Sal is the most developed island and is home to many of the international hotels as well as the main airport. It is a relatively flat island that has become popular due to its superb white sand beaches. The main holiday town is Santa Maria, where there are restaurants and bars and pastel-shaded houses and shops line the streets.

It is a haven for sun lovers and beachcombers with a good selection of professionally run watersports, the availability of which can depend upon ocean conditions.

There are at least two PADI dive schools and a beachside promenade runs from the main hotel area to the town. As with all developing resorts building work is in progress and this is made more evident by the rather barren landscape.

This is the largest island and includes the capital of the republic, Praia, which is a distinctly African town, vibrant and pulsating with a thriving market. Like Sal it has an international airport and a few hotels.

A stay on Santiago offers more variety than other islands, and most people will enjoy the excursions around the island and into the mountainous and agricultural hinterland. The coast is rugged with a few sandy coves and a visit to the northern fishing village of Tarrafal is popular.

In Creole fogo means ‘fire’ and indeed the island is dominated by the volcanic cone
of Pico de Fogo, which at 2829m is the highest point in the republic, and whose last
eruption was in 1995. It is an awesome island with ever changing scenery - there are verdant terraces of coffee and vines and plantations of bananas and oranges, which contrast with bleak lunar plains and black sand beaches.

The pretty main town of São Filipe is reminiscent of colonial days with a distinctly French influence. The two villages in the Crater are an amazing phenomenon and probably unique.

If you are a serious trekker you may want to stay in the simple Pousada Pedra Brabu where the lack of hot water and electricity are compensated for by its stunning location in the middle of the Crater.

Many of the village inhabitants are dark skinned, blue-eyed and with blond hair and go by the family name of Montran—the name of the Frenchman who settled and introduced the famous Fogo wine.

The smallest of the islands, Brava is very green and mountainous with deep and abrupt valleys.

It is known for its rich vegetation and diverse flowers and is often referred to as the ‘Island of Flowers’. Excellent for trekking, this somewhat mysterious and foreboding island is reached by ferry from Fogo (20km), operating on Wednesday and Friday. Accommodation can be found in a couple of modest pensions.

Maio has an undulating, hilly landscape, some splendid white sand beaches and the
largest area of forest in the archipelago.

It is accessible by a 10 minutes flight from
Santiago. The little town of Vila de Maio is quiet and unspoiled and the people are
generally very friendly and hospitable. Colourful fishing boats come and go on the beach and it is always interesting to view the daily catches.

Tourism here is in its absolute infancy and although there are some perfectly good local restaurants and bars, most accommodation is very simple.

Another island new to tourism, São Nicolau is relatively large and green with dramatic
scenery of steep mountains and lush valleys, which are particularly attractive for walking and hiking, and there are several trails leading through the mountains to the coast. The endangered Dragon Tree is native to São Nicolau and can be spotted around the island together with plantations of bananas and sugar cane, mango and papaya trees and an abundance of colourful flowers.

The small, charming hillside town of Ribeira Grande is the capital of the island and has a colonial feel with many Portuguese-style buildings and houses. It is noticeably clean and the people are friendly and curious of visitors. São Nicolau can be reached by air from São Vicente and Sal.