How to Visit Maio Island, Cabo Verde in 2023: All You Need To Know

Maio is the ideal weekend getaway to seek tranquility on the archipelago of Cabo Verde, especially for those escaping city life in the capital on the island of Santiago. It is part of the lower, Sotavento islands and can only be reached via Santiago. Unlike Santo Antão, it can be accessed both by ferry and by plane on a frequent basis. This is the kind of destination for some true off the beaten path rest and relaxation by white sandy beaches and sleepy towns without the feeling of being too crowded by other tourists. It is worth noting that the local government has a lot of ambition to further boost tourism and encourage visitors to the island and to complement this ambition, donors have been investing immensely in the last couple of years. It is possible that the next few years may see a change in the tourism landscape of the island, making the present the best time to enjoy its natural and untouched.

QUICK TIPS TO MAIO

Best time to visit the island: Cabo Verde is a destination that has good weather all year round with some variations. The rainy season is from August – September with September and part of October being the hottest months, so I recommend visiting from mid-October to mid-April when the weather is cooler and you can enjoy the island at its prime. If you visit in October, you may also catch turtle nesting season, which starts in July and ends in October, making October my recommendation for the ideal time to visit. Alternatively, if you want to spot some whales, March and April are also some good times to visit when the weather is still cool and less windy.

Getting to Maio via ferry is the best way to go: In the section below (Getting to Maio), I breakdown how to get to the island from Santiago, the main island that also hosts the capital. This can be done either by plane, ferry or a combination of both options. I highly recommend getting to Maio and back via ferry as it is the cheapest option, the journey is not too long (around 2h) and can even be seen as an adventure through the ocean with the off chance of spotting whales or dolphins depending on the time of year. However, the possibility to do a roundtrip via ferry needs to take two things into consideration: the time of year as ferry schedules change slightly every 3 months and whether or not public holidays fall close to the weekend days you are looking at, meaning that tickets can be sold. Otherwise, with advanced planning, you will have no problem managing this option.

How long to stay in Maio: What makes Maio attractive is that it makes the perfect weekend getaway for some rest and relaxation to disconnect from the busy city life of Praia and to reconnect instead with untouched nature. 2 days is more than enough!

Cash is important! At your first point of entry into the country, change some of your currency at the airport to cover your taxi to your accommodation and for any expenses on your first day. Once you are settled in at your accommodation, you can head out and find the nearest ATM to withdraw some money. Most restaurants and hotels will allow for card payments. Sometimes, restaurants have two machines, one dedicated to local bank cards so always check in case your card is declined the first few times. But, other than that, it is always good to have cash especially on a more remote island like Maio.

Water: It is best to avoid drinking tap water. Instead, buy bottled water or invest in a water filter bottle as you are better off being on the safe side. However, you can use tap water for things like brushing your teeth or washing your face. If it comes out brown at any point, which can happen, just use bottled water.

GETTING TO MAIO

The only way to get to Maio island is via Santiago. This can be one of two ways, or a combination of both options when you are planning the way in and out of the island:

– You can fly into the island with BestFly twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) or;
– Go by ferry with CVInterilhas, with the boat running 3 times a week (Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays).

Last updated: October 2023

The current flight schedule covers the period 26 September – 29 October 2023, for the latest schedule, you can find it here.

The flight from Santiago takes 20 mins and the base price of a one way ticket is CVE 3,000 (~ €60). However, it is difficult to catch both ways at the base price and I would calculate around €85-90 for a round trip.

The ferry ride takes about 2h and it costs CVE 1,541 (~ €14) each way. This makes it an ideal weekend getaway from Santiago given the proximity and lower costs. Depending on the season, you may catch dolphins and whales swimming alongside the boat, making it an impromptu occasion for sightseeing.

GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND

Getting from Porto Ingles (port) or the airport to the city center: It is a quiet and laidback island, so when the plane and ferry arrive on the island, people will know leading to more movement during these moments. This includes “hiace” drivers who provide public transport around the island. If you know anything about cars which I surely did not when I first heard the term, this refers to a Toyota HiAce, the choice of vehicle used for public transport as there are no buses nor taxis. They will be waiting at the entrance of both the port and the airport during the scheduled arrival to take people to their destination around the island. It is perfectly safe to do so, just check with the driver where you want to be dropped off and make sure to have cash at hand. To give you an idea of what you should be paying, the hiace from the port to the city center is about CVE 150-250 and from the airport, about CVE 250-450. Alternatively, your accommodation can provide a private transfer for you.

How to visit the island of Maio: There are several ways to get around the island. First, you can do it with a guide who has the knowledge to share the local ins and outs and provide you with a better understanding of the history of the island. Another option is to rent a car providing you with the freedom to see the island at your own pace and this option also works well for bigger groups. And lastly, you can rent a quad, which is perfect for solo travellers or couples providing you with the freedom to visit the island on your own terms but in a way that is super fun especially for some off-roading near to the dunes and more isolated beaches in the north of the island (note: do not ride on the dunes and beaches themselves, unless there is a sign indicating that you are allowed to do so). As my recommended option, you rent a quad bike at the hotel Big Game Maio for the day for CVE 5,000 (~ €45) with a safety deposit of €200 either in cash or by credit card.

Recommended activities: things to see + do in Maio

2 days is more than enough time to visit the island. You can dedicate the first day to touring the island and the second day taking it is easy by walking around Vila do Maio and chilling by one of the many pristine beaches the island holds. Depending on the time of year, you can also do some whale watching or see the turtles, with the season for each being as follows:

– Whale watching: March and April but they can be spotted a month earlier and later as well;
– Turtle watching: to catch the turtles nesting, this is usually from July to October. You can also see them hatching around August and September.

If it was not clear up to this point, the biggest selling point of visiting Maio is to get in touch with the island’s natural, beautiful and relatively untouched landscapes. The island and the country at large have taken steps to ensure its conservation as the entire island of Maio (along with Fogo) were declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2020. And in the case of Maio, this also includes a large part of the oceans. The way in which this will be upheld is still to be seen. As I mentioned earlier, the local government also has ambitious plans to attract more tourism to the island and the hope is that this will be done in a sustainable way to continue preserving the natural beauty of the island. However, mass tourism and conservation do not always do hand in hand especially on a small island like Maio. In the meantime, let me take you on a tour around the island.

Day 1: Island tour

Leave Villa do Maio and head up the west coast passing the villages of Morro and Calheta. The island is filled with colorful villages giving you a glimpse into life on the island of Maio, so feel free to stop for a break. In the village of Calheta, you can also stop for lunch at Etna’s or Belohorizonte Bar and Restaurant where you can eat moray eel, a local delicacy with the best catches from Maio. Topped with some lemon, they go along well with a cold, local beer.

At the top, you will enter Morrinho with rolls of dunes waiting to be explored. Continuing onto the other side of the island, you will pass the villages of Pedro Vaz and Pilao Cao. You can stop off at Ribeira Dom João to try some local cheese that is made by the women of this town. From here you continue towards another village, Barreiro, before ending the day back in Maio.

Day 2: Visiting Villa do Maio and relaxing by the beach

On the second day, take a leisure stroll through Vila do Maio. Here you can see the church, Nossa Senhora da Luz and the Forte São José. If you are leaving via ferry, you can leave a bit earlier to check out the Salinas as it is right next to the port. Since the 17^th century, tons of salt have been extracted from the salt pans of the island, making it a product for traders given the position of Cabo Verde along historical trade routes. Because the island is considered a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this covers the Salinas as well. Essentially, it is divided into two where one ecosystem, a smaller one at that, is used for the traditional extraction of salt and the other much bigger one is classified as a fully protected zone. By the salt pans, you will also find the Centro Interpretativo das Salinas, a building funded under an EU project which is basically an information center that aims to give visitors some explanations on the history of salt. As mentioned, it was exported along trade routes up to Europe and as far as Brazil which was also more profitable back in the day. Now, it is mainly exported to the other islands primarily to the capital of Praia. Through the EU funded project that built the information center, there was also a component focused on developing new market niches for salt as artisanal and therapeutic/hygiene products for tourism. The aim was to emphasize the importance of salt as an income generating activity particularly for women as it is run by a women dominated cooperative. You can see them in action at their place of work marked in the map below.

After visiting Vila do Maio, spend the rest of the time relaxing by the main beach in front of Villa do Maio. When touring the island, there are a number of pristine beaches to check out, also marked in the map below. I do not know that actual names of these beaches, so I refer to the closest village to locate and describe them:

– Villa do Maio: right in front of the main town of the island, you cannot miss this white sandy beach within walking distance of your accommodation for you to enjoy. A big infrastructure project that is almost nearing completion and aims in part to build a breakwater to protect against currents, will protect the bay better and ensure it is a safe spot to enter the crystal blue waters.

– Morro: a long stretch of white, sand that actually starts in Villa do Maio after the salt pans and ends up in the village of Morro. It is the ideal beach for long walks and not for swimming as the currents are quite strong.

– Ponta Preta: another long stretch of endless white sand found below Ponta Preta. To access it, you have to descend down the rocky side that provides you with some shade but remain vigilant for falling rocks.

– Ribeira Dom João: located below the village, you will come to a cliff that leads you down onto a relatively quiet and isolated beach. It is the perfect spot to spend a few hours of solitude.

– Pedro Vaz: this relatively untouched beach is another isolated beach in the northeast of the island. It is very quiet and another place to spend a couple of hours in peace.

ACCOMMODATION

There is not a lot of options for accommodation on the island, but the few that I can recommend are the following: Big Game Maio, Kaza Tropikal and Stella Maris.

I have had personal experience staying at Big Game Maio, which is a well-rounded hotel run by Italians. Accommodation wise, it offers a comfortable stay for a good price in a well-located area within Villa do Maio making it easy to walk around. I also noted that the rooms are pleasantly colorful. They also run a restaurant and some dishes not to miss are their oven baked pizzas and some fresh seafood. And as previously mentioned, they also rent quad bikes. As for the other two accommodations listed, I have heard good things from people in my immediate circle and based on their testimonies, I wanted to share them with you here.

LIKKLE TRAVEL TOOLS

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