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If you think of remote tropical islands surrounded by turquoise seas and the home of luxury all-inclusive resorts, the Maldives are probably at the top of your head.
Exactly known for being less accessible than all your usual Caribbean hotspots – than, more exclusively – the land of the Indian Ocean is seen by many as The ultimate sunny outing:
People will save for year To spend a week with lounging on his paradisaical beaches.
But what if we told that there is an even more unusual Maldives Dupe that is not that expensive, and despite the relative anonymity, at least among Americans, has rapidly risen in popularity lately?
The alternative of the Maldives you’ve never heard about
Last year, the lesser-known island nation of Cape Verdo, lying off the coast of West Africa, set up New tourist recordshosting more than 1.2 million guests.
Although it may not seem that much, this is a country that, like the Maldives, has only about 522,000 inhabitants.
For those of you who are not familiar with the country, you should know Cape Verde consists of 10 main islandsLoosely spread in an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
The official language is Portuguese, based on the fact that he has been a Portuguese colony, and its culture is largely informed by a mix of South European, West -African and even Brazilian influences.
Let’s talk about islands:
An island hopping paradise
The comparisons of the Maldives will probably arise from the island of Sal (Portuguese for Salt), a paradisaical gem surrounded by the Turquoise-Mast Sea that you have ever seen and true Powdered sugar, white sand Expansion for miles in succession.
Sal is primarily a resort destination, with the beach surrounded by a hotel and an abundance of beaches.
In the capital, Santa Maria, a small village in all possible ways, with a relaxed atmosphere and a large selection of seafood restaurants, you have to expect to pay between $ 40 (for a vacations with one bedroom rental) and $ 201 (for an all-inclusive hotel Like Meliá).
As you may have noticed, it is unlikely that even a luxury beach outing in Cape Verde or Sal will harm your wallet, with the Average price of hotels set at $ 133Compared to the versatile $ 234 of the Maldives.
On top of accommodation, food in Cape Verde is generally affordable: order ordering cachupaA sturdy stew of corn, beans, vegetables and meat, from a local eatery will cost you around 550 Cape Vdean EscudosOr about $ 5.51, while a pint of beer is an equally purchase $ 3-3.76.
Admitted, you will not find the beautiful rustic villas of the latter on the water, connected by wooden paths, but if it is just sunshine and relaxation, you are looking, not the photo Ops, It leaves nothing to be desired.
Cape Verde is more diverse than the Maldives
Moreover, Cape Verde offers much more diversity than the Maldives ever can.
The Maldives have many more islands They are largely similar in nature: They all have pristine beaches, lively colored coral reefs and crystalline seas. Unless you have booked a resort with a wide range of facilities, it becomes boring after a day or two.
In Cape Verde, the beaches of Sal, as dreamy as they can be, are not the only attraction here:
For desert-like landscapes and even more remote sandy beaches, Boa Vista is an unusual island that is mainly aimed at wellness-seekers and the home of a limited number of guests.
Staying in a single room at the private managed B&B SalinasIn Sal Rei, just a few steps from the beach, you will only set up $ 34 per night.
In Santo Antão, the landscape is dramatically different: the plains -filled plains make way for towering, lush green mountains, crossed with hiking trails that lead to picturesque, centuries -old villages that have hardly seen the passing of time.
In short, it is the paradise of a nature lover, and if you have ever been to Madeira, in Portugal and eventually fell in love with it, you will not feel different towards his little brother.
Volcanic landscapes and colonial architecture
Brava, on the other hand, has a bit of both worlds: it has a bit Prist bays bathe through crystal clear seasRough coastal drives and flower-covered hills-it is no wonder that it is called the island of flowers.
Fogo (Portuguese for ‘Fire’) has surrealistic volcanic landscapes, including a still many active Pico do Fogo, low hills littered with coffee plantations from the colonial era and black sand beaches (São Filipe Beach, a short drive of the navigation to the navigation).
Finally, for culture lovers among us, you will find a beautifully preserved capital from the colonial era in Praia, located on the island of Santiago: the old city, or Cidade Velhais A small Version of Lisbon Without the crowds and the local food scene is simply unparalleled.
For sweets on Portuguese, you have to pay for the hugely popular Pão de Açucar bakery a visit (the best Pastel de Nata We once tried outside of Portugal).
For the All-YOU-Eat Brazilian barbecue, Churrascaria Pirata is a no-frills Rodizio Restaurant with a variety of grilled meat.
Finally, if you feel like a taste of indigenous cuisine, don’t miss the traditional Kaza Katxupa, who has a characteristic corn soup and freshly caught fish Dived into West -African herbs.
Is Cape Verde cheaper and easier to reach than the Maldives?
It can be, but only if you play it smart.
Just like the Maldives, reaching Cape Verde from the United States can be a bit tricky, not precisely because it is incredibly remote (not at all), but because of the absence of direct flights.
In the case of the Maldives, flights from 18 to no less than 30 hours can last, depending on your American starting point, and involve connections in one or more countries in Asia or the Midden -East.
In the case of Cape Verde it is in fact much more accessible, especially if you fly from the east coast.
Again, it is off the coast of West -Africa, and if you flew a straight line from an island of Cape Verde, all over the Atlantic, you would end up somewhere like Puerto Rico, or even Central America.
America may not have a non -stop flights to Cape Verde, but once you are in Europe, A multitude of options will be created for you:
Remember that Cape Verde is an emerging sunny outing for Europeans, and numerous European airlines offer cheap flights to the islands of Santiago and Sal Of just $ 212 one -way road.
Flying from New York to Paris (Charles de Gaulle), or Lisbon (LIS), two of the best connected hubs to fly to Cape Verde, you can then change flights to Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) in Sal, or Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI) in Praia.
It has been a difficult world to navigate now that the entry rules are cited across the board, but the good news is that Cape Verde Americans continues to welcome visa -free, as long as they visit as tourists, and for no longer than 30 days.
Make sure you bring a valid passport with sufficient empty pages and proof of outgoing or return tickets to guarantee a smooth border control experience.
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This article originally appeared on Traveloffpath.com
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