Cape Verde · which island

Sal or Boa Vista: which Cape Verde island to choose

Sal and Boa Vista are the two Cape Verde islands with direct flights from Europe, white beaches and warm weather all year. Sal is smaller and livelier, with Santa Maria and plenty of nightlife. Boa Vista is three times bigger and wilder: dunes, empty beaches, turtles and whales. Here is how to choose.

SalBoa Vista

Size216 km², small and flat620 km², the third-largest island of Cape Verde

BeachesSanta Maria, long and well equippedDozens of km of beaches, many empty: Chaves, Santa Mónica, Estoril

AtmosphereLively, lots of bars and shopsQuiet, nature and space

Things to seePedra de Lume salt flats, lemon sharks at Shark Bay, BuraconaViana desert, Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck, turtles and whales

SportKitesurfing and windsurfing at Kite BeachKitesurfing, big-game fishing, quad bikes and hiking

Best forPeople who want buzz and nightlifePeople looking for space, sea and a more authentic holiday

Sal: the liveliest island

Sal is the most touristy island of Cape Verde. Almost everything revolves around Santa Maria, with its long beach, the fishermen’s pier, restaurants, bars and shops. Highlights are the salt flats in the Pedra de Lume crater, where you float as in the Dead Sea, the lemon sharks swimming in the shallows at Shark Bay and the natural pools of Buracona.

It is the right choice if you like having everything close by and going out at night.

Boa Vista: the island of beaches

Boa Vista is three times bigger than Sal and far less built up. It has very long, often empty beaches, the Viana desert with its dunes, the wreck of the Cabo Santa Maria and, in summer, one of the largest loggerhead turtle populations in the Atlantic. From March to May you can see whales. The main town is Sal Rei, a small and quiet place.

Discover Boa Vista

Two islands in one trip

Can you see both?

Yes. The two islands are close and connected by domestic flights and ferries. Many visitors land in Boa Vista and spend a day on Sal, or the other way round. Tours and day trips are described in our excursions guide.

Questions about Sal and Boa Vista

Is Sal or Boa Vista better?

It depends on the holiday you want. Sal is livelier and more compact, ideal for bars and nightlife. Boa Vista is bigger and quieter, with wider beaches and lots of nature. For sea and relaxation, many people prefer Boa Vista.

Is Sal island dangerous?

No: like Boa Vista it is a quiet tourist island. The usual care applies for petty theft and for the currents on some beaches.

Where are the best beaches?

Both have white beaches, but Boa Vista has more and longer ones, often empty.

Which island has the better climate?

The climate is almost the same: warm and dry all year, with the trade wind.

What if I want to buy a home?

Prices and areas for buyers are on our page Property for sale in Cape Verde.