Can I do more than just ‘fly and flop’ in Cape Verde?

Simon Calder answers your questions on Cape Verde, train fares, summer strikes and budget flights

The clear waters of Boa Vista are a favourite with visitors to the west African islands (Getty)

Q Charles Darwin visited Cape Verde and indeed it must be uniquely rich in diversity of species and scenery. Any comments on whether there is a chance to do more than merely sit by a pool?

Ian F

A Cape Verde has been cited this winter by Europe’s biggest holiday company, Tui, as one of its top three destinations – alongside Egypt and Spain’s Canary Islands. This group of islands, 300km off the coast of West Africa, was formerly a Portuguese colony. Until the 1990s, its only notability in travel was as the refuelling stop for Apartheid-era South African Airways planes en route to London (other African states had banned the carrier). The Boeing 747s stopped on what is now the main tourist island, Sal. In the 21st century, almost all tourists touch down in Sal, or nearby Boa Vista, for “fly and flop” package holidays. But Cape Verde also offers fascinating indigenous culture and cuisine, as well as spectacular volcanic landscapes soaring more than 2,800m high.