THE WILD BLUE YONDER

EDWARD SYERS VISITS CAPE VERDE AND FINDS PURE SKIES, SHORES AND SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE

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THE words 'Santa Monica beach' conjure up visions of the California city's famous pier, games of volleyball, colourful lifeguard huts and roller skating couples in the California sunshine.

The Santa Monica beach I'm on couldn't be more different.

This one is at the south of Boa Vista island in Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, you wouldn't get far on a pair of skates. The sand is soft, the landscape dramatic, and it's only accessible in a 4x4. But don't worry, at least there's a beach bar.

Named after that famous stretch of US coastline, this beach was listed among the world's most beautiful in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards only a few years ago, yet it still feels undiscovered.

In a way, it's fitting. Boa Vista itself is often overlooked in favour of Sal, an island to the north that takes in the majority of Cape Verde’s holidaymakers. We have the beach to ourselves, but at times it feels like this whole island is ours.

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.