Off West Africa, Cabo Verde's desert islands trade lush greenery for wind, wide-open sand, and some of the Atlantic's best kitesurfing.
Sal's Praia de Santa Maria is the archipelago's best-known stretch — a long, gently sloping beach where local fishermen still haul in their catch at the pier each morning, right alongside the kite schools that have made the island a windsports destination.
Boa Vista, a short flight away, is emptier and more dramatic — Praia de Chaves and Praia de Cabral run for kilometers of undeveloped dune, and loggerhead turtles nest on several beaches between June and October, with licensed guides running respectful night walks to watch them.
Pack layers even for a beach trip — the harmattan wind off the Sahara keeps temperatures pleasant but can turn a calm morning gusty by afternoon, which is exactly what draws the kitesurfers here in the first place.
