Beaches in Cape Verde
Travel journalist
If you love the vast expanse of desert beaches, Cape Verde is for you! Thanks to its almost permanent sunny climate, its fine sandy beaches and turquoise waters, Cape Verde is attracting more and more visitors looking for relaxation and kitesurfing. The main seaside island of the archipelago is Sal and it is here that you will find the most beautiful beaches, like the Santa Maria beach where fishermen rub shoulders with kitesurfers in a warm and friendly atmosphere. With miles of beaches and sand dunes as far as they eye can see, Cape Verde beaches are a real treat for the eyes. The water is pleasant but beware when swimming as some beaches can be dangerous with large waves.
Take a look at some photos of the most beautiful beaches in Cape Verde and also consult our beach map.
| Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | Jul | August | sept. | Oct | nov. | dec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature | 24° | 23° | 23° | 22° | 23° | 23° | 24° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 26° | 24° |
The most beautiful beaches
Praia da Laginha, Sao Vicente island
A beautiful white sandy beach and turquoise waters with restaurants and bars nearby. The beach is located within walking distance of downtown Mindelo. At the end of the afternoon, the locals meet here for a game of football.
Ponta Preta beach, Sal island
A very large uncrowded beach. The view from the dunes is lovely and means you are protected from the wind. The water is very pleasant, but swimming can sometimes be dangerous because of large waves, especially on windy days. Ponta Preta is also very popular with kitesurfers due to the wind.
Tarrafal beach, Santiago island
Picture postcard perfect, Tarrafal beach is beautiful and somewhere you can rub shoulders with fishermen and their colourful boats, coconut sellers and locals playing football.
Santa Maria beach, Sal Island
A very pretty white sand beach, 2.8km long, lapped by turquoise waters, home to some of the island’s hotels. For an authentic encounter with the locals, make sure not to miss the fishermen returning to the pontoon with their catch. The west coast of the beach is a renowned spot for kitesurfing.
Praia de Chaves, Boa Vista island
A beautiful sandy beach as far as the eye can see with breathtaking sand dune landscapes. Swimming can be dangerous so be careful as the waves are sometimes very big.
Santa Monica beach, Boa Vista island
A superb deserted beach with sand dunes as far as the eye can see and a wreck of a Spanish boat. More than 20km long, the beach is considered one of the most beautiful on the island but also one of the most dangerous with extremely powerful waves.