Cape Verde - yes or no?

[Icanseethebeach]

I’m looking at Cape Verde in December with an 8yr old and 5yr old and DH too. I either hear really good things or really bad things about it. Does anyone have any experiences?

We went in March and stayed at Riu Palace, was one of the best holidays we've ever had and are going back next March.

December? i wouldn’t risk it weather wise

If you just want the standard all inclusive experience/l with maybe the odd beach visit then yes. If you want to explore a little then no. Bonus is that transfers to hotels are usually short. Another thing is that it can get windy so the sea is often closed to swimmers.

Adding we also went in March

There's loads to do! We did a quad tour of the island, ziplining, day at the beach at the pier where the waters calmer to swim and there's jet skis we went on. There's catamaran trips, whale watching trips, tours of the island to see the salt lakes and lemon sharks, buggy tours, trip to shark Bay, snorkelling or diving trips, watersports December to May.

The weather is lovely in December, my brother was there last year and it was hot. Take a little cardi or light jacket for evenings as it can be a little chilly if it's windy

@ItsAllMadness24 what temps did your bro see in december?

did he mention wind?

There is loads to do but all at a cost, nothing much in the way of just sightseeing

Honestly? Worst holiday we ever had. Weather was warm but grey clouds for the entire 2 weeks (August) December may be better?
The flies, oh my god the flies. It was horrific. Had to cover drinks with a mat between every sip. Sat there slapping yourself constantly.
All of us had Tummy issues. This was in a 5 star all inclusive that cost thousands in a well known chain of hotel.
Very deprived outside the resort and didn’t feel comfortable going out to eat.
Wouldn’t go back if you paid me to.
Sorry for the brutal honesty but you asked!!

It was around 25 but the uvs generally pretty high, there seems to always be a bit of wind which is a welcome relief during the day but can make it feel a bit chilly in the evening. My husband only needed a jumper one night but I wore a light jacket every night except one when we were there in March.

I fancied it after a friend had an amazing holiday there, but then I read loads of negative reviews. I looked it up on Google earth and it didn’t look very exciting, so I asked my friend what had made it so amazing for her and it turns out they never left the hotel, not once (but the food and service was great and the hotel’s beach was pretty).

Based on that and similar stories, I’d say it’s fine if you can afford a top notch hotel and aren’t that interesting in exploring. If you want a bit of history, culture and authenticity, look elsewhere!

Hello 👋
Four of us went to Cape Verde. We stayed in the Riu in Sal. It was nice, clean and what you’d expect. We went out on a boat trip and saw whales which was unforgettable. The beach had red flags up for the entire 10 days, those that did swim in the sea often ended up with broken limbs because the waves were so powerful. We stuck to the salt water pool. Bring plenty of sunscreen, being so close to the equator the sun is very strong. Enjoy your trip.