Boa Vista, Cape Verde

Jasmine-Jaed
May 12, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Jul 24, 2024

Heaven on earth, located off the west coast of Africa, you'll find a rare gem. Cape or as some say "Capo" Verde is one of the most beautiful destinations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It was so hot, that African sun in NO joke! The country is rich in both culture and history, which relies heavily on tourism to help support small and family-run businesses.

Picture this... you are waking up in a different country, the sun is beaming on your skin and life is good again. The travel time was between 5 - 6 hours from London Gatwick airport. My aunt and I flew with Tui Airlines, I was able to capture the ultimate birds-eye view from my window seat of the island. When we arrived at Boa Vista International Airport, we were greeted with a warm welcome from the Cape Verdeans. The first thing all the Tui airport reps said to me was that I look like the Little Mermaid, the black one of course. Thanks to my faux locs hairstyles, and haven just flown back from Corfu that day before, my tan and overall look gave off Hailey Bailey vibes.

We stayed at the Riu Touareg, which is 1 of 3 of the Riu Hotel chains on the island. Throughout my trip I did get to visit the Rui Karmaboas hotel. Our room was lush! We booked a family room with a balcony that had traditional Africa themed decor. We also had a sofa and TV, so we were able to have movie nights. One of my cool travel hacks is to bring my Amazon Firestick with me, that way I can plug it in to any HMDI and instantly watch my favorite shows and movies from anywhere in the world.

The hotel had private entry to the beach, six different restaurants, seven bars, three pools and Riu parties every Friday for entertainment. The breakfast buffet will forever be my favorite meal on holiday, the selection is endless! Usually, I skip breakfast in the mornings because I'm rushing off to work and never have the time. Don’t you just hate that? Traveling is a form of self-care to me. Taking the time to discover new places and people through experiences, helps expose us to new ways of thinking. It is a big world out there; I just want to see as much of it as I can.

When we did hit the beach, we had a mini photo shoot and caught some iconic pictures. The shades of blue in the ocean were so pretty and vibrate. Unfortunately, the currents were very strong, so the lifeguards had the red flag up for the majority of our holiday. It was so refreshing to get into the water, but for safety reasons, we were only allowed to go in knee to waist deep.

There were plenty of shops on the hotel grounds to buy your essentials, gifts and antics. Much like the other Riu Hotels I've visited, this one had everything you needed. We tried out all the pools over the course of the holiday. The adults only swim-up bar is nice, like other Riu hotels, you get to order drinks from inside the pool and there are tables and chairs you can sit and soak in the sun on.

The infinity pool was so BIG! But unfortunately for us, we only got to experience it on our last day as it was closed earlier in the week, they also have a pool for little kids. But baby, you could find me where the drinks were at!

One of the coolest things about the hotel was the wellness spa and gym, which were free to all guests. We made use of the steam room, jacuzzi and gym facilities whilst away, the picturesque views of the beach from the hot tub were incredible. Shout out to the architect who designed the buildings, because I really felt like I was staying in a giant sandcastle. There was also a gym at the hotel that I checked out, and a nail bar if you wanted to get your nails done.

The view from the hot tub was so breath-taking, you could see right out into the sea. Boa Vista Island offers travelers that excusive feel like your someone in the west Indies, but with a less expensive price tag. It is the perfect place to unplug, relax and just have some real down time. The Cape Verdean islands are still very early in the development stages of tourism industry, yet Boa Vista's landscape and costal structure provide visitors exclusivity and picturesque viewpoints.

In all my travels around the world, seeing people who have so little, be so happy really warmed my heart. Everyone I met showed me attentiveness and really went out of their way to build a relationship, which personalized my experience. Not to mention, I have never met such beautiful looking people. Genuinely speaking, every single Cape Verdean woman and man we came across had such strong, defining features. Their skin rich in melanin, their eyes tranquilizing, and their hair was enriched with culture. As a people, they are naturally very attractive.

The hotel defiantly lived up to the hype and caters for everything you need. Location wise, you are in the middle of nowhere, so if you did want to venture out, you had to book a taxi. Keep in mind you are in Africa, so there is nothing but desert and mountains for miles. Cape Verde is still developing its tourism industry and countries infrastructure. There was only one man made road, that ran across the island. There was not a lot to do unless you booked an excursion or headed into Sal Rei, the only small town where the islanders lived. All the food was imported from the Gran Canaries and other neighboring countries due to there being very little rainfall and greenery on the island. Therefore, you will not see many animals or trees when travelling throughout the island.

Overall, I would rate the food and drinks as a 9/10, I would recommend the all-inclusive package. The hotel and are room an 8/10, only downside was the mosquitos that kept biting us. However, there was a horrid smell coming from the drains, please note that you are told not to drink the water at any time! All water we drank was either bottled or purified. The staff and service received was 10/10, I was truly taken back by a young lady who worked at the Riu Touareg as an entertainment and party worker, she made both of us feel so relaxed and welcomed. The excursion where a hit and miss at times, but well worth the experience which I cover in another travel post.

If you are looking for a great time, for a good price then check out Cape Verde. I do hope to visit Sal Island, which is the capital in Cape Verde and more developed in terms of shopping centers, amenities and things to do.