Cape Verde: From shipping stop to island paradise

Described as the "hidden Caribbean" by a travel specialist, Cape Verde still has many of the hallmarks of a well-kept global secret. The clutch of islands and islets in the Atlantic are rich in environmental beauty, sit amid clear seas and yet are still only five hours from the UK by air.

Lonely Planet author David Else said Cape Verde had only begun to be noticed within the last five or ten years.

"What people are discovering is a set of islands which is as near as Gambia but offer a mix of Portuguese, African and Brazilian style atmosphere," he added.

"The most popular attractions are the beaches, long clean beautiful and warm beaches. It's been described as the hidden Caribbean."

However, it is more than just the stunning scenery, culture and lifestyle which are beginning to attract global tourists and business investors - the economy is taking leaps and bounds, which could suggest those who want to put their money on a winner should seriously consider taking a closer look.

The archipelago was colonised in 1460 by Portuguese settlers, who founded Ribeira Grande - now known as Cidade Velha - on Santiago, the main island of the ten major ones.

During its fascinating history it has been sacked by Sir Francis Drake (1585) and the French (1712), became a major commercial centre thanks to its position in the sea and finally became independent as late as 1975.

It was partially due to the efforts of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde that independence was achieved and in the two decades since then, political stability and the economy have both improved.

Earlier this year it became a member of the World Trade Organisation after almost nine years of negotiations - revealing how hard the government has worked to improve standards right across the board.

Robert Medd, co-owner and sales director of Emerging Real Estate, said: "It will create massive stability and will also be very, very positive for anybody looking to buy over there."

In addition, the United Nations graduated Cape Verde from its category of Least Developed Countries in 2007. This is only the second time this has ever happened in a country's history.

One driver of this move is the property market, which has been described by a foreign investment company as offering competitive prices.

Shelter Offshore said this made Cape Verde attractive to a broad range of buyers.

Commenting on a recent survey by Property Abroad, which revealed Cape Verde is now one of the ten most popular destinations for new buyers, the website said its property market offered "exceptionally good value for money".

And that is without taking the benefits of the environment, activities, culture and climate into account.

This article has been brought to you by Sambala developments: The developer for Cape Verde property.

This article has been brought to you be Sambala; the developer for Cape Verde Property.

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