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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Anyone been to Cabo Verde?

17 replies

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 21:40

Got the chance (maybe... fingers crossed) of going on holiday this year. For some reason, Cabo Verde appeals - I speak Portuguese, love music, seafood, beaches. Can't afford Brazil (which I know and love), another member of the party doesn't fancy Portugal (which would have been another choice of mine). Have heard good things about Cabo Verde but know very little about it. What's it like as a holiday destination? My ideal would be a beautiful beachside hotel or house, somewhere with an interesting town nearby, good music...

Don't really want a resort type holiday but have no idea where to start looking for something more independent. Oh, and is it expensive?

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sfxmum · 30/01/2009 21:43

was born there, sorry no help but could not resist as hardly anyone ever heard of it
it apparently very popular with Portuguese Spanish and Scandinavians I hear they do have gorgeous music

I think I saw something on the Rough guides to west Africa a few years back but it has been further developed since, have not been back since I was a baby

sfxmum · 30/01/2009 21:44

I mean I do know their music and it is quite lovely

Original poster

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 21:46

thanks sfxmum - didn't think this would get a reply for ages! I heard Italians go there a lot too. I'm just hoping it isn't an overdeveloped package tour place.

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Original poster

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 21:48

I know some of the music too, sfx - Cesaria Evora, obviously. I want to hang out in a bar by the beach, eating fish and listening to beautiful music

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pgwithnumber3 · 30/01/2009 21:50

My friend has just come back from here, in fact they have been a few times, her DH is in the middle of negotiating on a piece of land to build a hotel on. She loves it, very quiet and undeveloped still. Lovely beaches.

Original poster

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 21:53

ooh, which island did they go to, pg?

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sfxmum · 30/01/2009 21:54

sound idyllic if you do go please report back would love to take dd and dh there one day, my aunt was there at the time given half the chance will go on and on about how lovely the music and the fish was, she wept when I took her to see Cesaria a few years back

pgwithnumber3 · 30/01/2009 21:58

I've no idea and we have had a fall out so I can't ask her. Sorry!

Original poster

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 21:58

will do, sfxmum! So, is your family Caboverdean then? Oh, and I weep at Cesaria too

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sfxmum · 30/01/2009 22:08

found this

and this

and no am part of the colonizing Portuguese

I do hope they keep it nice and quiet

Original poster

harpomarx · 30/01/2009 22:13

muito obrigada, sfx - I ordered the brochure from CapeVerde travel. Will go and have a look in Stanfords travel bookshop next time I am in London.

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Original poster

harpomarx · 31/01/2009 20:37

bumping just in case

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PestoMonster · 31/01/2009 20:40

My dentist went to Sal and highly recommended it if you want somewhere hot but uncommercialised. It is only about 6 hours away, so not too far a trek either. I haven't been though.

arfur · 02/02/2009 16:30

Went there last year (to Sal) and had a lovely week, and the beach was beautiful - never ending white sand. Not much to do outside of hotel tho we went on an island tour which consisted of visiting the salt flats, some pretty caves and the main town which is very poor and as such their was nothing there other than a tiny souvenir shop. We were told that there is no fresh water on the island and therefore everything you eat/drink is flown in. Dont get me wrong its a lovely place but cultural it is not and as for fresh fish - not really. It is described in most brochures as moon like and that is true its very desertlike, actually quite desolate. I think this sounds like a bad review but its not - it was just kind of bizarre unlike anywhere we'd ever been before and it is being heavily developed so if you want to go - then best to go now!

Original poster

harpomarx · 02/02/2009 21:22

thanks arfur and PestoMonster. Arfur, did you get to any of the other islands, or here anything about them? it sounds like they are quite different, Fogo sounds interesting.

I somehow think it's not going to be a hit with other members of the party though - I like undeveloped, I've a feeling they don't...

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Original poster

harpomarx · 02/02/2009 21:22

bloody hell, 'hear' not 'here' anything about them. I will be summonsed to Pedants' Corner unless I'm careful!

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Latrigg · 15/09/2009 11:56

My parents went this year and had a great time. Said the music and seafood was wonderful and they stayed in some nice hotels by the beach and also some more basic places in the mountains as they were doing a bit of walking. They went with a company called Archipelago Cape Verde who seemed to put a pretty interesting holiday together for them. Not sure how much it cost but they want to go back!!

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