Maio Cape Verde
Island of Maio
Maio is one of the least visited of the nine inhabited islands in the Cape Verde archipelago. It is, however, a lovely one to visit with friendly, welcoming people. Because Maio is relatively untouched by tourism, it is a great destination for a peaceful, relaxing holiday. The population of the island is only about 4,000.
The main town is Vila do Maio (also known as Porto Inglês). It occupies a sloping site with streets running down to the seafront. The town square is dominated by the Portuguese colonial style church. A tour of the island is a must, which will include the villages of Calheta, Morro and Dom João, as well as the sand dunes at Morrinho.
The island has long stretches of sandy beaches. Many of these beaches are largely deserted. Even the main beach in Vila do Maio is rarely busy even though it has a couple of bars. It is only a short walk from Stella Maris. In the other direction is the long Ponta Preta beach. Stella Maris also has direct access from the swimming pool area to a small beach.
Maio is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere to promote the biodiversity on the island and in the ocean. Visitors may see turtles in the summer months and there is a variety of birds on the island.
Activities
As one of the least visited island there are not as many activities available on Maio as there are on some of the other islands. However, there is still plenty to do including island tours, bird watching, nature tours, quad bikes, fishing and bicycle hire.
More information on the activities available can be found on the Discover Cape Verde website.
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