If your holiday dreams include soft white sands and crystalline turquoise water, consider Cape Verde for your next getaway.

Cape Verde is perhaps best known for its beautiful beaches, and although the archipelago does in fact have much more to offer, we can’t blame holiday-makers for wanting to spend their time relaxing along the stunning coastline. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of the best beaches in Sal and Boa Vista, the two most popular holiday islands...

 

The best beaches in Sal, Cape Verde

Santa Maria Beach

Starting with the most popular beach across the archipelago, Santa Maria Beach is found right at the southernmost tip of Sal and is a long, crescent-shaped bay of soft golden sand with calm, azure waters, ideal for swimming. There’s also a pier close to the town-end of the beach, which comes alive each day with local fishermen bringing in their catch of the day. There’s also a small selection of beachfront restaurants, a number of hotels along the bay and a variety of shops, restaurants and bars in the town, just a couple of minutes’ walk inland from the beach.  

Discover Hotel Morabeza or Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort, to stay directly along the sands of this beautiful beach. Another fantastic hotel is Robinson Cabo Verde.

Above: views from Hotel Morabeza's beach bar. 

 

Ponta Preta Beach

Located on Sal’s south west side, Ponta Preta Beach is similar to Santa Maria with soft sand and turquoise water, however with a more rugged and natural landscape. Backed by barren sand dunes, this is the ideal spot for those in search of tranquillity, with nothing but the sound of the waves and the occasional kitesurfer passing by to break the silence.

 

Kite Beach

Not a beach for relaxation but instead one for adrenaline-pumping water sports, Kite Beach is the best location on the island for windsurfing, kitesurfing and more. Although still blessed by golden sands, the wind conditions here (particularly between November and March) make it the ideal spot on the south-east coast to try some water sports. We recommend you try the Mitu & Djo Kite School if you want tuition or to hire equipment – run by world champion kitesurfer, Mitu Monteiro, you’re in the best possible hands to practice your skills or try something new!  

 

The best beaches in Boa Vista, Cape Verde

Praia de Chaves

Boasting 5.6km of white sand backed by rolling sand dunes, it’s fair to say that Praia de Chaves on Boa Vista’s western coast is a total beach lover’s paradise. There are a couple of hotels which flank the beach, such as the VOI Praia De Chaves Resort and Royal Horizons Boa Vista. but not much else, so if you love to embark on romantic strolls at sunset and feel like you’re lost on a desert island, this one’s for you.

 

Santa Monica Beach

With just an endless expanse of golden sand, pushed into fingerprint-like patterns by the wind, Santa Monica is impressive to say the least. It can be found in the south-west of the island, stretching 9km. Ideal for long walks or even runs, you’ve got the blue of the ocean on one side, and the barren, brown, rugged landscape of Boa Vista Island on the other.

 

Praia de Atalanta (shipwreck)

Highly recommended as part of a day trip exploring the island, Praia de Atalanta is where you’ll discover the Cabo Santa Maria Shipwreck. Having ran aground in 1968, this old Spanish cargo ship is now nothing but an empty, rusting shell, standing magnificently along the coastline. Although not a beach for sunbathing, it’s still blessed by soft white sand and is home to plenty of little crabs, which scuttle around in the shallows.

 

Still undecided on whether either Sal or Boa Vista are for you? Take a read of our latest blog post which outlines the all the differences, from the beaches and beyond.

 

Or if you’re tempted by a beach holiday to Sal or Boa Vista, or perhaps even both, check out our Beach Holiday Ideas.