My boyfriend and I both love traveling, but neither of us likes revisiting places we have already been, so we ultimately chose this lesser-known country because it is relatively warm and you can also go whale watching.
However, the whales migrated early this year, so by the time we arrived, they were already gone. The best time for whale watching should be from mid-March to mid-May, with April being ideal. You can also see sea turtles laying eggs here, and in July and August, you can witness the spectacular sight of baby turtles hatching and crawling one by one into the sea.
We went to Boa Vista, where tourism is the main industry. There is desert everywhere and very little vegetation. On a day trip to the southern part of the island, we saw some donkeys and antelopes.
Because it is a relatively niche destination, the tourism industry is still fairly uncommercialized. Prices can vary by as much as €15 between companies, and taxis do not use meters, so you need to know how to bargain for everything.
We stayed for three and a half days, and the whole trip took five days including travel to and from Paris. That felt like plenty of time.
The islanders are very down-to-earth. Although their English is limited, many speak Portuguese—after all, it is a former Portuguese colony—and French, since it is close to the French-speaking country of Senegal.
The sun is quite intense, so make sure to apply sunscreen diligently.
The island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, so the waves are especially large and the water is relatively cold, making it less suitable for swimming. The rough seas have also caused many shipwrecks near the island throughout history.
The museum is worth visiting. Admission is €7, and guides provide explanations in English, French, or Portuguese, even if there are only one or two visitors. You can learn in detail about Cape Verde’s brutal history as a transit hub for the slave trade and the cruelty of the whaling industry.
The roads are paved with volcanic rock because it is easy to find. Everywhere you look, there are buildings or walls under construction or left half-finished.
There are several small general stores run by Chinese people in town, selling many products made in China and Brazil. Chinese-made three-wheeled vehicles are also everywhere, and you can even hear the familiar warning, “Reversing, please be careful.”
I only learned after arriving that Cape Verde is just a six-hour flight from Brazil. Although I would not recommend making a special trip solely to visit Cape Verde, it is a good choice as a stopover on the way to South America.
On our last day, we got massages. The therapists seemed to know only aromatherapy oil massage, so before leaving, I introduced them to the Thai massage I am familiar with and demonstrated a few Thai massage techniques. They were all amazed.
We spent two days at an all-inclusive hotel, which was a new experience for us. I’ll talk about it separately next time.