Welcome to Maio, the Last Paradise

Observing a world map, The CAPE VERDE ISLANDS will appear as small specks about 500 km (250 miles) from Dakar, Senegal on Africa’s west coast. If you strain your vision even further at the southeastern corner you will see the tiny, heart-shaped island of Maio.

Maio belongs to the leeward group of islands located about 25 km east of Santiago (the capital), with a surface area of 269km2, longest point ((north-south) 24 km and the widest point (east-west) 16 km, the highest point is Monte Penoso, with an altitude of 436m.

In Portuguese Maio simply means May. It was on the first day of that month 1460 that the island was sighted by a Portuguese ship bound for West Africa. It was recorded that Maio had no human inhabitants at that time (Some will disagree).

why MAIO?

Maio had humble beginnings, but nothing is humble about the island’s uniqueness. Maio has all of the necessary ingredients to be the last paradise for tourists: long stretches of virgin, white sand beaches accenting a vivid blue sea and sky untouched by pollution (Maio has the second largest number of white sand beaches of the nine major islands (29.6 km)...mountain vistas, eternal dry summer-like climate cooled by, gentle trade winds, only a few days of rain a year (Maio has a perfect average means temperature of 75 (F) )...a small population (7500), the most friendly inhabitants found on this troubled planet… no racial disharmony...phone lines, internet connection, TV... best overall water system in the country, and a modern desalination and electrical plant…… land prices and home building costs fractional compared to world prices...10 minutes by air to the island’s capital (Praia), 2 1/2 hours by ferry…and the most important for investors, a tourist industry which has a huge potential but has barely begun.

INVESTING IN MAIO

Cape Verde has a tremendous tourist industry potential which will

greatly benefit the standards of living for the local inhabitants. The government has committed itself to this end, but it realizes however, it is a huge undertaking of which it has learned from Lanzarote of The Canary Islands (its nearby neighbor to the north). It is also aware that the large amount of capital needed can only be achieved by foreign involvement. With this in mind, laws have been implemented by way of tax elimination and reduction to encourage foreign investment.

IN SUMMARY:

Maio cannot escape tourism. the course is set and nothing can stop it…it’s scope can only be shepherded. Maio stands at the threshold of the 21st Century…a diamond in the rough which will dazzle even the most liberal prognostic. What the island r5equires at present is a steady, progressive growth with an eye on the future.. Maio needs investors and retirees and the financial stability they bring and tourism which is environmentally motivated.