Some years ago I was lucky enough to spend a week photographing hotels on the islands of Sal, Boa Vista and São Vincent – three of the ten islands of this archipelago which lies about 400 miles west of Senegal in the Atlantic Ocean. Here are a few photos from an afternoon spent exploring Mindelo on São Vincent with a few others from Boa Vista and Sal.

A few years ago, I visited a group of beautiful islands on a photographic assignment for the Cape Verde Experience and had a fantastic time discovering this archipelago which lies about 300 miles off the coast of West Africa.

While there, I was particularly taken by a small, family run hotel right on the beach and was determined to return sometime for a holiday.

Hotel Odjo d’Agua in Santa Maria on the island of Sal didn’t disappoint. Our room was small but comfortable with our own little terrace and the staff were extremely helpful. And as for Cape Verde, the sea was as blue as I remembered, the locals as friendly and the weather was just right for relaxing in the sun on the hotel’s private beach but what really made this hotel so special for me was the location. It feels tucked away and private, but it is actually an easy stroll into town or to the main beach, and whether having breakfast on the wooden terrace, lunch by the beach or an evening meal in the restaurant O Farolin (which is perched overlooking the sea on a stone promontory) the views across the water are wonderful especially at sunset with the sound of the waves gently lapping the rocks below.

We also tried a number of the other nearby restaurants which were excellent if a little slow sometimes.

It was great to be able to explore Santa Maria at a leisurely pace. I loved the craft shops and I also bought quite a few things from a man making jewellery from the shells he collected on the beach. He was actually homeless and dreamed of going back to his native island of Santiago. He set up shop each day by the side of the hotel (with their permission) and made the guests necklaces and bracelets to order.

There isn’t a great deal to do here during the day but if you are looking to spend the week on the beach either horizontal with a book or for the more energetic, trying your hand at one of the many watersports on offer this is the place for you. In fact, if it’s watersports you are after the Cape Verde Islands offer everything from scuba diving to body boarding, surfing and windsurfing. With excellent equipment and instruction readily available it’s great for beginners and the more experienced alike.

Personally, there wasn’t quite enough for me to do or places to visit (or maybe I just didn’t look hard enough) but I still had a wonderful time relaxing and swimming. Santa Maria’s bars in the evening were great fun and we met some lovely people, both locals and fellow tourists.