FANCY a holiday? This island is the perfect place for winter sun with highs of 26C this week.
Found in Cape Verde, the main island of Sal has sandy beaches, bright blue seas – and what’s even better is there’s no jet lag for Brits either.
Despite its fairly long flight time of six hours, Cape Verde off the coast of west Africa doesn’t result in jet lag for Brits as it’s just one hour behind GMT.
Throughout February, there are average daily highs between 23-25C, minimal rainfall and as many as eight hours of daily sunshine.
Cape Verde is made up of 10 islands – its most popular is Sal which is known for its sunny, dry climate and pretty golden sand beaches.
One of the popular activities on the island is due to the strong winds, which make it a great destination for surfing and kitesurfing.
Must-see attractions include the glowing, natural pool of the Blue Eye (called Buracona), the salt flats of Pedra de Lume, and even shark spotting.
Sal’s capital is Espargos, but most holidaymakers head to Santa Maria which is where most of the hotels are located along with lots of shops, restaurants and bars.
When it comes to choosing where to stay in Sal – there’s plenty of choice and some holidays come in at under £400.
A seven-night stay at the Agua Hotels Sal Vila Verde Resort from February 26, 2026 costs just £399pp with loveholidays.
Most read in Beach holidays
It’s a four-star self-catering hotel with rooms across four floors and all come with a private bathroom that has both a shower and bath.
Each apartment also comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, TV and aircon.
The hotel has an outdoor pool with a dedicated children’s swimming area surrounded by sun loungers and parasols – there’s a kids’ club too.
There’s an on-site restaurant that serves buffet-style breakfast and a poolside bar.
Nearby are watersports facilities and bike hire, the beach is just a 20-minute walk away, or there’s a free shuttle bus
And the price includes direct flights from Manchester Airport with easyJet.
TUI also offers a stay at the Agua Hotels Sal Vila Verde on the same dates flying from Glasgow from £534pp (based on a room-only stay).
Or opt for an all-inclusive with TUI at the Sol Dunas resort across seven-nights from February 23, 2026 flying from London Gatwick from £781pp.
It’s not just the hotels that are cheap on Sal, your food and drink won’t cost a lot either.
A mid-range three course meal for two people costs around £39.28.
Coffee will set you back just £1.53 and a pint will set you back between £1.65 and £2.59.
It’s easy to island hop too if you want to head to the likes of Boa Vista – the journey between the two takes just 25-minutes and one-way flights in February start at £44.
Boa Vista is known for having beautiful beaches too, and it’s home to loggerhead turtles.
Find out what one Sun Travel Editor got up to during a visit to Cape Verde…
Here are Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey’s highlights from her visit to Cape Verde…
“The islands in the Atlantic Ocean, just 350 miles off the west coast of Africa, celebrate 50 years of independence this year and I’m exploring Boa Vista, the lesser-developed island often overlooked in favour of its busier sister, Sal.
“Tour giant TUI has just added extra flights from the East Midlands to the island, starting next weekend, in addition to its flights from Gatwick.
“My guide Paolo gave me a brief insight into the history of the island, colonised by the Portuguese until 1975.
“We learn of morna music — created by the indigenous population when they were enslaved by both African nations and Portugal — slow, danceable rhythms with tales of love and longing for the homeland.
“And one can understand their longing to return when you discover Boa Vista’s blissfully quiet beaches. Santa Monica, on the southeast of the island, is the finest in Cape Verde and often named as one of the best in the world by Tripadvisor.
“Despite the abandoned apartment complex overlooking the beach (left half-finished for decades), the rest of the beach is almost as idyllic as any in the Maldives.
“I was the only person there, sinking my toes into the soft golden sand, so powdery it almost felt like flour.
“My other favourite beach was Praia Carlota, where you can lose the days in the hippy Morabeza beach hut, chilling out while enjoying fried fish and local Strela beer and admiring the soaring kite-surfers braving the winds that whip across the waters.”
Here’s more about how it will soon become even EASIER to island hop on Cape Verde.
And here are the ten best things to do in Cape Verde, from turtle-watching to desert-biking.
