Boa Vista is the sands Island. There are certainly no many places so much mysterious and secret in the World. The location, closer to African continent, explains Boa Vista's extremely dry aspect, that is similar to Sahara desert. Boa Vista is also the poorest island of Cape Verde. Here, the 4000 inhabitants, who have the same kindness and indolence than in the others parts of Cape Verde, have to fight to survive, at the middle of dunes or stones deserts that seem infinite. Boa Vista had glorious times in the past and is a former harbour of main importance. At the beginning of colonisation, Sal Rei, the small capital, was an important commercial pole. Nowadays, the released colonial villas testify of a past splendour, and Boa Vista just survives thanks to a bit of fishing, breeding and a slowly growing tourism. The future of the island is certainly turned over this last point. The winning cards are there : infinite white sandy beaches almost desert, dreaming conditions for surfing and the building of two International standing hotels in Sal Rei.

The size of the Airport, the smallest I had never seen, proves that the embryonic tourism did not manage to waste the places authenticity yet. The road to Sal Rei already involves a visitor in this particular atmosphere, passing down sandy dunes and along the beginning of desert plains. By reaching Sal Rei, located at the beginning of a white sandy beach, the feeling is strange. The Portuguese colonial architecture is nice but this place also gives the impression to be in a withered city. White sand invade the streets and the poor state of some released habitations symbolize the decline of Sal Rei. During the day, Sal Rei centre is so quiet that the place looks like to aa abandonnede city. On the other hand, at night, the main square resonates with music and groups almost the whole population of the city.

Generally speaking, trekking in Boa Vista offers incredible sensations and very strong experiences. Landscapes alternate sand deserts and stones deserts. Inside the island, it happens to walk along 20kms, out of any path ( it's better to have a good orientation sense, the secret is to walk straight trough dunes and to memorize the aspect of the few mountains around, to use it as indicators and find the correct direction ) without meeting anybody but insects, goats and palms. In those privileged moments, we feel the strong impression to be alone in the World.

The deserts starts just behind Sal Rei. An easy 15kms trek is good to give a first idea of the characteristic aspects of Boa Vista. By taking the former and historical road to the Airport, passing though palms forests, sand is already everywhere, covering a part of the way. Further, it's possible to continue the walk out of the path, by following the only small river of the island, that gives a green touch to an arid landscape, then through dry fields, and reach Estancia de Baixo and Rabil villages, rather destitute places that are a perfect illustration of the local peoples daily difficulties. Then its easy to get back to Sal Rei by walking through dunes, without missing interesting discoveries like a former manufactorys ruins, strange vision at the middle of sands, and then along an infinite and quiet white sandy beach. Also, in the North of the island is located a great and desert white sandy beach where lies a enormous wreck of a Spanish boat stranded here in 1968 and never removed from the place, symbolic of Boa Vista decay. This vision is quite impressive. Others treks reserve unsuspected discoveries. By reaching some small and poor villages lost in a dunes desert, around the centre of Boa Vista, a lonely tourist, rather rare, is always a curiosity to the locals. It's always a good break to walk trough those villages. People, still giving proof of their kindness and hospitality, are used to invite the few foreigners passing here in their home or only to sit among them, for a cool drink or others. The visitor is then introduced to the rest of the family and friends. What a great experience to meet and discover in details this fascinating peoples daily life.

Boa Vista, birth-place of Morna, a kind of Capeverdian music that manifests a discreet sadness due to dryness and dealing with daily life difficulties in general, is like a white mirage at the middle of Atlantic Ocean. A foreigner will feel there a surprising contrast between happiness, beauty and desolation. He will certainly learn a lot about human nature and then have great thoughts about his own way of life.

* AFTER YOU HAVE READ THIS ARTICLE, TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CAPE VERDE, HAVE A LOOK TO THE RELATING ALBUMS ON THIS SITE :

Cape Verde : Presentation and Santiago Island : http://www.worldisround.com/articles/6739/index.html

Santo Antao, the wild island : http://www.worldisround.com/articles/6741/index.html

Fogo, the lava island : http://www.worldisround.com/articles/6742/index.html

Sao Vicente, the music island : http://www.worldisround.com/articles/6743/index.html