Africa - 2 Travel Is 2 Live

Cairo

Posted on August 5, 2022June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

The

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. It is the largest City in the Arab World. It is also home to one of the 7 wonders of the world The Great Pyramid of Giza

Travelling to Cairo

We flew to Cairo from Sharm El Sheikh on 2nd May 2022. We arranged to go via a local tour operator “Falcon Travel” which cost £175 each. Previously we had used this tour operator for a boat trip which was great and really good value for money. The flight to Cairo from Sharm was an early flight therefore we were picked up from out hotel at around 4am which was too early as the airport had not opened up for any check in.

Unfortunately the flight was delayed which was no fault of the tour operator but just one of those situations you have to deal with. Also the airport itself is extremely small when travelling internally. Basically there is one very small cafe/shop where you can buy drinks and sandwiches. Unsurprisingly there was a very big queue at this cafe which therefore took a long time to get served. The Plane that was taking us to Cairo was a propellered plane which made me (Debbie) very nervous.

Cairo Museum

Finally we arrived in Cairo where we were met by our guide and our driver for the day. Firstly we were driven to Cairo museum. At the museum entrance was included in the cost of the excursion. Undoubtedly when going to Cairo the museum is must see. It is amazing place and very interesting. We were there a few hours but could have easily spent longer there as there is so much to see.

Our guide was very informative and was able to answer any questions we had on any of the artefacts. Previously he had been on several Egyptian TV shows due to his historical knowledge.

In the not too distance future the museum is going to move to a purpose built building over looking the pyramids which is due to happen at the end of 2022. The move of the museum has been preponed due to COVID

Purfume Shop

The first place he took us to was a perfume shop where we were introduced to a nice man who spent a lot of time explaining the nature of the perfume, oils and creams. Obviously he was trying to get us to buy something but when we didnt want to he was polite and we were then on our way. On the other hand our guide did not seem happy that we had not bought anything.

Private Boat Trip

Shortly after we left the museum our guide asked if we wanted a private boat trip on the Nile. Which we agreed to do. The cost of boat trip was £20 each. Surprisingly the boat was a large boat which would accommodate at least 50 people but we had it to ourselves.

The driver of the boat was great fun, he played party music and even let us drive the boat. Our guide filmed us dancing on the boat which was great fun to look back on. The boat trip was exceptionally good value and well worth doing.

Lunch in Cairo

We went to a Restaurant called Cleaopatra’s for lunch which over looked the Pyramids. Basically it was a buffet style lunch which had plenty of choice and you could eat as much as you wanted. There was lots to choose from including fish, meat, salad and vegetables. Additional Meat Kababs were taken to the table. The lunch was included in the price of the excursion. Although drinks were an added charge they were very reasonably priced. The restaurant itself was nice and the service was good. Our guide and driver waited outside for us to finish. We did ask them to join us but they declined.

Pyramids

Also included in the cost of the excursion was entrance to the pyramids. As it was Eid when we were at the Pyramid’s it was extremely busy. There were a lot of horse and carts offering people rides and lots of people selling things. A lot of people came up to us to offer to take photo’s, buy things or go on a horse ride but our guide told them to go away.

He did however introduce us to someone he knew that was offering camel rides. The guy who owned the camels took £60 off of us and the man who took us round on the camel took another £30. There were children telling us we were paying too much but by this time we were on the camel’s and it was too late. The owner of the Camels pushed away the children so they could not speak to us.

The guide did not stop them from ripping us off which was very disappointing. Apparently it is usual to pay between £15-£20 for a camel ride at the pyramids. At the pyramids we were given a lot of photo opportunities. We have some lovely photo’s which our guide took a lot of them.

Papyrus Paintings

After the pyramids we were taken to a shop selling paintings on papyrus. When we arrive at the shop we were given a demonstration on our the papyrus is made. It is very interesting and very clever for its day but when you have seen it so many times it does not have has much impact. The demonstrator gave us a bit of a sales pitch about the paintings and encouraged us to look around. All though we were looking around on our own the sales man followed us.

We buy paintings from many countries and have bought them in Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cap Verde, Dominican Republic etc and love the art wok. The prices that they were charging were ridiculous compared to what we had bought in other countries. Also we had bought a painting from Egypt on a previous visit which did not cost anything like they were asking. Consequently we didn’t buy anything. Our guide changed his attitude towards us after this as he was not happy at all that we had not bought anything.

Jewlery Shop

He then took us to another shop that sold jewelry and souvenirs but not your usual buy a fridge magnet or bottle opener souvenirs they were all expensive. The owner of the store gave us a bit of a sale pitch about the quality of the silver. Again we didn’t buy anything. Buy this time our guide was not happy at all. The Guide did not talk to us much from that moment to being dropped off at the Airport. I think he gets some commission from the shops that he takes tourists to.

Summary

It was a long day in Cairo with a very early start. The day would have been much better if we had not been taken to places that we didn’t want to go to and had more time in places that we wanted to visit. There was too much time spent with people trying to sell us things that we did not want. None the less we had a good time in an amazing place.

Images

Cairo
Cairo mosque
Cairo Museum
Cairo Museum
Cairo museum
Boat to ourselves
Driving the boat
Living on the edge
Restaurant with Pyramids in baCFK
Pyramid
Mike thinking he is strong
Camel Posing
Sphinx
Unusual pose lol
I love the Sphinx and Pyramids
Final pose

Things to do

Visit the Pyramids of Gaza
Visit the Sphinx
Visit Cairo museum.
Ride a camel
Take a boat ride on the Nile
Try the local cuisine

Top Tips

When booking a tour package with a tour operator stipulate the places you want to see and the ones you don’t.
Be prepared to see a lot of poverty
Don’t be forced in to buying things you don’t want.
Be careful of pick pockets.
Keep tight hold of hand bags and valuables at all times even in area’s that feel safe.
Agree a price before getting on the camel rides.
Do the private boat trip or a boat trip on the Nile it is well worth it.
Ensure you have plenty of water, sun cream and a hat in the hot months.
Check out UK government travel advice before travelling to Cairo https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
Check out other places in Africa we have visited. Please click on the following links Agadir , Hurghada , Sharm El Sheikh , Cape Verde
Check out temperature on chart below for best time to visit Cairo.
Be aware that when it is Eid it is exceptionally busy in Cairo.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	18	18	22	27	32	34	34	33	32	28	23	19
Low Temp	9	9	12	15	18	20	22	22	20	18	14	10
Rainfall	15	4	8	7	0	0	0	0	5	5	1	3
Number of days	5	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	3

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Agadir

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Morocco’s economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing.

Marrakech and Agadir are the main tourist destinations in Morocco

Travelling to Agadir

We flew to Morocco on the 2nd of September 2018 with family and friends. We flew with Air Moroc which unknown to us a dry plane. During the trip on of our friends was turning 50 year’s young and hence we were all in good mood ready for a celebration. When we boarded the plane and noticed we could not have a drink we were somewhat disappointed! Some of the other passengers obviously knew about this and were drinking alcohol they had purchased from duty free (you would never catch us doing such a thing!). The plane was not very full so we had plenty of room to stretch our legs and move about. Not sure if this was due to it being a dry plane or, more likely, the time of year that we travelled.

Accommodation

We had chosen to stay at the Atlas Amadil Beach Hotel in Agadir on an all-inclusive basis. We were a party of 6 adults and 3 children aged 5, 4 and 4 months. The hotel was ideally situated close to the beach and within walking distance of the stylish Marina. The rooms in the hotel were clean but basic, however for the price we had paid they were perfectly adequate. The lobby of the hotel was pleasant and spacious with glass elevators gliding up and down the floors. There was a small shop on site which sold a range of reasonably priced items.

The entertainment round the pool was varied including aerobics, yoga, darts and aqua-aerobics. The entertainment staff were engaging and ensured that we had a great deal of fun during the day, and we joined in with most things. There was also a small children’s pool with plenty of available sun loungers around so that the children could enjoy themselves while the adults watched on from close-by. There was also a small pool with slides for the children.

Food and Drink

For dining the hotel had the usual buffet restaurant plus 3 al-a-carte restaurants; an Oriental, Moroccan and Italian from which you can book one visit per weekly stay. We managed to book the restaurants most nights with each family taking a turn at booking. Not sure how we managed this but we did! To book you have to be at the desk situated outside the restaurant in the lobby before 10am; it’d best to book these as soon as you can during your stay to avoid disappointment. Also you had to fill in what you wanted on a sheet that you gave in at the desk.

Snack Bar

The hotel had a snack bar overlooking the beach and sea which made for a pleasant venue to sit at during lunch. The food was was quite good for a snack bar and had more than your usual burgers, chips and pizza. The waiters at the snack bar were very attentive and brought bottles of red and white wine to our table when requested. We often sat outside for a few hours over lunch enjoying a bite to eat and a glass (or two!) of wine. There was also an enclosed area of sand right next to the snack bar terrace where the children could play.

Entertainment

On an evening we would go and enjoy the various shows in the entertainment room. The entertainment staff did their best to entertain both adults and children and while not particularly professional was still good fun. We were the only couple with no children so we often stayed until the bar closed in this part of the hotel. Unfortunately we did find some of the bar staff in the entertainment room very rude and always looked miserable. For example they cut me off mid-round saying that’s enough – we had 6 adults in our party! On the other end of the spectrum The staff in the lobby bar were great fun and often made us special cocktails. It seemed strange to see such different levels of service in the two bars.

Birthday Celebrations

For our friend’s 50th birthday we booked in to the Asian Restaurant. We had informed the hotel that it was his 50th birthday and they allowed us to go in the restaurant before it opened and decorate it with balloons and banners for our evening meal. The food was delicious and the staff were very attentive. They brought out a birthday cake at the end of the meal and all of the staff, including the chef and kitchen staff came out and sang Happy Birthday which was a lovely touch.

Pool Scene

The pool area was always kept immaculate. There was music and entertainment around the pool which made for quite a lively daytime if that’s what you enjoy. We enjoy music and fun activities so it was ideal for us. However if you did not want the attention the staff would leave you alone. The hotel also provides beach towels; as we needed 8 sunbeds each day the pool attendant always helped us to get 8 beds together and put towels on them. The drinks around the pool are served in small plastic cups. The cocktails unfortunately did not taste much like the cocktails they were supposed to be, but again we had not paid 5-star prices and overall the drinks were OK for the standard of hotel.

Marina

We often went for walks along the seafront to the marina. We were hoping that there would be some bars along the way where we could get a decent proper cocktail. Although we found a couple of bars, there were not as many as we had thought there would have been. The Marina is very picturesque with many boats in the harbour offering leisure trips. There were people trying to get us to go on a boat ride but they were not particularly pushy. As one person in our party suffers from severe motion-sickness and another not keen on boat trips due to not being a good swimmer we decided to give the boat trips a miss.

Summary

We found the most of the Moroccan people to be extremely friendly and helpful. It is a very interesting country which we managed to see on a previous trip to Agadir when we went on several excursions. Morocco is an ideal place if you are on a budget as it offers cheap flights and hotels. There are obviously higher standard hotels in Agadir (you get what you pay for), however if you are on a budget you will have a great time at the Atlas Amadil. We would definately recommend a trip to Agadir. The weather is warm for most of the year and not as seasonal as some other destinations.

Images

Pool Scene
Mike holding Scorpion
Sea Front
The Gang
Birthday Celebrations
Sunset
Beach Bar
Lobby Bar

Things to do in Agadir

Visit the Marina
Visit Souk El Had
Have a ride on La Grande Roue D’Agadir (Similar to London Eye)
Spend a day on the beach
Do a sight seeing tour
Do a boat trip

Top Tips

Research your hotel as to what it offers and compare with other similarly priced hotels
If going all-inclusive be aware you get what you pay for. If wanting cheap and cheerful it is exactly that. (no premium drinks or special cocktails)
Although we did not do any excursions on this visit we have previously and they have been well worth the money and we got to see some of the real Morocco
Check out the weather below for best time to go to Agadir
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Tunisia, Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh , Cairo , Hurghada
Check out the government website regarding safety when visiting Agadir https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/algeria/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	22	23	26	26	26	28	30	30	29	28	25	22
Low Temp	8	9	11	13	14	17	18	18	17	15	12	9
Rainfall	37	29	25	13	7	1	0	1	1	22	29	63
Number of days	5	3	4	2	1	1	0	1	1	3	3	6

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Hurghada

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Hurghada is a beach resort on the Red Sea Coast.

Hurghada is renowned for its scuba diving and snorkeling.

Travelling to Hurghada

In the month of November we travelled to Hurghada from Manchester airport flying with Tui. We booked in the Clayton Hotel which is a couple of minutes walk from the Terminal the night before we flew out. Fortunately we were able to leave our car at the hotel which made things a lot easier.

Accommodation

having booked to stay at the 5-star Sunrise Crystal Bay Resort. The hotel was in a decent location, about a 20 minute drive from Hurghada Marina. We had booked last-minute with TUI and paid £600 each for a week which we felt was a decent price for what we experienced. When we arrived at the hotel we were checked-in quickly and with no fuss. Our cases were taken up to our rooms for us and arrived within 5 minutes. The rooms were very spacious and nicely decorated. All of the expected toiletries were provided as well as robes and slippers. The hotel itself is a fairly decent size at 364 rooms, and overall the standard definitely felt 5-star.

Food and Drink

There were several al-a-carte restaurants to try out including Egyptian, Asian, Seafood and Greek. You could eat at each one of these restaurants during a 7-day stay. The food in each of the al-a-carte restaurants were nice but did not always taste authentic. There was also a beach restaurant open for lunch with full waiter service and a great view of the beach. We spent many a lunchtime having a few glasses of wine and a bite to eat overlooking the sea.

Pool Scene

As we stayed in November the temperature does get rather cool in the evening so be sure to take a jacket and a pair of trousers or jeans for sitting out comfortably. However it was sunbathing weather during the day and also one of the pools was heated so their was no issue with jumping into the pool. Unfortunately the swim up bar was in the unheated pool so it was too cold for us to sit in there, although there were some very brave people who did. There were plenty of sunbeds available and the staff would bring us beds and place them where we wanted each day.

Out by the sea there are some lovely cabanas which are not chargeable unlike at a lot of hotels which charge extra for the privilege. The cabanas were very comfortable for lying on, with large bean bags in front of them and as they were located around a cove they were ideally situated for a quick dip in the sea. The sea was a fair bit warmer than the unheated swimming pool, a bit cold when you first got in but not for long. As we went in November the days were quite short and sunset was relatively early at about half past four. Waiters wandered around the grounds and cove taking drinks orders which saved having to walk to the bar. The range of cocktails was extensive and they tasted good!

Entertainment

On an evening there was entertainment but it was fairly low key. There wasn’t much to do on an evening and as it was a bit chilly outside we didn’t always watch the entertainment. However the lobby bar was open 24 hours and the bar staff were entertaining in their own right. They entertained us on a number of evenings with Tom Cruise style cocktail making. They built towers of glasses on the bar, poured Sambuca from the top and then set the alcohol on fire. The cocktails they made were of a good standard with fancy fruit to decorate the glass. If it hadn’t been for the bar staff the evenings would have been much quieter. We did meet a lot of lovely people though. We also took the opportunity to wander into the sister hotel next door for a change of scene (and bar!).

Location

There isn’t a great deal to do immediately outside of the hotel although there are a few shops within walking distance. However there are many different excursions available including boat trips and diving.

Submarine Boat Trip

We opted for a submarine boat trip which was actually a boat with windows below sea level. The boat trip also included snorkeling at a coral reef that was quite spectacular, both coral and fish.

A lot of the people on the boat decided to snorkel near to the boat, however one of the crew members got in the water with us and took us a bit further to where the main coral reef was. Whilst we were snorkeling he would point to colourful, large fish in case we had missed them and explained to us what type of fish they were. We were able to snorkel for a good hour or so which we really enjoyed. The snorkels were provided by the boat crew but of course you could take your own equipment along if you have it. They also put out a floating island on the water which was fun to climb on and try and stand on, trickier to accomplish than it sounds!

Summary

This was our second time to Hurghada; on our first visit we went out a bit more as we were closer to the Marina but we did go for two weeks on that holiday whereas on this occasion we only went for a week. If we were to return to Hurghada we would probably choose a hotel with more going on on an evening and at a time of year when it is a bit warmer on an evening.

Hurghada offers all year round sunshine therefore is a good place to go for winter sun. It is also very cheap in the winter months compared to other winter destinations like the Caribbean. You get a good standard of hotel for half the price of the Caribbean. We will definitely go back to Hurghada and hopefully visit Luxor the next time.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Beach Bar
Beach
Bali beds around the cove
Egyptian Restaurant
Indian Restaurant
View from Pier at night
Outside dinning
Egyptian Tom Cruise
Cocktail
Sunset
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
Inside Submarine

Things to do

Go scuba diving
Go snorkeling
Visit the marina
Go on a submarine
Visit Cairo
Go on a quad bike in the desert
Visit Luxor

Top Tips

Go on a boat trip as they are very reasonably priced and good fun.
Hotels nearer the Marina offer a chance to get out of the hotel more as there are bars, restaurants and shops near by.
Many of the hotels in Hurghada are not close to anything apart from a few shops so choose your hotel and location wisely depending on if you want to just relax within the hotel grounds or prefer to have more withing walking distance.
Check out the best time to visit Hurghada as Egypt temperatures during the summer months are very high, however during the winter months it can get chilly of an evening.
Take water shoes when going snorkeling as some the coral and rocks can be pretty sharp.
Take plenty of medicines as many people who visit Egypt do seem to suffer from an upset stomach.
Check out other destinations we have visited in Africa Tunisia , Agadir , Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo
Check out the government website for safety and security advice when visiting Hughada https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	21	22	25	29	33	34	35	34	33	29	26	22
Low Temp	11	12	15	19	22	24	25	25	24	20	16	12
Rainfall	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1
Number of days	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Cape Verde

Posted on November 9, 2020October 19, 2026 by Debs and Mike

Cape Verde or Cabo Verde consists of 10 islands.

Cape Verde is in the Atlantic Ocean and lies off the western coast of Africa.

Travelling to Cape Verde

Firstly we travelled to Sal in Cape Verde from Manchester Airport. The night before our flight we stayed at the Clayton Hotel which is a short walk away from the terminals, arriving at the airport on the morning of the flight was easy. Due to the hustle and bustle of the airport and a lot of queueing we tend to book in to the Executive lounges as not is this less hassle it can also be cheaper than spending in the restaurants and bars of the airport. When we arrived in Cape Verde (Sal) and boarded our coach we had to wait some time on the coach for all passengers to arrive.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at our destination The Melia Dunas Resort which is approximately 20 minutes from the airport. As we had upgraded to a premier room it was a larger room than a lot of hotel rooms we had stayed in. The rooms were decorated in neutral colours and to a relatively good standard for the cost of the hotel. The rooms were cleaned well daily with fresh towels provided.

We booked through Tui and paid £700 each which we thought was good value. Tui put this hotel has a 4 star plus but the official rating is 5 star. The location of the room was also good as it was what we felt was the centre of both the Melia Dunas and the Sol Dunas. The Sol Dunas is the sister hotel to the Melia. You can use facilities in both hotels which makes it a big resort to wonder around.

Pool Scene

There are 5 pools in total 2 in the Melia Dunas and 3 in the Sol Dunas and a small aqua park. If staying in the Melia you can use any of the pools. There was never any worry about getting a sun lounger as there were plenty to go around. All the pools have their own bar so you do not have to go far for a drink. The restaurants are also very close to the pools therefore you dont even have to go far for lunch. Beach towels are provided around the pool and can be changed daily.

Bars

There is also a beach bar which both hotels can use. However the Melia did have a beach bar that only the Melia guests could use. This was our favorite bar both during the day and early evening. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Before you finished your drinks they would ask if you were staying for another drink and what would you like.

I would strongly recommend that you ensure you have insect repellent on especially on an evening as the first night there I did not put any repellent on and I was bit either by mosquitoes or sand fly’s so many times I needed to go to a pharmacy.

Dinning

The Melia had a buffet restaurant and 3 A la Carte restaurants Italian, Indian, seafood and Grill. You have to book the A la Carte restaurants in advance but this is easy to do. In the Manhattan bar there is the booking in electronic system which shows you times and dates of availability for each restaurant. Fortunately we managed to book in each of them on more than one occasion.

On one occasion we ate breakfast at the buffet restaurant which had a good choice of food but it felt like eating at a cheap café as opposed to a restaurant. Following this we then ate breakfast each day at the Italian restaurant which was opening during the day for meals. This was both a buffet and waiter/waitress service. This was much more of a pleasant experience. Also we ate there and the seafood restaurant on a lunch time which again also offered buffet and waiter service.

The lunchtime menu’s were not extensive but enough to try different things each day. There was sandwiches, burritos, pizza, burgers, salads etc all cooked to order. There was also a BBQ everyday serving chicken, sausage, burger etc. The drinks were also nice and cold whether this was a soft drink or an alcoholic drink. The wine was better than a lot of wines we have experienced on some all inclusive hotels.

Evening Entertainment

Unfortunately we did not see many of the shows at this hotel as they were on the Sol Dunas site and started at 9pm. We often had not finished dinner until this time. We did see lion king one night which was performed by the animation team. It was mainly aimed at children which was nice to see them all enjoying it and getting involved. The animation team worked hard both day and night and were always smiling.

Santa Maria

The hotel offered a shuttle bus to the town of Santa Maria just 5 minutes drive. It is a lovely little place with a lovely beach and plenty of bars and restaurants. It even has its own Irish Bar (The Dubliner). The Dubliner has a Weather Forecast Stone which is so funny. We took a photo of it and it makes us laugh every time we look at it.

The drinks in the Dubliner are good too. We went to watch football one day but they had a technical issue so we had to go to another bar. We decided to walk to Santa Maria on one occasion and it is a lot further by beach than road and took us 2 and ½ hours. It was a lovely walk though as it was a nice sunny day. A return taxi cost 3 euro’s.

Haggling

The locals do hassle you a bit to come in to their shops but fortunately not too much unlike other countries. We were aware to haggle when buying anything. We admired a piece of artwork in a shop. The store owner asked for 300 euro’s in the end we paid 35. The art work was very large and on a wooden frame. They removed it from the wooden frame and rolled it up for us to take home. We have had some nice comments about this art work which is now in our living room. Not everyone’s taste but we love it.

Island Tour

After a walk in to Santa Maria we booked an island tour whilst in Santa Maria (25 euro’s each) from a local tour operator. The following day we were picked up at our hotel at 8.30am in an open back jeep which seemed like a good idea at the time. We then went to pick up other guests from other hotels.

Our first stop was a salt farm which was not much to look at to be honest.. Children ran out of their houses and followed the jeep.

The next stop was sleeping lion mountain which you saw in the distance and did actually look like a sleeping lion. As the weather was a bit hazy the photo’s were not very clear unfortunately.

Local School

We stopped off at a supermarket to buy fruit, sweets etc for a school. When we were driving to the school we passed little shanti towns. The children at the school were of various ages. They all seemed happy and well cared for. We were not allowed to give them the food directly but had to put them in a donations box. We were also not allowed to take photo’s in the school. As the children only spoke Portuguese we could not communicate with them. The children did seem happy to see us and were very smiley.

The Blue Eye

Our next stop was the Blue Eye. The blue eye also known has Buracona. Basically the Blue Eye is a pool formed by the ocean in to lava rock. The pool is quite small and when the sun shines on it it turns a lovely turquoise colour. On good days people do swim here but as it was windy it was far too dangerous to swim. Also there is a little gift shop here selling souvenirs’, drinks and snacks. The Blue Eye was a bit disappointing as it was a lot smaller than expected, but there isn’t a lot of things to do or see in Sal especially on excursions.

Lunch

As it was approaching lunch the guide took us to a buffet restaurant in a small village. The food was quite basic with fish, chicken, rice, stew, potato’s, chips and bread. Once you had chosen what you wanted to eat it was weighed. Surprisingly you paid by weight for your food. Although we had experienced this method of paying in Brazil we did not expect it in Cape Verde even though it also has a Portuguese influence We found this expensive for the poor quality food but did not mind paying as we felt it helped the locals out as it is a very poor country.

Communication Tower

The next place of interest we were taking to was the area where all the communication to the island is based air traffic, mobile and tv masts. Monte Currai is the hill in the capital city of Espargos where the communication centre is based. Undoubtedly you get an amazing view of Sal from here.

Also the tour guide was very informative as we walked round to see different views of Sal. Along with a lot of interesting facts he informed us that the Portuguese government have provided a lot of money to build more social housing for the poorer people of Cape Verde. The guide pointing out various areas of social housing which could be seen from Monte Currai hill.

Lemon Sharks

There were a lot of tourists where we went to view the sharks. The guides advised us that we could go in the water as it was safe to do so. The water was extremely cold therefore took a bit of time to actually walk in to the sea. Surprisingly the sharks could be clearly seen in the distance. Should you walk close to them they would swim away. The Lemon Sharks are very timid creatures.

Salt Lake

Our final destination was the salt lake (Pedra de Lume). There is a lot of history surrounding the salt lakes and mines in Salt lakes and mines of Pedra de Lume. It is estimated that they go back to the 18th century. It was a great experience trying to swim in the salt lake which was virtually impossible due to the amount of salt. Most people who were in the Salt Lake just laid back and floated.. It was a very strange feeling as it felt more like being weightless as apposed to being in water.

We enjoyed this out of the whole island trip. There is not that much to see and do in Sal but we felt that this trip was well worth doing. The tour guide was amazing and informative. A bit of advice if taking the trip in a jeep either stay inside the jeep or ensure you have warm dark clothing on. The island is very windy all year round therefore at the back of the jeep it was cold and windy with sand blowing up into the back of the jeep. We arrived back at our hotel looking very windswept and my (Debbie) white denim jacket looked a shade of beige.

Summary

Sal is a lovely place to visit for a holiday. You can get some nice weather in Cape Verde depending on the time of year but where it is situated it is often very windy. There isn’t a lot to see or do outside of your hotel. Although Santa Maria does have plenty of shops, restaurants and bars. On the sight seeing from there isnt much to see especially if you are wanting to do this as an excursion. The hotel was lovely with food, dinks and services. Would we go back to Sal probably not as we have seen and done all we needed.

Images

Meal in the Italian Restaurant
Amazing Deserts
Cocktails on the Beach
Beach Day
Hotel Entertainment
Police Patrol
The Dubliner
Dubliner Weather Forecast
Statue in Santa Maria
Art Work bought in Santa Maria
At the Blue Eye
Blue Eye
View of Stadium
View from mobile phone mast
Salt Lake
Lemon Sharks
Map of Sal
Mosquito/Sand Fly Bites

Things to do

Visit Pedra de Lume Salt Mines
Visit the Blue Eye
Go in the sea with Lemon Sharks
Visit Santa Maria
Go to the Dubliner Bar in Santa Maria
Visit a School and take gifts of food
Go snorkeling

Top tips

Take beach towel pegs as the islands are renowned for being windy.
Take jacket etc for evening depending on what time of year you visit.
Sal offers the most to do with regards to the islands.
A trip to Santa Maria is recommended and most hotels are close by with many offering a free shuttle.
Be prepared to haggle. We bought art work that they originally asked for 300 euro’s but only paid 35 euro’s.
Ensure you take mosquito spray. I (Debbie) was bitten so much on one night whilst in the bar near the beach. Not sure if it was actually mosquito’s or sand flies but they had a good feast on my legs.
The excursion was good value for money and worth doing.
Take water shoes if going to the salt lake.
Check out weather below for best time to visit.
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Agadir , Tunisia, Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo , Hurghada

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	24	24	25	25	25	26	27	28	29	28	27	26
Low Temp	19	18	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	23	22	20
Rainfall	2	3	1	1	1	1	11	53	77	53	9	1
Number of days	3	3	4	3	4	4	5	6	7	4	4	2

Average daily temperatures and rainfall