About Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde, or often referred to as Cape Verde is a group of volcanic islands right before the west coast of the African continent, more specific Senegal. It counts 13 islands. The most known islands are Boa Vista, Sal, Santiago and Sao Vincente. Cabo Verde used to be dependent of Portugal, but gained independence in 1975. That’s why the people of Cabo Verde speak Portuguese, which is the national language as well.
Day 1: arrival
Today we arrived in Sal, Cabo Verde. We chose the island Sal because that’s where you can do the most activities. We didn’t really do that much today. We rested a bit from our travels and discovered our pretty hotel. We stayed in Sol Dunas. But at night, we went to an African show. We saw traditional African dancers and their clothing and listened to authentic music. It was so cool to experience this!
Day 2: Santa Maria
Today we decided to explore the village of Santa Maria. It is the most “touristic, lively” city centre. The reason why I put it between quotation marks is because it really isn’t lively. Sal is so quiet, which is in my opinion amazing especially when you need a break from the busy city life. We walked around a bit and looked at the typical houses local and went into some local shops. We experienced the real African culture.
There was a local market with some really unique souvenirs. We walked by the coast line and saw all the fishermen getting their freshly-caught fish out of their boats. There were big tuna’s and swordfish. I was very intrigued by all these fish, just lying by the pier!
We got hungry and decided to get some food in a restaurant by the beach. We got fresh tuna, and yes, it couldn’t be more fresh than that! What an amazing experience. I really enjoyed our exploration through Santa Maria. At night we went to see an authentic Cape Verdian show. It included dancing, clothing, music and the Cape Verdian vibe. I loved it.
Day 3: Relax!
On our third day we didn’t do that much. We relaxed by the pool and enjoyed a good book, cocktail and the beach. At night we enjoyed a lovely Lion King show. Yes, I am in love with all the African vibes. It is such an amazing culture.
Day 4: Hike to Ponta Preta
Ponta Preta is said to be the prettiest beach of Sal. So we had to check that out ourselves! It was a half an hour walk from our hotel. We hiked by the beach. I am telling you the beaches here are very different from the ones you see in Greece, Spain,… They are even more pretty. The water is so clear and the sand is yellow and clean. Our hike was situated at the beach and that’s literally all there was. There was only desert, nothing else. I found it so amazing and calming.
I enjoyed the good sea air and the quietness. When we arrived in Ponta Preta, we went to the local beach bar to enjoy a cocktail. We enjoyed the view and the beautiful beach. We saw an enormous hill of sand and I wanted to go on it. I had an amazing feeling when I was on top. The wind was blowing, the sun was shining and the view was great, I felt so good!
Day 5: Buggy safari
Today we booked a night safari in a buggy. This was so thrilling! I drove this buggy through the pitch black desert. It was serious off road and the sight was limited. I was so proud of myself for doing this, it was so adventurous. I really recommend this experience.
Day 6: Discovering the entire island
We started our day by going to Murdeira. This is a little village and we got a nice overview of the islands. Afterwards we went to Palmeira. This is the biggest harbor of the island, but it is still very tiny. Fishermen are working by hand to get their fish out of their nets. We also tasted the local drink called Grogue. It is a very strong drink with 49% alcohol. There were two other alternatives with a taste to it. We got to taste them all three and afterwards looked around in the little shop nearby.
Next up was the Blue Eye of Sal. We went to the cliffs where the sea breaks against them and the water is so blue. It is so powerful to see. The Blue Eye is kind of a cave and when the sun hits the water in the right corner, you can see a blue eye. We didn’t see it, unfortunately! We drove further on in the desert of Sal. It so overwhelming to see literally nothing but desert. The streets are little sand roads. We saw the Fata Morgana of Sal. When you bowed down, it looks as if there is an oasis with water and palmtrees. But in fact there isn’t because there’s only sand. So cool to see!
Espargos is the capital of Sal. Actually it is a little village just because Sal is so tiny (and it is the second biggest Cabo Verdian island!) There is lots of poverty here. We had lunch here and drove further on to the Radar of Sal. This is a viewpoint. You have an overview of the island and Espargos here. You can also see the runway of the airport. We were lucky to see a plane take off, but actually there are like 15 planes a day or maybe even less on the airport.
Next was the highlight of our day, the Salt Lakes of Pedra Lume, Salinas. These lakes are used for salt production. Today they only use it for their own use, but they used to transport it to other countries. We could float on the lake, because of the salt. This was such a unique experience! Last up was the botanical garden of Sal. We saw some rescued animals and beautiful nature. So lovely to see.
This day was my absolute favorite because we saw so much. I loved discovering more about Cabo Verde.
Day 7: Enjoying our last day
We spent this day relaxing because it was our final day. I really enjoyed our vacation here. Day 8 would only consist of traveling, so not really worth it to include it here. I had an amazing experience in Cabo Verde. I enjoyed exploring the desert and the African culture. I would really recommend this destination if you are looking for a lovely, easy-going island to enjoy some relaxing and exploring, in all quietness. I lost my heart in yet another country! I’ve lost it multiple times to be honest tho, haha! The world is so beautiful. You just have to look around you.
Have you been to Cabo Verde before?
See you next time!
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