Cape Verde is the place to buy. For years the Cape Verde Islands have been a secret kept only by the ancient mariners and the intrepid Atlantic sailors, as they use the Islands for their launching point for the voyage across the Atlantic.
The stunning islands of Cape Verde are surrounded by azure seas and fringed with broad white sandy beaches. The islands boast a superb all year climate, economic stability and yet this location is only 1 hour south of the Canary Islands.
Known as the "new" Caribbean, Cape Verde is rapidly becoming recognised as superb new opportunity for property investment.
Apartments, town houses, villas in excellent beachfront positions.
Luxury developments, Pioneer Prices
Cape Verde situated one hour south of the Canaries, is a group of ten of the most beautiful, tropical islands blessed with an all year round warm climate, stable economy and hospitable people. This is the perfect place to live and the perfect time to buy.
Imagine the capital growth and income you would have achieved if you had purchased in the Caribbean 20 years ago. Purchasing now in the Cape Verde´s is exactly that!
The islands all have a charm of their own. Some are hilly, rich in colourful vegetation, rhododendrons, fire trees and corn plants that decorate the horizon. Others are just pure pleasure for the sun seeker - white sandy beaches stretching as far as the eye can see with dolphins, whales and turtles inhabiting in the coral of the azure water around the shores.
There is an influence of rich Mediterranean, African and Latin culture in Cape Verde.
This former Portuguese colony has thoughtfully planned development and environmental conservation. There is a strategic plan by the Islanders to introduce the benefits of this 'real paradise' to the world.
Cape Verde is committed to tourism and investment growth. These are early days the perfect time to invest.
The islands were uninhabited when discovered in 1460 by explorers and commissioned by the Portuguese Crown. The Africans who were brought in under slavery mixed with Portuguese, English and French, to create the Cape Verdean people. Then in 1975, the Cape Verdean people were given independence from Portugal and in 1991 a multi-party democracy began.
The country's main economic drivers are now firmly identified in the tourism and service sectors, the Cape Verdean Government have ambitious plans for the archipelago in the years to come.
Three fabulous islands are dedicated to high quality developments,
Sal a small island in Cape Verde, is home to Cape Verde's first international airport due to its virtually flat terrain. Sal is a small sandy island with a desert-like landscape, endless stretches of beach and a population of 14,000. Most of the people live in Espargos, a charming town where traders in local markets sell mainly African crafts.
Sal has become the popular destination with people investing abroad.
Cape Verde has private health clinics, dentistry clinics, pharmacies and a good telecommunications infrastructure which includes broadband and mobile networks that have agreements with most continental European carriers. Although the currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo, the Euro is widely accepted, as are Visa and MasterCard, there are also many cash points (ATM's) provided by the network of banks.
Reasons to invest in Cape Verde
1. Capital Appreciation - Just discovered as one of the world's leading property
investment. First phases of certain developments showing up to 25%
growth P.A. The earlier the better for best returns.
2. Quality Developments - Stylish, 5 Star developments with outstanding
amenities attracting international buyers
3. Rental income -12 hours of sun per day, average temperature 25º with
cooling breezes, Cape Verde is the perfect place for ALL YEAR RENTALS.
Currently 200,000 tourist P.A. predicted to rise to 500,000 by 2015
4. Direct 5½ hour flights -1 hour time difference after NO JET LAG, unlike
similar island groups. Direct flights from the UK and Eire are now available,
open skies policy in operation meaning there will more and more low cost
flights.
5. Highly Recommended - Featured on Channel 4's "20 Best Places to Buy in
the Sun" the authority of property investment.
6. Inexpensive - High Quality Property at fantastic value. It's a low entry cost
to a lucrative market.
7. Low cost of Living.
8. Highly Desirable - breathtaking beaches with warm azul tropical seas and
beautiful mountains. When you see it you will want it.
9. Out door lifestlye -water sports, surfing, sailing, diving, hiking, mountain
biking and top quality golf, all in and around 5 star resorts.
10. Currency - local currency Cape Verde Escudo (CVE) 1CVE = 100 centavos.
is fixed to the Euro.
Fabulous Islands:
Sal Island
Leading the investment boom!
The Island of Sal is now the most developed of the Cape Verde Islands and is famous for its salt pans and has a salt lake at Pedro de Lume, where you can float as on the Dead Sea. The main town on Sal is Santa Maria, the centre of the action and the main tourist resort of Cape Verde. The sea is warm all year round, making it a paradise for water sports enthusiasts and a holidaymaker's.
New five star developments give you all this, golf and much more. Santa Maria has plenty of European and local restaurants and bars right on the beach, a livelly square with musicians playing vibrant music in the evenings.
It is a 15 minute drive (7 miles) to Sal's international airport from Santa Maria. Close to the airport is the town of Espargos, where there are more shops, bars and restaurants and live music usually fills the air. The island's main port, Palmeira, is a working fishing harbour and import station, but is currently improving its tourist infrastructure in line with the rest of the island. The long, wide, sandy beaches are amongst the worlds finest. Luxury marinas, filled with bars, restaurants and shops built right on your doorstep.
Sao Vicente Island
Planning for innovative luxury developments!
The original harbour was once visited by ocean liners, but now sees only yachts. It is the place for music and art. San Vicente has the second largest population in Cape Verde, with most of the inhabitants living in Mindelo.
It is a lively city with a great nightlife and music everywhere. Most of the hotels and bars have live groups of guitarists and violinists who play the traditional form of Moura music each evening. Mindelo Port is being redeveloped into a superb marina and promenade area, There is also a golf course, which was the first on the islands.
Carnival is the most important cultural event and there is a large music festival on the beach at Baia das Gatas, a beach area a short drive from Mindelo.
San Vicente is very dry and warm, with fantastic beaches at San Pedro, which is one of the best places in the world for wind surfing. Just imagine body boarding, cycling or even horseback riding along the beautiful beach. One of the Islands beaches is covered in sand and shingle with a shallow paddling lagoon no more than 1m deep, on the North Coast at Baia das Gatas.
This island is very cosmopolitan and has a thriving cultural side to it.
It has spawned some of the greatest artists of the Cape Verdean music scene. This has led to a bohemian type of community with many artists and musicians populating the island and a great place to invest.
A new international airport at Soa Vicente opening soon means that access to the new luxury developments will be even easier and will turn San Vicente into an exclusive holiday island. This island offers huge investment potential that you should not miss out on.
Boa Vista Island
Preparing for the beach life!
Boa Vista is the Saharan island with miles of sand dunes, sprinkled with the odd oasis. Boa Vista is home to one of Cape Verde's longest beaches at 18 kilometres. The Islands are superb for water sports, diving, fishing, windsurfing and kite surfing. But if you wish to relax you can simply stroll down one of the beautiful white sandy beaches, often deserted and get away from the rigours of everyday life.
The sea around Boa Vista is home to some offshore wrecks including the Cecilia (Italy's Titanic) and galleons, containing gold coins, making this a meca for divers. It has one of the largest turtle breeding grounds in the world for loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles. They land in June/July to breed.
The developments are mostly concentrated on two beaches Praia de Cabral north of the town Sal Rei and Praia do Estoril. Sal Rei is the capital featuring a central square with restaurants, shops and bars, serving some of the best lobster in the world. Most of the hotels are either in the town itself or on Praia do Estoril. But the best beach is Praia de Chaves, which has the Parque das Dunas bungalow complex and the Italian Venta Club (similar to Club Med).
Boa Vista now has the second largest amount of hotel rooms in Cape Verde, with more than 1,200 beds in 12 hotels. Four hotels are under way including the Marina Club on Cabral beach, which will double capacity. This might reach 30,000 beds within 20 years.
Boa Vista airport has an extended runway capable of taking Boeing 737s and small airbuses.
A new international terminal opened in 2007.
Santiago Island
Home to Praia the capital of Cape Verde.
Populated by many Senegalese street traders and Nigerians. Known as Prainha.
It is the most African in culture, is the largest of the Cape Verde islands, the first island to be populated. Now has the largest population of any of the islands. The island has two large mountain chains in its interior, the highest point of which is 1400m at Pico d'Antonia.
Santiago is a beautiful island with quaint villages and lively market places. The capital of Santiago is Praia.
The first island to be settled by the Portuguese because irrigated crops grow in lush valleys between craggy mountains, ringed with tropical forests. In contrast to Sal, the interior is mountainous, the highest peak being Pico d'Antonia at 5000 ft. The beaches are sandy but smaller than on some other islands.
About ten miles from the old city of Praia, Cidade Velha was a port for the trading of slaves and goods between the European empires.
The old fortress overlooks narrow, cobbled streets, giving the city a nostalgic air of its former glory during colonial times.
Maio Island
The Island of Maio is remote and as yet undeveloped. The best beaches are on the North, where the wind is strongest. But it also has the largest area of forest in the Cape Verde.
The pretty island that is as yet untouched by tourism.
Santa Antao Island
Forget modern 21st Century civilisation. Little has changed in the pattern of life since sailing ships called here. Rugged and mountainous, it is the second largest island but lacks golden beaches.
A slow twisting road along the cliffs reveals Fontainha where a placid life of farming and fishing continues, barely changed for hundreds of years. Pedracin village offers a ranch existence where you can scan the clouds for eagles and falcons whilst you sip the local grogue made from sugar cane.
The huge mountain range exceeding 1500m splits the island in two. In the valleys it is very fertile but around the coast it is barren and rugged.
Fogo Island
The volcano island!
This volcanic Island is full of craters and makes for fascinating hiking. It is fertile and populous with wine and fruit cultivation. It is a pretty island with black volcanic beaches.
The Fogo volcano is the major tourist attraction, 2829m high. Cha das Caldeiras, a village inside the crater offers amazing light plays on the lava. Fruit and vines grow there to produce the Fogo wine.
Brava Island
The remote island!
The island has the most rainfall of any Cape Verde island. This gives it some areas of lush vegetation and a reasonable agriculture. This can be reached only on a ferry from Fogo. Time has past it by. People still fetch water by donkey here.
Santa Luzia Island
Saint Luzia is the only permanently uninhabited of the Cape Verde Islands. Saint Luzia is a Nature Reserve although it is visited daily by fisherman from the other Islands.
