Location Boavista is the most eastern island of the Archipelago, and quite near to the African continent. It has a surface of 620 km2 and is pentagonal in shape with its longest distance, from North to South of 31 km, and 29 km from West to East. lt is made of sedimentary rocks and is basically flat except for the volcanic formations in Rabil and Fundo das Figueiras. Pico d'Estancia at 390 meters is the highest point of the island. Among the typical vegetation of the island is the date palm a kind of a palm tree with three or six branches coming out of the same base. The island is covered with sand dunes, which give it lunar scenery, and it has 55 km of beautiful white sand beaches and emerald green water. All these characteristics make Boa Vista an excellent tourist attraction.
It was discovered on the 3rd of May, 1480, after the islands of Maio, Santiago and Fogo, and was first named S.Cristovão. The name Boa Vista has its origin in the exclamation "Captain, good sight (boa vista)", instead of the traditional "Land at sight", due to the joy of a sailor in the dormer window of a sailing vessel which faced a fearful tempest. Initially dependent on one of the ports under the command of a captain in the island of Santiago, the occupancy of that island started in 1497, when it was given to Captain Rodrigo Afonso for the raising of cattle in the hands of a small number of shepherds. Its adult population began in 1620.
Tourist information about another destination in Cape Verde Islands