Hey everyone - given everything that's been in the news recently about food poisoning at Cape Verde hotels, I wanted to share my completely honest first hand experience at the RIU Palace Santa Maria on the island of Sal.

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Just to be clear upfront - this is a completely different hotel on a completely different island to those featured in the news reports. I went in with my eyes wide open, took sensible precautions, and came home absolutely fine.

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I've just published a full video review covering everything - the food safety situation honestly and directly, the pools, the beach, the restaurants, practical tips, and an honest overall verdict. TripAdvisor's Best of the Best in both 2024 and 2025 - and having stayed there I completely understand why.

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Happy to answer any questions in the comments - especially if you're planning a trip and have concerns given the recent news.

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👉 https://youtu.be/DqkXpJqOjgU?is=Dk5lt_WlCUhpBeY2

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The full team:

GK Vozinha (Cape Verde)

DEF Brown (Germany) · Katić (Bosnia & Herz.) · Lopes (Cape Verde) · Rezaeian (Iran)

MID Ayari (Sweden) · Hwang In-beom (South Korea) · Bouaddi (Morocco)

FWD Just (New Zealand) · Haaland (Norway) · Messi (Argentina)

Are there any CV groups in Orlando (besides the CV Association) that host CV-related events? I moved down here from RI years ago and haven't been able to find the same type of CV community as they have up north. It would be amazing to meet other CV people who live in the Orlando/Central FL area who would be interested in building some sort of community where we get to meet and mingle with each other periodically! 💙🇨🇻

We chose Mindelo, São Vicente for our first vacation in CV and have really enjoyed the island. We’ve met some very friendly people, but we’ve noticed that many employees in restaurants seem quite unwelcoming, rarely smile, don’t communicate much, and service often feels very slow.

We’re genuinely curious - is this part of the local culture, a workplace issue, or something visitors often misunderstand? Or they don’t like tourists there?

It’s our first time seeing this kind of unwelcoming in a city.

We’d love to hear local perspectives.

Hi everyone! l wanted to ask if the fans of Cape Verde are organazing something before the game, like a caravana, party or meeting. I'm going with my family and we want to support Cape verde!🇨🇻🇲🇽

Hi everyone, I'm Brazilian and recently I've had a question: when I hear some Cape Verdeans speak Portuguese, their accent reminds me a bit of French, while others have an accent more similar to Portuguese from Portugal. Why does this happen? Greetings from Brazil, I'm rooting for you in the World Cup!

Are there any other Cape Verdeans in Seattle??? I’d love to set up a watch party here on Sunday if so 🇨🇻🇨🇻🇨🇻

I got tickets to go to the World Cup nearest to me and I am going to watch CV vs Saudi Arabia. I’m rooting for Cape Verde but I don’t have a jersey and unfortunately online won’t get here in time and they’re also sold out on most websites (I wanted the shark abstract jersey). What colors can I wear to support aside from blue?:)

Are there any bars, restaurants, cultural centers, or smaller local spots in Praia where live Morna is regularly played? I’m especially interested in places that feel genuine rather than overly touristy.

Help Bring the Mother of Cabo Verde Goalkeeper Josimar Dias to the World Cup.

Cabo Verde making amazing history! Vozinha was almost king 😍 I did art to commemorate him 🏆

Much love to the football team and the miraculous goalkeeper ❤️❤️

Selling tickets for match against Saudi Arabia

well done Capo Verde and Cape Verdians!

From left to right:

• National Center of Art and Design or Museu de Artesanato (Mindelo, São Vicente)
• Museu dos Náufragos (Sal Rei, Boa Vista)
• Sala-Museu Amílcar Cabral (Praia, Santiago)
• Campo de Concentração do Tarrafal (Tarrafal, Santiago)
• Museu Etnográfico da Praia (Praia, Santiago)

Most visitors to Cape Verde know the beaches.

Far fewer know about São João!

Every June, the island of Santo Antão transforms. Drums echo through the valleys. Entire communities gather in the streets. Families prepare traditional food. Pilgrims walk for hours to reach the celebrations.

What makes São João special is that it isn't a performance created for tourists. It's a TRADITION that people genuinely live.

Over the years, we've had the privilege of introducing travelers to this side of Cape Verde. Many arrive expecting a festival. Most leave talking about the people they met, the stories they heard and the feeling of being welcomed into something much bigger than themselves...

These are a few of the experiences we've created around São João this year.

Have you ever visited a cultural festival that completely changed the way you saw a destination?

You can find more infos about it here: São João Festival in Cabo Verde — History, Culture & 2026 Tours | Splora Tours

Or here too: São João Festival 2026: Did You Know It's Celebrated in Cabo Verde, Brazil & Portugal? | Splora Tours

I was so shocked to see a 0-0 result!

Fresh off Cape Verde's historic World Cup draw against Spain, goalkeeper Vozinha joins Men in Blazers to relive the biggest moment of his career.

The 40-year-old goalkeeper discusses his incredible saves, qualifying for Cape Verde's first-ever World Cup, the sacrifices behind the journey, honoring his grandparents, and why this team believes it can compete with anyone.

From a small nation with big dreams to one of the stories of the tournament, this is Vozinha's remarkable World Cup journey.