The Island of Boa Vista

Boa vista the island of Dunes

Boa Vista is named by returning visitors as the island of sand dunes. When you visit, you will see why. The island is the third largest of the ten Cape Verde islands, with 35 miles of fantastic, picturesque sandy beaches which remain quiet and unspoilt. 

With the locals mingling with the tourists throughout the islands main spots it is easy to see how the other half live.

Boa vista island has 240 square miles of coastline and a population of around just 6000 people, most of which live in the capital Sal Rei or Rabil;the home of the international airport. The airport was built just a few years ago.

Boa vista is very similar to Sal for climate, having around 8cm of rain a year and a great deal of sunshine, with the temperature reaching up to 34 degrees in the summertime. If your thing is water sports, look no further in the months of October to June as there is plenty of opportunity for sailing, kite surfing and windsurfing which are all on offer in this Sailor's paradise.

Boa Vista covesAs well as perfect sandy beaches and emerald green seas, Boa Vista is also a great breeding ground for Loggerhead turtles. This makes the island similar to Sal, in the fact it is crucial for conservation, in the past turtles being killed for meat for human survival. As the island has evolved turtles have became fiercely protected and technology and the income from tourism has helped people to move onto more practical food sources. The local coral reefs are also of great environmental importance with their unusually high volumes of colorful fish, to the delight of divers who come to Boa Vista year after year to complete a variety of exciting  and eye opening dives.