Maio is the island Cape Verde has kept for itself. While its neighbours welcome large resort complexes, it continues to live to the rhythm of fishermen, donkeys and salt pans. The ships that call here, still few in number, discover a disarmingly simple port of call, where everything revolves around a square, a fort and a pale shoreline.

Porto Inglês, Aptly Named

The stop is at Vila do Maio, which everyone here calls Porto Inglês, on the southwest coast. The name, "English port," recalls the era when British ships came to load the island's salt. Depending on conditions and the size of the ship, passengers disembark at the jetty or by tender; either way, the town opens up immediately, clustered around its church and its pastel-coloured houses. No terminal and no taxi line: a few drivers wait near the landing, and everything is settled with a handshake.

Maio's White Gold

Salt sustained the island for centuries, so much so that it was nicknamed white gold by those who made their fortune from it. On the outskirts of town lies the Porto Inglês salt flat, the largest in Cape Verde: shimmering ponds, white crusts, piles ready for harvest. The walk there is easy and the light is striking at the end of the day. Birdwatchers will find plenty to enjoy too, as migratory shorebirds stop over in these shallow waters throughout the seasons.

Fort, Church and Lighthouse

The heritage of the small island capital can be explored in a leisurely hour. The little Fort of São José, built to deter pirates who coveted the salt, still watches over the harbour from its promontory. The white, understated Igreja Matriz overlooks the main square, where locals gather in the shade. A lighthouse completes this maritime trio, a reminder of the island's long-standing ties to the Atlantic routes.

Beaches All to Yourself

On either side of town stretch long beaches of pale sand, often deserted on weekdays. The turquoise water invites a swim, while staying mindful of currents where there is no lifeguard. The sand often holds the only footprints of the morning: yours. Those wishing to venture farther can negotiate a taxi ride to the inland villages, where dunes, acacias and cornfields form a Sahel-like landscape that is unexpected in the middle of the ocean.

A Day in Slow Motion

You have to accept the local tempo to appreciate the stop. Shops open when they open, conversations take the time they take, and no one rushes anyone. This rhythm, puzzling at first, quickly becomes the main memory: you sit on a terrace with a coffee or a tamarind juice, watch the fishermen mend their nets, and exchange a few words of Creole picked up on the spot. Even the dogs in the square seem to have adopted this philosophy, stretched out in the shade with no intention of moving. Travellers chasing attractions will leave puzzled; those who know how to sit down will leave won over.

Practical Tips

• Bring cash: credit cards are rarely accepted in shops.
• Allow plenty of time to return on board, as transportation is limited.
• Bring a hat, water and sun protection: shade is scarce around the salt flats.

Once the lines are cast off, Vila do Maio goes back to its nets and salt ponds as if nothing had happened. Perhaps that is the discreet luxury of the place: a port of call that puts on no show, and that stays in your memory precisely for that reason.