In with the fin crowd

We have the beach to ourselves, but at times it feels like this whole island is ours.

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Despite its relative isolation, getting here is a breeze. TUI flies direct from multiple UK airports, and you won't need a visa to enter. It's a six hour flight with no jetlag as the time difference is only one or two hours, depending if it's summer or winter. The tiny brick airport, most of which is outdoors, is as welcoming as they come. It feels like queuing for a theme park ride, not a passport check.

It's here that our holiday in Cape Verde, an archipelago 350 miles off the coast of Senegal, begins.

We're whisked away on a five-minute transfer to TUI's Riu Palace Boavista, where we're given a royal welcome fitting of its name.

I'm handed a cold drink before heading to my room, where the minibar is full and a private pool awaits. Despite the midday sun, cool winds from the Atlantic offset the African heat.

I could get used to this.

After a cold beer and a plunge, it's time to check out the rest of the resort. Even here, with 505 rooms across 10 buildings, there's a sense of quiet.

"We're at about 90% capacity this week," the hotel manager tells us, much to my surprise.

Only when the entertainment starts, be it aqua-aerobics or an evening show, do I see anything resembling a crowd. Even then, it seemed suspiciously sparse once my stint on the karaoke was over. I can't think why. Our pre-dinner stroll takes us past the resort's three beachside pools, two of which offer swim-up bars. The beach itself sees rows of sun loungers hidden under palm trees, while the spa shelters an adult-only Jacuzzi pool and countless treatments. You know, just in case the rest of the resort isn't relaxing enough.