An Archipelago oasis with stunning beaches, delish eateries and bangin bars that are all practically begging you to come and stay on your jollies.

Destination highlights

• 10 islands to choose from

• A tropical climate to die for

• Bundles of white-sand beaches

• The third-largest nesting site for loggerhead turtles

🗣️ Local Lingo Cheat Sheet

You’ll mostly hear Portuguese in Cape Verde, but locals speak Cape Verdean Creole (Kriolu) too. Here’s a crash course to help you blend in:

• Hello: "Olá" (Portuguese) / "Oi" (Kriolu)

• Thank you: "Obrigadu" (if you’re male) / "Obrigada" (if you’re female)

• How much? "Kuanto é?"

• Where do I find the Fanta Lemon? "Undi é que podê atchâ Fanta Lemon?"

Now you’re ready to chat, snack, and most importantly, track down that all-important Fanta Lemon!

🏝️ What are the best beaches to visit on your Cape Verde holidays?

With 10 beautiful islands to choose from, Cape Verde holidays have a stretch of coast to suit every occasion, from kid-friendly bucket-and-spade spots to scenic backdrops for those last-minute couples' holidays with your special someone.

• Santa Maria Beach - this is probs one of the most popular beaches in Cape Verde, home to a hub of water sports even in the winter months, and over 3km of powder-soft sands framed by buzzing bars. It's what beach holiday dreams are made of.

• Prainha Beach - perfect for a family outing, we're talking local vendors for snacks and drinks, calm waters for paddling and plenty of space to chuck your towels down.

• Ponta Preta Beach - the best place to head if you like things to be a lil quieter, it's the perfect nook to escape the business of Sal, with soft, uncrowded sands.

• Tarrafal Beach - wanna feel like you’ve stepped straight into a postcard? Then this is your bag. Head to Santiago where you'll find a gorgeous blend of golden sands and green countryside perfect for a snorkel.

• Praia de Santa Monica - these are the kinda bragging rights you wanna aim for, not often you can say you've topped your tan up on the most beautiful beach in Cape Verde - it's packing gorge white sands and calm waters perfect for a swim or an Insta-spam.

• Praia de Chaves - on the island of Boa Vista, this stunning beach is a paradise waiting to be stepped on, the lush sand is the perf place to plonk your towel down and get your tan on - it can get pretty windy here sometimes, so windsurfing and kitesurfing are a must!

🚕 Getting Around Cape Verde

Inter-Island Travel:

• Flights: The quickest way to island hop, perfect for maximising your holibobs time.

• Ferries: Slower, but they offer stunning views and plenty of time to soak in that ocean breeze.

On-Island Travel:

• Taxis: Reliable and ready to go, especially on Sal and Boa Vista.

• Aluguer (Shared Taxis): Cheaper and a fun way to see how the locals travel.

• Car Hire: Ideal for going rogue and exploring at your own pace.

🏨 What are the top hotels to choose for your holidays to Cape Verde?

From loud-and-proud beachfront resorts to charming apartment complexes that are perfect for a cheap holiday in an exotic location, narrowing down the best hotels in Cape Verde is no easy task - but we tried!

• Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort - a boujee five-star stay is on the cards with all you can need for a jam-packed family jolly, we're talking water sports, a pool, kid's clubs and tasty dining spots.

• Vila Do Farol - the swanky swimming pool at this hotel is dying to be photographed, but maybe even more so is the gorge Santa Maria beach complete with beach bar that the hotel is sat along.

• Morabeza - another four-star corker along Santa Maria beach, with a tonne of sports activities on offer, three swimming pools, tennis courts, bars and restaurants galore, you name it, it's probably here.

• Agua Hotels Sal Vila Verde - this ones got the family in mind with glistening swimming pools, a playground for the little ones, buffet-style or a la carte dining options and even a handy dandy shuttle service to Ponta Preta beach and the town of Santa Maria - how's that for swanky.

• Hotel LIVVO Budha Beach - a top-tier stay in the sun with a boutique feel from the small number of rooms to the experimental fusion dining all the way to the live music at sunset, sports and leisure activities and swimming pools to die for.

Your Cape Verde Holidays 2024 Travel Guide

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Things to do in Cape Verde for Families

One thing we know for sure about a family holiday to Cape Verde is that you're never gonna be short of things to do from the gorge beaches scattered across the different islands, to the delish food you're gonna be bagging all the way to the thrilling water-sports and cute animal sightings. What better place to start than at the Viveiro Garden Centre & Animal Sanctuary on the island of Sal where you can get immersed in the island's stunning flora while you feed the rescue animals, guinea pigs, donkeys and even a monkey are waiting to snag some fruit from ya.

If you find yourself on your holidays to Cape Verde between July and October then you'll be able to head to Ervatao Beach on the island of Boa Vista and spot the Loggerhead turtles in their nesting place, they are best viewed when the sun has set, but there are a tonne of guided tours that can make sure you and the fam don't miss this natural phenomenon in all it's glory.

👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏾 Things to do in Cape Verde for Couples

The Sahara blows its way over to Boa Vista, so it'd be rude not to book yourself onto a star-gazing excursion with your SO on your couples' holiday. We're thinking top-notch romantic vibes with an uninterrupted view of the sky (unless there are clouds, but let's not think about that), a delish dinner at the base camp, and plenty of Milky Way sightings that your naked eye will latch onto and that's on zero desert light pollution.

If you like stretching your sea legs then you'll deffo wanna book yourself onto an all-inclusive adults-only catamaran trip starting out in Sal and cruising along the Western coast of the island while you knock back some tasty cocktails, feel the surf spray on your skin and groove to the music. You'll drop anchor for swimming and snorkelling too, fun in the sun has never applied more.

🥾 Things to do in Cape Verde for Adventurers

What better way to test your metal than with a tour of Shark's Bay, that is if you aren't scared of the finned animals from the deep. This is the home of the lemon sharks, naturally shy by nature, you might only catch a glimpse of a fin poking above the surface, but that alone would be enough to get out hearts racing - in fact we'll stick to the beach and watch. By all means, though, you go right ahead and wade out to the shallows with your guide to join them as they swim through their habitat.

The beaches across the islands all play host to a variety of different waters, and with a lot of them catching breezes, it makes them the perfect spot to rip some waves on a surfboard. It's one of the most popular water sports for a reason and what better time than now to try your hand at it, or dust off your skills you've let sit unused since your last surfy jolly. There are lessons on the popular beaches to make sure you're ready to take to the water, with all the techniques available to have you gliding along in no time.

🌋 Things to do in Cape Verde for Nature Lovers

Strap your hiking boots on and prepare for a trek into the slopes of the Serra da Malagueta mountain range - it's the perfect place for all types of nature lovers no matter your skill level, you can make the trek through forests and farms where you might spy some local wildlife from flora to animals. The trail includes the islands second-highest peak so it truly does cover all the bases for a perfect hike on your Cape Verde holidays.

If you're more about getting onto the water and less about the walking then you might wanna consider some whale watching. This is best enjoyed between March and May when pods of blue whales congregate off the coast of Cape Verde to mate. You'll set sail from Boa Vista to the whales' fave hangout - like youths hanging round the local off-license - where you might catch some breach the surface as you slowly approach and if you do, then make sure your camera is ready and you're prepared to get soaked!