Cape Verde

[pilates]

What’s it like?
We want a week away the end of August with two teenagers so will have to be AI with a view to having a couple of nice meals out. Any recommendations for places to stay/hotels?

[Kenworthington]

We went to Cape Verde a couple years ago. It’s a long flight and xHonestly it’s not worth it IMO
. It’s a very very poor country and there’s literally nothing else there other than hotels. It also bucketed it down with rain, it’s super windy, and well it’s just not all that i don’t think

[AnnoyedByAlfieBear]

We looked at going s few years ago. I seem to remember that our summer holidays was their rainy/windy season.

[WTCT]

We’ve been twice (Jul and Oct) and loved it. No rain.

But, as @Kenworthington says... there is nothing there except hotels. There won’t be places to eat put as hotels are off the beaten track

We just like a week in a hotel with a pool and some half decent food and weather. If you want anything other than that, ie trips out, it isn’t the place for you.

Also, their airport can’t handle larger planes (runway not long enough) so the planes are short haul...6 hr flight with little leg room and no entertainment.

[titchy]

Actually Dreamliners fly there - they have in flight entertainment and reasonable seats.

But yes, you can't eat out as there is literally nowhere other than hotels! (The majority of Cape Verdeans don't live on the two resort islands.)

[ArnoldBee]

I've seen reviews that suggest it's just like the canaries but without anything to do. Not sure if that helps?

[crustycrab]

Love it. Big resort style hotels with 4+ restaurants. Dreamliner does fly there, not a drop of rain when we've been. But absolutely nothing to do!

[Zuma76]

We went in April. If you stay in Santa Maria, there are nice bars and restaurants. Most of the AI are out of town. I’d risk it and go for Porto Antigo or OdjoDAgua hotel. We saw them both and they are really nicely situated next to the beach

[Isthebigwomanhere]

I like things to do out and about so it wasn't for me but if you like a chilled poolside holiday then it's fine

[TheFairyCaravan]

Me and DH went to Boa Vista 5 years ago. The Dreamliner flies into Sal. The flight isn't that long, it's classed as mid-haul rather than long haul so you just get a standard TUI plane with no entertainment on most runs. People whinge about that but it's advertised. You can book either extra legroom or extra space seats.

We loved Cape Verde. Everything is hotel based but they're not little hotels, they're huge, more like a resort. Most have 2 or 3 restaurants that you can book while you're there. There's not really anywhere you can book outside to eat although there are a few a bars.

When we went DH went quad biking with some people we met out there. I couldn't as I'm disabled. He really enjoyed that. TUI do trips but the vehicles they use aren't suitable for me so we got a taxi and went into the capital. It was incredibly eye opening because the people are so poor and they live in such terrible conditions. They do harass you to buy what they've made but I honestly didn't mind because it mean they could feed their kids.

We went in March/April and my parents have been for Christmas and we never saw a drop of rain. The rains come in September usually, although that can't be guaranteed.

If you want a touristy type place then it's not for you, if you want somewhere really quiet, relaxing and underdeveloped then you'll love it.

[WTCT]

Actually Dreamliners fly there - they have in flight entertainment and reasonable seats.

Ooh, that’s new. (Well, since I last went there).

[pilates]

I’m not sure it sounds the place for me but thanks everyone for the honest replies 👍

[Urbanvoltaire]

It's a very poor set of islands with no facilities other than what's at the hotels. Roads basic (other than those that go to the airports) which is why all the taxis are 4WD. No medical facilities, the locals live in shanty towns. The beaches are lovely, but due to the high winds, too dangerous to swim in or do any water sports. Went at Easter, hadn't rained in 2 years.

[MisterT373]

Just a nerd note on the Dreamliner.. it was originally designed for a 8 seat across configuration but airlines have squeezed in an extra seat which makes them incredibly narrow. Even my FA friends who crew them have admitted that the economy seats are very uncomfortable. I'm a larger bloke and I avoid the 787 like the plague.

[Boredofblueskythinking]

We’ve been to Boa Vista recently- honestly there is nothing but hotels, you can’t leave the resorts as there is nowhere to go. Hotel complexes though are huge but we got bored of buffets on AI- prefer long hauls with multiple a la cartes- the “restaurants” were the same as the main buffet but themed in Cape Verde compared to what we’ve experience in places like Mexico