Soccer, the great popular sport
Soccer is by far the king sport in Cape Verde. It is played throughout the archipelago. A symbol of national unity, the men's national team, known as the "Blue Sharks", achieved a major feat in 2012, qualifying for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa for the first time in its history and even reaching the quarter-finals of the competition. This historic achievement will be repeated at the CAN 2023. Last but not least, Cape Verdeans are generally fans of the Portuguese league, and FC Porto and Benfica Lisbon fans can be found all over the country.
On land, in the assault of nature
Trekking and hiking. Cape Verde offers an ideal setting for this activity. Most visitors to the islands of Fogo, São Vicente, São Nicolau and Santo Antão take long treks into the mountains or through the sugar cane and banana fields. The excellent natural walking conditions on these islands attract fit people looking to recharge their batteries in pure, natural and invigorating surroundings. Throughout the archipelago, walking has always been an activity practised by the entire population, once out of necessity, but even today it is still widely practised. On Maio, short hikes are beginning to be developed. Islands such as Brava and Santiago also offer very pleasant routes. Maps of all the islands are now available.
Horseback riding. The islands of Sal and São Vicente have excellent facilities for tourists who would like to enjoy the pleasure of a few rides, but there are riding schools on all the islands.
Cycling. Thanks to their rugged terrain, the islands of Santo Antão, Fogo, São Nicolau and Brava are ideal trails for mountain bikers. Deep valleys open up between the mountains, making it easy to explore the islands by bike. On flatter islands, such as Sal, Boa Vista or Maio, cycling is very practical. Be careful on paved roads.
Climbing. Rock-climbing enthusiasts will find Cape Verde's imposing mountains, with peaks of over 2,800 m, incredibly beautiful. Santo Antão, with its many mountains and deep valleys, is the most suitable island for this activity. However, many of the island's rocks are friable and unsuitable for climbing.
Dream spots for windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing
On some of the beaches of the island of Sal, the waves are impressive and the winds often powerful. That's why Cape Verde regularly hosts international windsurfing competitions, bringing together some of the sport's greatest champions. If you're into surfing, windsurfing or kitesurfing, the island of Sal is THE destination. Generously swept by trade winds from November to April, Sal has become a world-renowned windsurfing destination since the mid-1980s. The weather is fine all year round, and the temperature of the turquoise waters remains pleasant, even in winter when you'll be swimming - in the worst case scenario - in just a pair of shorts. The variety of its spots has made it a popular destination for windsurfers of all abilities. From the great slalom or freeride runs in Santa Maria Bay or Murdeira, to the calm waves of Leme Bedje Point and the more serious waves of Rife or Canoa, there's a spot for everyone, windsurfers and kitesurfers alike. In a short space of time, Sal has become renowned above all for the exceptional quality of the famous Ponta Preta wave, which has been revealed to the public by specialist magazines. Every year, this famous right-wing, considered by experts to be one of the most interesting in the world, attracts a large number of competitors who come to train in Cape Verde. When it comes to equipment, you can choose between several service providers based on Santa Maria beach. The best time to windsurf or kitesurf in Cape Verde is between November and June, when the trade winds are strong.
On the island of Boa Vista, conditions are also excellent, but the water is sometimes much calmer than on Sal, which is more suitable for beginners. François Guy, a great funboard specialist, world and European vice-champion and French champion, is one of the pioneers of windsurfing in France. He arrived in Cape Verde in 1985, primarily to pursue his passion. He died in 2012 and was posthumously awarded the Order of Dragoeiro in 2015. His center, the Boavista Windclub, which offers introductory and advanced courses in surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing, is located on Sal Rei beach.
On the island of São Vicente, São Pedro is the place to be for speed surfing aficionados. The strength of the trade winds is truly exceptional here, thanks to a wind corridor running between two mountains. The beautiful waves of Calhau also await you for a few jumps and slaloms.
On the island of Maio, too, the ride is pleasant, but you'll need to bring your own equipment, as there are no centers or board rental companies on the island. However, in view of the island's growing tourist industry, this will soon be the case. In the longer term, as most of the islands have natural conditions favorable to windsurfing and kitesurfing, centers should open all over the archipelago. Our verdict: the periods between July and October are best for beginners. Pros will be able to surf between November and June.
Superb and demanding underwater world
Scuba diving enthusiasts will enjoy the beauty of the seabed. In pleasantly warm water, you'll encounter a wide variety of exotic fish, turtles, giant manta rays and the most emblematic species, the sleeper, tiger and hammerhead sharks. You'll also spot hundreds of centuries-old shipwrecks, whose exploration is strictly forbidden. Volcanic drop-offs and screes sheltering caves and caverns, faults, massifs and rocky reefs of astounding beauty are just some of the extraordinary spots to take your flippers for a walk.
In terms of organization, the diving centers are fairly well equipped, but decompression chambers are not yet available in the archipelago. The best season for diving is summer, although you can dive all year round. The winter months are rougher and require a certain amount of experience. The water temperature, which is quite clear, varies between 22°C (January-February) and 27°C (September-October).
Of course, the dives are a bit physical. After all, this is the Atlantic! Lots of wind, lots of current, periodic visibility that varies from 10-15 m to 25-30 m, depending on the strength of the wind and current. But the result is worth the effort. The only hitch is for flora lovers. Yes, we're on a fairly recent volcanic seabed where everything has a bit of trouble growing. Likewise, coral and gorgonian corals don't really proliferate. Photographers will be happy with the fish. Diving at depths of between 12 and 40 m is mainly aimed at experienced divers, level 2 and 3. If you like diving "away from the bubble factories" on sites where almost everything remains to be explored, Cape Verde is the place for you.
A fishing destination
The archipelago lends itself well to this activity, as its waters are rich in fish and there are many different species to choose from: marlin, tuna, yellowtail, mullet, shark, sars, wahoo, bonito, dolphinfish, dentex, corb, black trevally... all of which are a delight for anglers. What's more, while many species of migratory fish regularly cross the archipelago's waters, they are also home to many sedentary species. There are many different types of fishing to choose from: surf-casting, long-line fishing with adapted boats or local fishermen, small and medium trolling or big-game fishing. For all this, head for the island of Maio, the island of Sal or the waters between São Vicente and Santo Antão. But the most popular spot is Tarrafal, on the island of São Nicolau, where you can stalk huge marlin and beautiful tuna. Big-game and longline fishing are available all year round, but if you're after marlin, be aware that they appear in summer. The islands of Brava, Fogo, Maio and Boa Vista offer many opportunities for underwater fishing, as the seabed is well suited to hunting. The most popular fish are bonito, lichen, red grouper (garoupa), parrotfish, scorpion fish, ruth, bidiou, black trevally, king mackerel (serra, djéu or wahoo), sar, sar-tambour or becofin, red carp, badeja, barracuda... Enthusiasts beware!
Sailing in Cape Verde
Conditions may seem pleasant: short distances between islands, mild temperatures all year round, virtually no real bad weather, sunshine... But despite these appearances, navigation is not very easy: numerous currents, strong wind acceleration between certain islands (the Kanal between São Vicente and Santão Antão is famous), katabatic winds to leeward of the high islands, lack of buoyage, uncertain cartography, numerous wrecks, etc. Most anchorages can be very rolly, and in many places disembarkation is likely to be very sporty due to the rollers breaking on the beaches. The two main ports are Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente, and Praia, on the island of Santiago. Sailors from all over the world know them as the last stop before crossing the Atlantic.
