A Portuguese-speaking democracy of ten mostly arid volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa, Cabo Verde has leveraged its sun, surf, and beaches into a growing tourism industry, spawning various resorts popular with Europeans. But it also has a surprisingly rich culture, especially literary and musical (the latter exemplified by the late great Cesária Évora). There’s good birding, too, with several endemic species, and historic sites including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cidade Velha.

Cover photo: PxHere