What if You're Not a Triathlete ?
We all want to spend time with our families and often have limited holiday to take, so when we go on away we want to be with our whole family. What can they do while you're woking your butt off training?
Cape Verde has some of the nicest beaches in the world. Soft sand that children love to play with on non-crowded beaches, where you can always find space to spread your belongings. Just lay your towel down, bring the buckets and spades and they'll play for hours.
If you spend some time watching the expert surfers and wind and kite surfers, at Kite Beach and Ponta Preta, you just may just be inspired to learn one or all of these exciting sports. Younger people tend to pick these sports up quickly, so why not take professional lessons, where you're guaranteed the right equipment and patient tutors.
There are also some great excursions that you can go on. Below we list a few of our favourite passtimes and experts in their field.
Above all you have to live up to the Mantra of Cape Verde...
No Stress
Kite, Wing and Wind Surfing
Cape Verde often has perfect wind, so why not take lessons while you're on the island?
There are lots of instruction to be had. Lessons are generally charged by the hour, but if you're a Kite Surf novice you will may need 3 lessons before you get up on the board.
There is a good School directly behind the Dubliner restaurant but there is a beach (surprisingly) called Kite Beach, where the ex-World Champion, Mitu, has a shop, restaurant and school. The wind is generally on shore, so it's safe for new kiters, and the waves are small, again safer for new kiters.
Espargos - Pedre de Lume - Palmeira
Espargos, the main town on Sal, is about 20 km from Santa Maria, directly up the 4 lane highway (you can't miss it). If you hire a bike it should only take you a couple of hours to get there, stopping off at Murdeira bay for a break and a drink.
If you turn left from Espargos it's just 5km down to Palmeira, the port on Sal. This small town is used to visitors, so there are shops and tradesmen who will approach you to buy souvenirs. 5km to the right of Espargos is Pedre de Lume, where the salt mines used to export their products to. There is no export business left now but there is a protected Turtle beach.
Cape Verde Yoga
At Yoga Cape Verde Sheena and Paola concentrate on 3 types of Yoga, Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga plus a programme specifically designed for surfers, windsurfers and kiters.
The aches and pains of these groups are similar to those suffered by triathletes, lower back pain, dodgey knees and shoulder strains.
While you're here you can take a course and not only do yourself some good but be in a position to help teach your partners and loved ones how to ease out their own stiffness.
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The Salt Flats
Ever fancied swimming inside the crater of a volcano? Well, you can do that on Sal.
Don't worry, the volcano has been extinct for centuries and is as dead as they come, but because the crater is actually below sea level sea water infiltrates and forms natural salt ponds.
In the picture above you can clearly see the crater and salt marshes. These used to be the main source of income for Sal residents, but ceased to be an industry years ago.
Just like the Dead Sea - you'll float.
Burracona - the Blue Eye
Just up the coast from Palmeira is the Blue Eye or Burracona as the locals say.
A natural phenomenon, due to the creation of a deep cavern in the volcanic rock, when the sun shines through you get a perfect Blue Eye appearing in the pool.
You can take an Aluguer trip here from Santa Maria - traveling in the back of a pick up. It's a very local way to travel - but make sure you have a hat or scarf to protect you from the wind.
The Ultimate in Fun - Quad biking
If you want to see the Island in a very different way then this trip is for you.
Hiring a quad bike for 2 to 4 hours you'll have great fun and learn about Sal and its population. you can visit all the attractions Sal has to offer but from a very different perspective. With a crash hat on and a muffler around your mouth and nose you'll go over sand dunes, up volcanic landscapes and traverse the harshest terrain....
.... and all with a broad smile on your face.