Has anyone been to Cape Verde? What was your experience?

[loveyouradvice]

I'd never heard of it until a week ago

Have you been? What was it like?

Where would you recommend for a couple of February weeks, swimming and studying... so really treating it like a sunny health farm with plenty of time to research/study. Somewhere quiet-ish. Relaxing, beautiful, good food.

We went to Sal last year, there is very little to do outside of the hotel complexes apart from excursions. No one got sick and where we stayed (Riu Palace) were really on top of food hygiene at the buffets. It was cold in the evening and windy. I took lots of pretty dresses for evening and ended up wearing a hoodie every night 😂 The UV is high obviously due to where the islands are situated. I still have tan lines and I didn’t burn. We made some nice friends. I wouldn’t go back but I’m glad we went.

Really helpful - especially all your comments @rockstarshoes ... I wouldn't have even thought of taking a warm coat for the evening`!!

I just had summer dresses and a cardigan for evenings, but thankfully had travelled in a jacket so wore that at night, but I was still too cold. Jeans and a hoodie would have been better, but I don't go on holiday to be chilly in the evenings, I want to sit outside and be warm.

Well I’m back in the UK this morning! No illness in my party of 4! I daren’t post that before because I was worried about tempting fate!
I loved it! I thought for the price, the weather at this time of year, flight length and quality of the food in the hotel we were in it was great value and I’m actually thinking about going back next year!

We've been 3 times, but not since 2018 so bear that in mind. We've stayed on Boa Vista and Sal. Neither were well built up outside of the hotels, its a poor country. That said we stayed at Riu hotels both times and they were lovely. There's enough to do for 1 day max sight seeing so be prepared to spend a lot of time at the pool/beach. The beaches are beautiful but the sea can be a little rough and check when their windy season is. We've been in March, April and November and it was hot and sunny all of those times.

Absolutely not. Most friends I know who have been recently all said never again. Sketchy hygiene standards, not much to do, enormous waves, food poisoning, the place looks like a building site, poor health care should you become ill. It’s a cheapish destination so the calibre of fellow travellers can be a roll of the dice, again something I won’t compromise on or risk if I can avoid especially as AI is vast majority of places.

I always think of the resort Elsbels and the hotel from Carry On Abroad whenever Cape Verde is mentioned.

I'd go to Thailand. Flight more expensive but everything else v cheap.

What you mean there is no choice? You can have sausage and chippings, sausage and beans, or beans and chippings?'

I go every two years to break-up the Winter. For the flight time and cost, I find it a great option to get a blast of heat and sun.
Never had any problems with sickness bugs, didn’t find it as windy as the Canary Islands. The food is nice, plentiful and the resort is great.
There is nothing much to sight see around Boavista apart from the small town which has a museum.
My activities there are: reading, long walks on the beach, gym, swim and sunbathe. So it would work perfectly for your health farm objective.

A couple of friends have been. One found the rooms very old fashioned and the food odd - mainly catering for German visitors.
Another was shut in a shop by the owner when they tried to leave without buying anything.

Neither would go back.

I’ve been to Cabo Verde twice; on one holiday we went to the islands of Sal + Santa Maria and on the second we went to Santa Maria and travelled around.

Sal is a bit dull, if you’re just going for sand and swim then it’s fine but there isn’t an awful lot to see. It’s also a giant salt plain so it’s quite an unusual environment: a bit like visiting the surface of the moon! A lot of what is on offer has been developed with European tourists in mind, though you can hear some local music.

Santa Maria is much more lush and verdant, it’s covered in fruit plantations and beautiful great mountains. The towns are historic, with brightly painted colonial era buildings. People are insanely friendly and will all want to talk to you; it’s just an island culture thing.

Being a series of islands fresh food and vegetables have to get imported from the greener islands, some days things on the menu won’t be available because eg they had no tomatoes! But fresh fish and their fish stew are always excellent.

Thank you all... still mulling... bit concerned about cold evenings and health care/hygiene.... Really appreciate all these comments

Yip went March 24. We had an amazing time, weather, hotel and locals were fantastic. We did a day at bikini beach which was beautiful, a private quad tour of the island one day, zip lining another. Would love to go back one day. We met three couples we became friends with in the hotel and had a great laugh. Would love to go back.

Why wouldn't you just go to a quiet part of the Canaries. That would have everything you're looking for.

Puerto Mogan Gean Canaria
Playa Blanca Lanzarote
Costa Adeje Tenerife

Yes I agree. All these places tick your boxes, have EU level health care and in terms of weather should be warm in February albeit cooler in the evening.

My colleague said it was cold in the evening and windy during the day - and parents are on a cruise at the moment - stopped at one CV location which was breezy - had to miss the second CV location as it was too windy to get the cruise ship into port

They do not tick the temperature box though. Canaries are very windy and not hot enough in February. OP has said she wants warmer

I went with a young family a few years ago .
hotel was vast but there was nothing to do outside of that .
It was windy and the first week very cold in the days .
The pool was too cold to comfortably swim in for more than a quick dip .
Kids had fun , I could think of lots of places I would much rather go . it was just an enormous AI hotel in the middle of nowhere .

Been to Sal for a week in Feb for the last two years. Love it. Wish I was going this year.
Very chilled on sunbed around and in/out of pool. Warm in the day with high UV. Yes it’s breezy and very easy to burn because of that. Evenings need a cardie, hoodie or denim jacket. Personally I think it’s the best winter sun destination within a 6 hour flight.
The restaurant hygiene was really good. BUT at a buffet everything is only as clean as the people who touch the tongs which is out of the hotels control. Other guests hygiene probably accounts for much of the sickness. Incidentally we’ve had no tummy issues there. If I had health issues I’d pause to think, but I’m fit and healthy so wasn’t worried, lots of places are quite distant from medical facilities.

Dh and I went to Boa Vista about 3 years ago, we really were in desperate need of a fly and flop kind of holiday and we got exactly that, booked a couple of tours but apart from that walked along the beach and in both directions found a bar and restaurant for a change of scenery. We went in October time though, didn’t feel chilly in the evenings although there was a gentle breeze during the days, never felt cold.
beautiful, quite peaceful and underdeveloped.
Suited our needs. Would I go back? Probably not but only because we enjoy going to new places. We had no complaints beyond the usual - AI food gets quite samey after a while but as I say we found other eateries outside of the hotel to stop the boredom.

stayed at the Riu palace Boa Vista last April, going back this year. hot in the day, cooler in the evening. Definitely need a cardy going out after dark. Lovely hotel, locals very friendly, just beach and sea kind of holiday. Nothing outside of the hotels. Very relaxing place, but massively underdeveloped at the moment, but that suited us.

Foreign office warning of Shigella and Dengue fever in Cape Verde.
Also worth a look in general at foreign office advice for travellers around medical facilities (or lack of) and recommended vaccinations.
All fine if you're young, fit and healthy but maybe caution if not.