Travel: Boa Vista Has The View Of A Lifetime

The easternmost and third-largest island of Cape Verde definitely does justice to its name – Boa Vista: beautiful view. While mass tourism has already reached the smaller neighbouring island of Sal, life on Boa Vista is a bit more authentic. However, the international airport was opened in 2007, and Italian and Spanish investors have discovered the island and are building hotels. People familiar with Cape Verde assume that Boa Vista will be serious competition for the island of Sal with regard to tourism in a few years. The landscape here is also characterised by deserts of sand and scree. Yet, there are also a few low mountain ranges – and, of course, many beaches (55 kilometres), much sun, the sea and excellent conditions for water athletes. The capital of the island of Boa Vista, Sal Rei, looks quite cosy and almost sleepy, even though more than half of the island’s 12,000 inhabitants live here. On the main plaza, the Praça de Santa Isabel with its many colourful flowers and pavilions, you can admire goods sold by the African traders.
Colourful batiks and carved wood figures, as well as fruit and vegetables, are sold here. The bays of Sal Rei are perfect for swimming because they are protected against the wind by the island of Ilheu de Sal Rei, which is located offshore from it. Last and possibly the most thrilling is a night-time tour to see the loggerhead turtles on the east and southern beaches as they nest in their thousands each year.
Photo Credit: Getty