitors who wish to climb the volcano with its 2829 m altitude.
Santiago: the capital island offers numerous possibilities for hiking with its green valleys with cultivated terraces, its cliffs and its canyons.
Sao Nicolau: or even nicknamed the little Santo Antao, there are landscapes similar to Santo Antao. But with far fewer tourists. It is therefore an island with very beautiful hikes.
Bravo: nicknamed the garden island, despite the fact that it also receives few tourists, there are beautiful landscapes between volcanic and greenery. It is an ideal island for hiking.

On which island to go to Cape Verde for the culture and history of the country?

The history of Cape Verde is strong, a former European colony, the history of this archipelago is very strong and interesting.

If you want to learn more about Cape Verde, its history and its culture, I recommend you to visit:

Santiago: capital island, home to the capital of Cape Verde, Praia, it is highly recommended to pass through this island to soak up the culture and history of the country. You will find many museums retracing the entire history of the archipelago.
Sao Vicente: small island which shelters the famous city of Mindelo, which is the second largest of the archipelago. Also, it is in Mindelo that you can learn more about the history and culture of Cape Verde.

Cape Verde: which island to choose for water sports?

Surfing, kite surfing, windsurfing, wing foil, are among the water sports that can be done without problem in Cape Verde. Indeed, mainly surfing and kite surfing because some spots in Cape Verde are known throughout the world to practice these sports.

Of course, some islands are to be preferred for this type of activity:

Sal: probably the best known and most visited island for this type of sport. Indeed, Sal is a world famous spot for kite surfing. And when there's not enough wind for Kiteboarding or windsurfing, there are perfect beaches for surfing. You will therefore inevitably find your happiness on this island.
Boa Vista: a little less famous than Sal, the island of Boa Vista offers beautiful kitesurfing and surfing spots, especially on the beaches of Chaves and Santa Monica.
Mayo: much less known and less frequented, there are however beautiful surf spots on the island of Maio.

Which island to choose in Cape Verde for diving?

Diving or snorkeling is necessarily an activity to do (if you like it 😉 ) when you go to an archipelago of islands with a tropical climate like that of Cape Verde.

However, not all islands are suitable for diving.

In Cape Verde you will find beautiful seabed with corals, wrecks, caves, big (sharks, rays, dolphins etc.).

Among the islands suitable for diving or snorkeling, we find:

Sal: there are many diving spots all around the island and also many diving centers. Sal is therefore the perfect destination for diving. For my part it is there that I made 4 dives all different from each other (wrecks, cave, offshore etc..)
Boa Vista: another known diving spot in Cape Verde. There are several diving centers there.
Mayo: little known and with few possibilities, but there are diving spots around this island
Santo Antao: little known for being a diving spot, but it is possible to dive in Santo Antao. There is only one dive center in Tarrafal.

Which Cape Verde island to visit for nightlife?

The atmosphere and the nightlife in Cape Verde is known to be very strong and present. With its mixture of influence and culture and traditions, there is a great nightlife.

Among the corners and islands that move the most, we find:

Sao Vicente: indeed, with Mindelo which is surely the city that moves the most in Cape Verde. There are live concerts in the town and the various cafes/bars every weekend. Also, if you visit Cape Verde in the right season, it is highly recommended to do the Mindelo Carnival in February.
Santiago: and in particular Praia is a city that moves a lot in Cape Verde. You will find plenty to do in the capital of Cape Verde when it comes to nightlife.
Sal: this island which is relatively touristy has a very present nightlife, especially in Santa Maria.

Normally, on a large part of the islands the nightlife is present on Friday and Saturday evenings.

On which Cape Verde island to go to observe turtles?

The Cape Verde archipelago is known to shelter turtles laying eggs and mainly caretta caretta turtles between June and October each year.

Moreover, on several islands, nature reserves have been set up to protect turtles and their nests and in particular on:

Sal Island
Boa Vista
May
Santa Lucia: this island is totally protected and uninhabited. As a result, it is home to many marine species that come to take refuge or reproduce.

Authenticity, intimacy and local life: which Cape Verde island to visit?

Cape Verde is a destination that every year welcomes more and more tourists. However, this has nothing to do with a destination like the Costa Rica ou Zanzibar. Indeed, Cape Verde is still today a less known destination even if more and more tourists are attracted by this destination.

As a result, some islands remain quite touristy, and I will cite Sal for example. So if you are looking for authenticity, privacy and local life in Cape Verde, this is totally possible. For this I recommend that you go to:

Sao Nicolau: this small island looks a bit like Santo Antao but on the other hand you will come across very few tourists. The typical little villages are very nice and the people adorable.
Mayo: on Maio you shouldn't come across too many people, especially on the beautiful wild fine sandy beaches.

In conclusion, depending on your desires and what you are looking for, you should find what you are looking for in Cape Verde without any worries. I really found that this destination can appeal to absolutely everyone since there is a wide variety of activities and things to do. As the locals say, it's one country but 10 destinations!

For more information to prepare your trip, I suggest you consult this list of articles: