{"id":11267,"date":"2026-07-29T15:06:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kaapverdietours.com\/sal-boa-vista-of-santiago-welk-eiland-kaapverdie\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T15:45:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:45:33","slug":"sal-boa-vista-and-santiago-which-island-is-cape-verde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kaapverdietours.com\/en\/sal-boa-vista-of-santiago-welk-eiland-kaapverdie\/","title":{"rendered":"Sal, Boa Vista or Santiago: which Cape Verdean island suits you?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most travelers who book Cape Verde end up on Sal or Boa Vista: about nine out of ten vacationers choose one of these two islands, usually in an all-inclusive resort. Rightly so, because they are beautiful. But Bruno also regularly hears from travelers looking for something different than a resort with a swimming pool. This is the honest difference between Sal, Boa Vista, and Santiago.<\/p>\n

Sal: sun, sea and kitesurfing<\/h2>\n

Sal literally means \u2018salt\u2019, and the salt mines of Pedra de Lume are therefore one of the best-known sights. Most visitors stay in the fishing village of Santa Maria, with eight kilometers of white sandy beach and pastel-colored houses. Sal is the island for kitesurfers and surfers: Kite Beach is internationally renowned. The island is flat and desert-like, with an international airport and many direct flights from Europe.<\/p>\n

Boa Vista: beaches and desert<\/h2>\n

Boa Vista has the longest, most deserted beaches of the archipelago, including Santa Monica Beach. Sea turtles lay their eggs here, and the impressive sand dunes of Viana are reminiscent of the Sahara. Boa Vista is also mainly about large resorts, peace, and the beach, with less emphasis on local interaction.<\/p>\n

Santiago: the versatile island<\/h2>\n

Santiago is the largest island of Cape Verde and home to the capital city, Praia. Instead of resorts, you will find bustling markets here such as Sucupira in Praia and Assomada, colonial architecture in Cidade Velha (a UNESCO World Heritage site), strenuous hikes like the Pico de Ant\u00f3nia, and the quiet, still undiscovered beach of Tarrafal. Santiago does not have miles of resort beaches like Boa Vista, but it does boast a concentration of culture, history, and nature that you will not find on the other two islands.<\/p>\n

Which island suits whom?<\/h2>\n