Sotavento (Leeward)

Maio

Untouched beaches and calm — the island of doing nothing, beautifully.

Area
269 km²
Main town
Vila do Maio (Porto Inglês)
Known for
Peace & beaches
Maio
Maio

Photo: Cayambe, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons

A laid-back island with few tourists. Its charms are colorful houses, narrow cobbled lanes, and deserted white-sand beaches. A former salt producer, it has a beautiful contrast of dry land and sea. A hideaway for those who simply want peace and quiet.

Highlights

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Quiet beaches

Long stretches of near-empty white sand, far from the crowds.

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Simple towns

Colorful houses and cobbled lanes in a relaxed setting.

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Birds & nature

Salt pans and dry plains rich in birdlife.

🗺️See location on map