Sal has miles of beautiful, unspoilt coastIn fact, the only glimmer of recognition came from football fans and music buffs (the islands are the homeland of Manchester United winger Nani and the late world-music star Cesaria Evora, the "Barefoot Diva").
Made up of 10 main islands, scatered 500km of the coast of Senegal, this former Portuguese colony clearly still suffers profile problems.
To those who grace their miles of creamy-white beaches, enjoy a dip in their clear emerald waters and lap up year-round sunshine, they are smugly regarded as a very well-kept secret - the Canary Islands meets the Caribbean.
To those who grace their miles of creamy-white beaches, enjoy a dip in their clear emerald waters and lap up year-round sunshine, they are smugly regarded as a very well-kept secret - the Canary Islands meets the Caribbean.
Attracting the most visitors are the islands of Boa Vista and Sal, which benefit from chic new hotels. The fight duration is just six hours from London and, with a time diference of an hour, jet lag isn't an issue.
We were based on Sal, which, as well as a beach lovers' paradise, is a hot spot for sporty types, being one of the top fve wind and kite surfng locations in the world.
Kite Beach, a beautiful wind-swept stretch of coastline, is one of the best spots to enjoy the show, the blue sky dancing with prety coloured kites, their owners leaping high above the waves performing daring stunts.
Our week-long break didn't quite give us enough time to learn the ropes ourselves, but with the water simply too inviting to resist, we decided to try a spot of snorkelling instead.
We signed up for a group excursion and spent an afternoon at Vienna Reef, where we spotted a colourful array of fish and fauna.
At certain times of the year, it is also possible to see dolphins, whales and manta rays. If you want to get close to some of Cape Verde's fnest underwater species, pay a visit to the Turtle SOS sanctuary, where you can learn all about the loggerhead species and watch newborns released into the ocean.
The third most important nesting area for loggerheads in the world, the team at Turtle SOS patrol the nesting areas nightly to deter hunters.
Of course, the marine life and watersports are only part of Sal's appeal. A short taxi ride on from Turtle SOS is the pretty south coast town of Santa Maria, the second largest on the island after the capital, Espargos.
Cape Verde is popular with windsurfersEnsconced along a beautiful, five-mile long beach, it boasts an array of shops, bars and restaurants. Our favourite place for a cool drink was Angulo's, owned by world champion kite surfer Josh Angulo, while we loved Odjo d'Agua, at the southernmost end of the shore, for fresh seafood.
We also paid a visit to the Pedra Lume salt mines - from which Sal takes its name - dramatically situated inside the mouth of a long extinct volcano.
Historically one of Sal's primary trades, the mines are now mostly inactive and the large salt lake has been opened to tourists who fancy taking a dip. The lake's saliency level is on a par with the Dead Sea, and, bobbing weightlessly, we slathered ourselves in the mineral-rich orange clay on the lake's bed, laughing at our "just been Tangoed" appearances.
It wasn't to be the last time we were covered in orange grime that week. The following day's quad biking tour of the island was a messy business. This adrenaline-fuelled, two-hour guided excursion is one of the best ways of appreciating Sal's landscape.
Parched, rich red and rugged, it feels like racing over the surface of Mars.
Navigating unmade tracks and sand dunes, my partner and I quickly became coated in sand and dirt as we followed our guide steadily higher to a rocky lookout point with stunning panoramic views.
Gazing over the island, I wondered, not for the first time, how this little gem of a destination had remained so far off the well-worn tourist trail.
And while Sal and its sister islands will undoubtedly change dramatically in the years to come, for now its blissfully empty beaches and unspoilt natural beauty are happily all mine.
Way to go
Kirsty travelled with independent specialist The Cape Verde Experience which offers six out of the 10 Cape Verde islands within its programme, plus a selection of hotels on the island of Sal.
The tour operator can arrange single island, twin-centre or island-hopping holidays, with flights from Gatwick, Manchester or Birmingham. Call The Cape Verde Experience on 0845 330 2071 or visit www.capeverde.co.uk.
Ten things you must do in Cape Verde
1) Go island hopping. Nearby Boa Vista has beautiful white-sand beaches, while Sao Vicente is home to musicians and writers.
2) Experience the beautiful marine life by going diving.
3) Take a quad-biking tour of Sal, to experience its rugged natural landscape.
4) Get active with a spot of wind and kite surfing - or, if you're feeling lazy, relax on Kite Beach and watch the experts.
5) Try a spa day with a difference. Sal's mineralrich Pedra Lume salt lake is the perfect place to rejuvenate sun-parched skin.
6) Visit Turtle SOS. Sponsor a turtle, and you can release it into the wild.
7) Book a whale-watching excursion between May and September.
8) Barter for fresh fish on the pier at Santa Maria.
9) Chill out with a good book on one of Sal's gorgeous beaches.
10) Watch the sun set with a chilled cocktail in hand.
