Map of developments on the West Coast of Sal
Between the Santa Maria-Espargos Highway and Algodoeiro Bay
Most of the land between the Highway out of Santa Maria towards Espargos has been allocated for tourist development and sold to Cape Verdean or Italian owners, sometimes working with British, Irish or other developers. The two largest plots are called Cotton Bay and Vila Verde which reach back to the Highway. Smaller plots are Dunas Beach, Tortuga Beach and Paradise Beach which start close to the wasteland which leads down to Algodoeiro Beach itself. This is one of the best sites in Cape Verde, being relatively close to the main tourist town Santa Maria, yet having an open outlook on the Ocean to the West for vivid sunsets.
The Riu hotel built a couple of miles out into the desert and once isolated, now has a lot of construction right in front of it. This will eventually be Esmeralda Beach ( not on the beach at all and formerly called Ponta Preta) and Cabonuba. Eventually development will stretch along this coast as far as the existing development on Murdeira Bay and then right on around to Monte Leao near the airport. In the other direction, the gaps will be filled in and development will stretch right back to the site of the Riu hotel.