Boavista

Dubbed 'the sand dune isle' for it has a distinctly desert-like appearance, Boavista experiences the hot, dry winds blowing off the Sahara. An ideal location for sailing, diving, surfing, fishing, and kayaking, Boavista also boasts one of the best beaches to be found on Cape Verde, Curralinho, it is also the largest. The quaint port at Sal Rei is the Boavista's capital, and here you'll find the limited accommodation the island offers. Boavista is still very much developing, and you will need to book rooms in advance.

If you have your own transport, you can reach many of the island's incredible highlights, and some of the more remote beaches. There is a craft centre just inland from Chave beach, where you find sites of production of ceramics. Walking tours across the sand dunes are popular, as are the extensive selection of water sports. Property investment has recently begun in Boavista. The beaches truly are beautiful, but resources and infrastructure are stretched to support new development.