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Great white beaches, greenish-blue waters, colorful streets, and interesting lifestyle – this is all that defines the sheer brilliance and beauty of Cape Verde. Located off the coast of mainland Africa, Cape Verde is a group of 10 picturesque islands where you can browse through a number of interesting places. Some of these islands are popular across the world. And because of the beauty they possess, they make for ideal spots for holidaying amid sun, sea, and shore. Here, we are going to reveal the best things to do in Cape Verde. Take a look at these to know why this incredible expanse deserves your visit.
25 Incredible Things To Do in Cape Verde
1) Chill On Sparkling Sandy Beaches
It is the beaches of Cape Verde that make this island country a paradise on earth amongst explorers. The white sandy shores of Sal, Santiago and others lure tourists from all over the world. These are remarkable sights to savor. Bathe under the glaring sun, sit and watch the waves crashing on the shore, witness colorful horizon or just do nothing. There are a lot of options to choose from when on Cape Verde beaches. Santa Maria Beach and Kite Beach are some of the most frequented beaches in the country.
Recommended For: Beach lovers, Couples, Families
Location(s): Sal, Boa Vista, Santa Maria, Praia
Average Price: Free of cost
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: Visit the volcanic part of the Fogo Island to walk its black-sand beaches.
2) Propel Across The Water
Yes! We are talking about kitesurfing and other such water sports in Cape Verde. Kitesurfing is so popular here that there is a dedicated beach called the Kite Beach. This is where all the surfers come to embark on their adventurous rides. There are several surf schools where you can learn about the sport. If none of these things interests you, then you can laze by the shore and watch surfer entertain you with their excellent moves. The place is great for couples as well as families.
Recommended For: Surfers, adventure lovers
Location: Sal, Santa Maria
Price Range: $10 – $25
Timings: 09:30 am to 05:30 pm
Pro-Tip: Pre-book your adventure tour online to avoid paying a heavy price.
3) Take A Deep Sea Submarine Tour
Do not miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure while in Cape Verde. A tour down the sea waves deep into the ocean is thrilling and exciting. And what if you get to see old statues and shipwrecks lying on the sea bed along with exploring marine life? That would be the cherry on top. So, do not forget to come to Santa Maria and gain this enriching experience.
Recommended For: Sea lovers, adventurers, families
Location: Santa Maria
Average Price: $20 – $30
Timings: 09:00 am to 06:00 pm
Pro-Tip: If you suffer from seasickness, do not forget to take medication along. Otherwise, your trip could be a bad memory.
4) Savor The Legendary Dish Of Cachupa
Your trip to Cape Verde is incomplete unless you feast on a lip-smacking plate of Cachupa. It is one of the most popular dishes in the country and is recognized in several other countries in Africa. It is so popular amongst locals that it has become the national dish of Cape Verde. Prepared from fish, beans, and corn, Cachupa is generally served with fried eggs and sausages. We know your mouth is watering right now. But to savor its authentic taste, you need to visit the country.
Recommended For: Foodies, explorers
Location: Sal, Praia, Santa Maria
Average Price: $3 – $5
Timings: 10:00 am to 07:00 pm
Pro-Tip: You will find the best cachupa on the streets of Santa Maria.
5) Dive Into The Blue Eye
One of the popular Cape Verde points of interest is the Blue Eye of Buracona on Sal Island. To the northwest of Sal, lies a small bay where you can come across a beautiful natural pool. During afternoons when the sun shines directly over the island and the sun rays penetrate through the pool water, you get to witness the magic. It is when the entire pool shines like a blue eye. People come here from all over the country to watch this natural wonder. You can also dive into the pool and have an amazing bath.
Recommended For: Swimmers, adventure lovers
Location: Sal Island, Cape Verde
Average Price: Fee of cost
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: Make sure the sea isn’t rough before you jump into the pool.
6) Drive Away Fear and Swim With The Sharks
Sharks are considered dangerous species and no human in all his senses would dare to go close to them. But the beautiful island country of Cape Verde provides you with an opportunity to do so, that too minus the risk. It is because the sharks of Sal are herbivores. Yes, you read that right! Here, sharks won’t harm you as they completely rely on plants and grass for their food. So, how about being on selfie mode under the sea?
Recommended For: Divers, swimmers
Location: Sal, Cape Verde
Average Price: $10 – $15
Timings: 10:00 am to 05:00 pm
Pro-Tip: It is better to hire a local guide. They know exactly where and when you can spot sharks.
7) Hike Up A Volcano
Hiking reaches a completely different level when you are in Cape Verde. Here, you do not take up the lush green hills or rocky mountain, but the steep slopes of volcanoes. The island of Fogo is an ideal location for this adventure. You can take the local flight to reach the island or get an agent to cover it all for you. You can also ask your hotel to book a tour of volcanoes for you. Apart from Fogo, Brava and Sao Vicente are the Cape Verdean islands where you encounter volcanoes.
Recommended For: Hikers, trekkers
Location: Fogo, Brava
Average Price: Free of cost (Approx $20 with a guide)
Timings: Anytime
8) Explore The Colourful Streets Of Santa Maria
A wonderful locality on the wondrous island of Sal, Santa Maria is a perfect holiday destination in the sea. It has beaches, luxury resorts, shopping venues and everything else a tourist looks forward to. But, the vibrant streets of Santa Maria make it an exceptional settlement. Take a stroll through these colorful streets, witness the local culture of Cape Verde come alive through wall paintings and roadside shops.
Recommended For: Art lovers, street photographers
Location: Santa Maria
Average Price: Free of cost
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: You will also find several men selling really great artworks in the streets near the Church of the Nazarene. Do not forget to buy something from them.
9) Snorkel Your Way Beneath The Sea
Snorkeling is one of the most popular water adventures in Cape Verde. As the archipelago houses a number of spots where you can snorkel down the sea and watch beautiful marine life, hundreds of tourists come here every day. Murdeira Bay, the Christ of the Sea near Santa Maria and Palmeira are some of the great spots to go for such activities. If you would love to spend some time in seclusion in a completely different world, then snorkeling is all you need this season.
Recommended For: Adventure enthusiasts
Location: Sal, Cape Verde
Average Price: $30 per person
Timings: 10:00 am to 05:00 pm
Pro-Tip: You can also snorkel in the waters near Boa Vista. But make sure the sea isn’t rough before you dive into the ocean.
10) Visit The Turtle Nesting Beach
Making their way through the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, turtles come at different places in Cape Verde to lay eggs in the sand. However, the most important and popular site is the shore of the stunning Ervatao Beach. But, wait! You won’t find these turtles throughout the year. The phenomenon generally happens between July and September. This is the period when the beach gets covered with these lovely species. And if you wish, you can also adopt a hatchling.
Recommended For: Animal lovers, photographers
Location: Ervanto Beach, Cape Verde
Average Price: Free of cost
Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Visit at night if you want to avoid the crowd.
11) Fish Under The Comforting Sun
Cape Verde is all about islands and waters. That’s why fishing has become a significant part of their culture. Come here, live like a local for a day and relish some fishing time. Engage in some interaction with people who love the sport as you do. Enjoy some quiet time on the deck as you wait for the fish to seek your bait. The time you spend on the seashore fishing under the comforting sun would surely be a memorable moment forever.
Recommended For: Every tourist
Location: Santa Maria, Praia do Camilo, Santiago
Average Price: $5 – $8 (For the fishing kit)
Timings: 08:00 am to 08:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Catch a ride with local fishermen to learn more about the art of fishing in Africa.
12) Capture The Archipelago While You Fly
The islands of Cape Verde are well connected to each other via flights. Book an inter-island flight and explore the country from above. If you are a photographer and are bored of capturing frames from the same old angles, you would surely love getting on these flights and clicking panoramic views. If you aren’t bound by a budget, then you can also take the helicopter services in Praia that are perfect for Cape Verde sightseeing. Go up in the air and peep from behind the clouds to witness natural beauties.
Recommended For: Photographers
Location: Cape Verde
Average Price: $150 – $250
Timings: 08:00 am to 11:00 am & 2:00 pm to 05:30 pm (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Recommended Read: 10 Reasons Why Visit Cape Verde, Africa
13) Learn Horse Riding
The sandy glistening beaches of Cape Verde make it an interesting destination for horse riding too. The horse riding excursion through the shores, rugged terrains and plains of the country provide a thrilling experience. It is an experience that wouldn’t be easily forgotten. Learning about the mannerisms of a horse as you move through winds is surely one of the best things to do in Sal Cape Verde. You can either ask your hotel to book a horseback riding tour or go online and reserve it for yourself.
Recommended For: Families, adventure lovers
Location: Santa Maria, Sal
Average Price: $50 – $60
Timings: 09:00 am to 04:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Pre-book a tour online that offers pick-up from the hotel.
14) Walk Past The Salt Mines
A truly arresting sight to gaze upon! The salt mines in Sal have a very long history. As per ancient records, the city, Sal, has got its name from these salt mines itself. It was several centuries ago when Portuguese discovered these islands and started colonizing them. And apparently, Sal translates to salt in Portuguese. But apart from history, you get to float on the water. Yes, the seawater here is too dense and you can literally float on its water without any support. Well, that makes it another Dead Sea.
Recommended For: Every tourist
Location: Pedra Lume, Sal
Average Price: $6 per person
Timings: 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Make sure you do not have any open wounds in your body. Or else, be prepared for burns.
15) Get Going With Quad Biking
Make the most of your trip as you get on a quad bike and explore the charming dunes and sea shores of the country. Take a break from the main cities and drive around the outskirts. Indulge in this fun-filled activity to spend some beautiful time with your family, friends or partners. Over a period of time, quad biking tours have become immensely popular amongst tourists coming to Cape Verde. You can either book one online or get an agent to do it for you.
Recommended For: Bike lovers, families
Location: Sal, Cape Verde
Average Price: $55 – $70
Timings: 09:00 am to 05:00 pm
Pro-Tip: You can also hire a quad bike without any guide. It would cost about $10 a lesser amount.
16) Drink The Local Grogue
This is one of the many reasons why tourists love coming to Cape Verde again and again. It is all in the sensation of the Grogue drink. This Cape Verdean beverage is loved across the country and people come from neighboring places to enjoy its taste. Hence, calling it the national drink of Cape Verde wouldn’t be wrong. It is prepared from sugarcane and is used mostly in cocktails. If you are a cocktail enthusiast, then you just got another reason to visit Cape Verde.
Recommended For: Alcohol lovers, explorers
Location: Sal, Praia, Santiago
Average Price: $10
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: Meet locals and they will tell you about rural places where you can watch Grogue getting prepared.
17) Watch The Monumental Monte Grande
One of the least-explored Cape Verde tourist attractions, the gigantic mountain of Monte Grande is claimed to be the highest point in the country with a staggering height of about 1330 feet. It is located on Sal Island and is an incredible place to take photos. Explorers come here for hiking and mountaineering. With a blue backdrop and lava formations in the foreground, it looks exceptionally photogenic. So, why not get up to its summit and enjoy some enthralling views of the city?
Recommended For: Photographers, trekkers
Location: Sal, Cape Verde
Average Price: Free of cost
Timings: Anytime
18) Mingle With The Locals And Learn Indigenous Culture
The indigenous culture of this archipelago consists of values from European colonizers and other tribes. And the culture cannot be learned, it can only be understood. Hence, whatever you do to study the centuries-old culture of Cape Verde, nothing can beat the method of mingling with locals and staying with them. It helps in getting acquainted with their customs and traditions easily. This way you would be able to understand their art, music, language, and literature within a minimal timeframe.
Recommended For: Culture explorers
Location: Sal, Praia, Cape Verde
Average Price: Free of cost (Approx $25 for hiring a guide)
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: If you can manage, try staying with locals to learn about their culture easily.
19) Party Hard
If you are a party animal, then Cape Verde would interest you. It is because the country houses numerous places and party destinations where you can spend your evenings drinking, dancing, and singing. There are a number of restaurants by the shore of Sal and Santiago where tourists party hard till they drop. You can also join them and experience the beauty of Cape Verde in a completely different way.
Recommended For: Every tourist
Location: Cape Verde
Average Price: Free of cost
Pro-Tip: Visit the clubs of Espargos and Santa Maria to watch Cape Verde high on happiness.
20) Listen To Local Melodies
The music of Cape Verde is heavily influenced by the Portuguese and tribal cultures. And it is quite evident when you listen to its popular music genres of morna and coladeira. Cape Verdean singers, such as Cesaria Evora, Mayra Andrade, and Ildo Lobo, have been popular across the globe. The country hosts several music festivals on a regular basis. The Flat Feast of Fogo happens in April, Sao Joao Festival in June, Gamboa Festival in May and Sal Music Festival in September.
Recommended For: Music lovers, explorers
Location: Sal, Mindelo, Praia
Average Price: $15 – $25 for a show
Timings: 05:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Pro-Tip: The streets of Santa Maria are filled with restaurants that play local music. You can visit them if there is no music festival happening in the country on your trip.
21) Shop For Local Hand-made Wares
Tourism and shopping go hand in hand and this is a fact. And if you are a shopaholic, then you cannot refrain from exploring the beautiful markets of Cape Verde. But you need to be very careful while purchasing things. As most of the things here are imported, they carry heavy price tags. Hence, you might get tricked into paying a lot more. If you want to save yourself from all this, then visit the local markets where you can buy hand-made wares. They are cheap and won’t affect your budget.
Recommended For: Shoppers, art lovers
Location: Sao Vicente, Mindelo, Santa Maria
Average Price: No Entrance Fee
Timings: 09:00 am to 08:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Mercado de Sucupira in Praia is the best market to buy hand-made wares at a cheaper cost.
22) Enjoy The Sight Of Humpback Whales
You can also go whale watching in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The best places where you can enjoy views of humpback whales include Boa Vista and Sal. You can hire a ferry to Boa Vista during the months of April and May. On the way, you would encounter these wonderful mammals. You can book a tour with your hotel or any other service operator and they would make sure, you see this giant animal.
Recommended For: Families
Location: Sal, Boa Vista
Average Price: $15 – $20 (For hiring a ferry)
Timings: Anytime
23) Sail Around The Islands And Witness Surroundings
Sailing around an island has its own happiness. You get to see an entire world while floating on the waters. This way you enjoy the unexplored parts of a place and witness the destination from a different angle. And that’s the reason you must take up a tour of sailing down the Atlantic Ocean and watching the surroundings of Cape Verde. This excursion will help you get in touch with the hidden unknown wonders of the country. Moreover, you would take home a lot of memories from such a journey.
Recommended For: Explorers, nature lovers, adventurers
Location: Cape Verde
Average Price: $100 – $150
Timings: 09:00 am to 06:00 pm
Pro-Tip: Book your tour online to get considerable discounts.
24) Visit Local Restaurants To Have The Best Of Cape Verdean Cuisine
The traditional Cape Verdean Cuisine is mostly about beans and corns and as the country is a seaside settlement, seafood is a significant part of the cuisine. The national dish of Cachupa is the perfect example to understand it. Other major dishes one can try in the local restaurants of Cape Verde are bafa, chamucas, couscous, xerem, legumes cozidos and more. You can stay with locals to savor the best of local food.
Recommended For: Foodies, culture explorers
Location: Santa Maria, Praia
Average Price: $5 – $15 per person
Timings: 10:00 am to 08:00 pm
25) Spend A Day At Praia de Chaves Watching Blue Waters
The serene colorful beach of Praia de Chaves is one of the best places to go to Cape Verde. It makes for a peaceful weekend getaway for families as well as couples. You can come here and take a bath in the blue waters or under the sun. The presence of a number of restaurants and bars around it makes it a very happening place at night. Pay a visit to ride high on tranquillity.
Recommended For: Families, sea lovers, sunbathers, photographers
Location: Praia
Average Price: No Entrance Fee
Timings: Anytime
Pro-Tip: The best time to visit the beach is from September to November.
This is not all! There is much more to do here in Cape Verde. Go trekking in the hills, or rent a car to explore hidden landscapes or take a ferry to Boa Vista. As travelers, we could go on and on about this wonderful place.
So, what are you waiting for? Gather your own share of memories in Cape Verde.
Recommended Read: 10 Most Enthralling Beach Holiday Destinations
