Cape Verde is fast becoming the latest “buzz word” for overseas property investment particularly with most of Europe falling foul to the property price decline hitting it as the global economy gets ever more worse, yet in these times of gloom here appears a genuine opportunity and buck the current trend and see a healthy return on any potential property investment in Cape Verde.
Firstly let’s give a brief overview of Cape Verde and some of the islands that make up this paradise situated in the Atlantic Ocean with each island having its own character some being volcanic and mountainous and others flat sandy beaches.
Cape Verde is situated 400 miles west of Senegal and is about 6 hours flying time from the UK mainland and the islands are fast becoming regarded as the tropical haven from all European destinations, obviously a bonus being the flight time should not give to many jet lag problems thus impacting on a stay on the islands.
The northern group of the islands includes Santo Antao, Sao Vicente, Santa Lucia, and San Nicola, To the west are the sandy islands of Sal and Boa Vista, and to the south is Brava with its abundance of Flora, the volcanic Fogo and Maio with its beautiful white beaches and of course the largest island Santiago where you can find the capital of Cape Verde Praia.
Let’s take a short look at some of the islands of Cape Verde so we can gain a better understanding of some its unique qualities that are making it such a haven for overseas property investment.
Sal
Sal is the most developed of all the Cape Verde Islands in terms of tourism yet still has a quite barren landscape including a salt lake in an extinct volcanic crater it also boasts tropical fish, dolphins and turtles.
Sal enjoys an abundance of water sports indeed it is considered to be among the top five windsurfing locations in the world though its also perfect for relaxing and long leisurely walks though make sure you are finished in time for the live music that features in various bars in Santa Maria in the dreamy all year round sunny evenings.
Boa Vista
Boa Vista is quite simply covered in sand with many buildings completely absorbed in sand one example of this is Praia da Chaves which is an old ceramic factory covered in sand but still with its machines still in place, there are sprouting date palms in abundance and at certain times of the year you can spot turtles nesting on some of the southern beaches in the third most important loggerhead nesting site in the world.
Other activities include quad biking and deep-sea fishing making this a haven for those seeking a truly memorable holiday.
Vila do Maio
Vila do Maio is a mix of Portuguese and British colonial style buildings that spread up a hill leading to a Baroque church and in the north of the island you can find a stunning 5km lagoon surrounded by lush vegetation, again turtles can be seen on the island along with some particularly rare sea birds in the north of the islands. Quite simply Maio is a beautiful island to visit and enjoy long lazy walks along the deserted beaches and salt palms.
Ribeira Brava
Ribeira Brava is the capital of Sao Nicolau built on the slopes of a mountainside it has beautifully painted houses with well tendered gardens, it is an ideal place for either walking or horse riding giving ample opportunity to enjoy the splendid views along the way. It is known as a birdwatchers paradise as well as very popular with anglers for the locally arranged Blue Martin fishing trips, it is also said the beaches at Tarrafal have magical healing powers so feel free to bury yourself in the sand if so desired.
Mindelo
Mindelo has a heaving influence of architectural delights that would appear to reflect the early British influences that probably date back to colonial times, there is also the beach at Foya Branca which is regarded as the best on the island with crystal clear waters and endless white sands.
The beaches on Sao Vicente are not as pleasing on the eye but a must for windsurfers as well as Sao Pedro which is highly regarded for speed windsurfing, whilst the beach at Baia das Gatas in the north of the island can only be reached by four-wheel drive vehicles but is great for swimmers in the natural lagoon. San Antao is also very popular with its rugged green mountains and green valleys being very popular with hikers keen to enjoy its natural delights.
It would be quite easy to continue listing all the islands of Cape Verde but to be honest words alone could not do them justice never has the phrase “seeing is believing” been more apt for this particular part of the world. Therefore it is little wonder with the anticipated demand for property investment in Cape Verde that prices are expected to rise steeply over the next few years, giving not only a high return on initial investment but also from the holiday rental income
http://www.ownbuild.co.uk/cape-verde-property-investment.htm
