When I said to people that I was going to Cape Verde, the reaction was more or less universal - a knowing nod followed by a slight pause, followed in turn by a hesitant: "Great! Um - where is that exactly?"

So, for those who are still slightly unsure, this isolated series of specks in the Atlantic ocean lie approximately 570 miles south of the Canary Islands and 280 miles off the bulge that is Senegal in West Africa.

As you gaze out westwards across the ocean, it's a sobering thought that nothing stands between you and Brazil a couple of thousand miles away. Or, put another way, even nowhere is miles from here.

The Germans, Italians and Portuguese have long frequented this archipelago, particularly the largest island of Sal, because of its airport and concentration of international hotels.

But they've kept this particular slice of paradise under their sunhats for long enough and in the last few months, direct charter flights have started taking Brits there in just under six hours from Gatwick.

Manchester departures are scheduled to commence this autumn too.

When my plane circled before landing, I admit to a feeling of sheer surprise at the sight from the window.

In the beginning, the islands were obviously sufficiently green (verde) to warrant naming them thus, but the sight before me was featureless, lunar-like.

Arid, barren Sal, with no valleys or vegetation except the odd straggly palm tree, is no beauty queen holiday destination. The main attractions here are the laid back lifestyle, vibrant creole culture, steady 25C (77F) year-round temperature, together with great big, proper talcum powder-soft sand beaches.

Big enough in fact that yours will probably be the only footprints in the sand.

No jet lag - there is only a one-hour time difference. No nasty anti-malaria pills either. No stress.

Though the sun never takes a day off, the almost constant breeze takes the edge off the heat. However, visitors would do well to remember to slather on the suncream if they don't want to go home looking like a boiled lobster.

Our base for the duration of the holiday was the relatively recent newcomer to the island, the huge Club Hotel Riu Garopa, built to resemble a stunning low-rise Moroccan casbah and absolutely in keeping with its surroundings.

Popular with families, the price includes all meals - all of which were first class - drinks, activities galore and colourful, lively evening entertainment, which usually takes the form of singing and dancing, performed exuberantly - no less - by the hotel staff (imagine that happening at say, a Hilton in Milton Keynes).

The charismatic townlet of Santa Maria is the main holiday resort and was within walking distance - 1.5km - of my hotel.

I discovered that after dusk Santa Maria lets her hair down with gypsy abandon. Rainbow-coloured cafes and bars spring alive with traditional guitar-based Cape Verdean morna music.

The islands have a musical tradition all their own: a sizzling samba/salsa mix with a quaver-full of tribal African thrown in for good measure. Utterly captivating.

Tourism has yet to make a substantial impact on the islanders' drowsy way of life and for now, most visitors to Cape Verde seem to like it that way, falling mostly into the retired category.

They come to relax, loll and stroll in the sunshine rather than live it up in 'happening' nightclubs (not that there are any of course).

If you decide to hire a car, beware the potholed roads that wind round the islands -- they can be a real challenge, particularly as you won't find any signposts either. But thankfully the island is small enough to ensure you won't get lost.

The food in Cape Verde is an exotic mixture of African, Brazilian and Portuguese and if you like seafood, then you will be in seventh heaven.

Tuck into juicy giant prawns, charcoal grilled lobster and the fresh fish catches of the day.

National specialities are pastel com diablo' (pastry with the devil inside), a mix of tuna, onions and tomatoes in light pastry and cachupa', a wholesomely hearty dish which comes in two varieties: Poor man's cachupa' is made from boiled maize, cassava, beans, herbs and sweet potato, while rich man's cachupa' is the same with the addition of chicken or meat.

On Sal - so laid back it is almost horizontal - life has trickled along at pretty much the same pace for centuries. Sightseeing here doesn't take long. However, we made time to visit the must-sees': the port of Palmeira; the Buracona natural swimming pool encased in a jumble of black lava rock and speckled with underwater grottoes and the Pedra de Lume saltpans in the extinct volcano crater in variegated shades of blue, pink and green.

This is where you have the almost surreal experience of seeing bathers floating like corks on the surface of the water.

Don't miss a visit to the local markets which have a distinct, vibrant African flavour. Popular buys are coconut shells carved locally, pottery, lacework and basketry.

The islands of Cabo Verde' as they are referred to locally, are all deliciously different. Island hopping, using a combination of local ferries and inter-island flights is popular with locals and tourists alike. One day I tore myself away from this small smudge of desert island tranquillity to take a mini-cruise to neighbouring Boavista, a photographer's paradise island of coconut and date palms.

Day trips are also available by catamaran or you can hop off for the day on a 16 seat, inter-island aircraft to some of the archipelago's other islands.

You may be lucky and spot a giant gecko, one of Cape Verde's fifteen species of lizards; black-winged stilts - birds with supermodel-length red legs - or the endangered Dragon Tree.

Fogo, the volcanic island of eucalyptus woods which grows coffee and vines is a great place for walkers, while Santiago, most African of all the islands, is a birdwatcher's paradise.

São Vicente with its lively capital of Mindelo, is famous for its artists, writers and exuberant annual festivals, while tiny Brava is the most secret of all the islands and the hardest to get to.