Picolo recommends · Hotel in Boa Vista, Cape Verde
Riu Palace Boavista
A grand resort on an empty stretch of Atlantic coast, where you can swim to the bar and the nearest neighbour is the wind.
There is nothing else on this part of the shore, just the resort, the sand and the Atlantic coming in. Riu Palace Boavista is the comfortable kind of remote: several pools, two of them with bars you can swim up to, a spa and four restaurants, with everything included.
In the evening the resort puts on concerts and shows, which helps, because there is no town to walk to. By day the long, open beach is made for walking for hours, and windsurfers and surfers make good use of the steady wind.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Riu Palace Boavista
We chose it for couples and families who want high standards and a big, well-run resort, and who are happy to stay put. It delivers real comfort on an island with few towns to distract you, and the beach in front is long and quiet.
Isolation cuts both ways. Leaving the resort means booking an excursion, whether to the Viana desert or the island's villages, and evenings out are not an option. The open beach also catches the full force of the wind.
What you get
- Several pools, two with swim-up bars
- Spa
- Four restaurants, all included
- Good conditions for windsurfing and surfing
- Long, open beach
A day at Riu Palace Boavista
- Morning
- A long walk on the empty beach before breakfast.
- Midday
- A booked trip to the sand dunes of the Viana desert.
- Afternoon
- A drink at the swim-up bar without leaving the water.
- Evening
- A concert or show at the resort after dinner.
Location
Boa Vista, Cape Verde
Open in MapsQuestions about Riu Palace Boavista
Does Riu Palace Boavista have a swim-up bar?
Yes, two. Among the resort's several pools are two with bars you can swim up to, alongside a spa and four restaurants included in the price.
Is Riu Palace Boavista isolated?
Yes. It stands alone on a long beach with no town within walking distance. Trips to the Viana desert or the island's villages need to be booked as excursions.
Is there entertainment at Riu Palace Boavista?
Yes, there are concerts and shows in the evenings, which matters at a resort where most guests stay on site after dark.
Other hotels nearby
Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
Our editors pick every hotel themselves, and most of them we have stayed at. No hotel can pay to be included or ranked higher. When you book through our links, Hotels.com pays Picolo a small commission. It never changes the price you pay, and it never decides what we write.
