Traveling to Cape Verde: Everything you need to know

A wonderful country. An archipelago with several islands to discover

Wonderful beaches, fantastic people and interesting places to see. Discover Cape Verde, a small paradise archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cape Verde: your tourist destination

A place you will love

Cape Verde is a dream country. It is an archipelago of volcanic origin, with several islands, each with unique characteristics. A country full of feeling, with fantastic colors and smells that, as a result of its history – desert islands that were populated – brings together influences from different countries, whether African, European or American, observable in its population, customs and culture.

Why visit Cape Verde?

There are several reasons to visit Cape Verde. These are just a few:

• Wonderful beaches

Travelers are often attracted by the wonderful beaches that can be found throughout the archipelago, some of which are white sand and internationally classified as some of the best in the world. If all islands have wonderful beaches, three stand out in this area: Boa Vista, Sal and Maio.

• Fantastic Flavors

Are you a fish lover? In Cape Verde you can find some of the tastiest fish on the planet What makes them so special? The fact that they come directly from the sea to your table.

Grilled fish, a cachupa, in front of the sea or with a volcanic mountain backdrop, while enjoying a good wine or exotic fruit juice, will delight you.

• One of the best places in the world to relax

Morabeza is a term used to describe the hospitality that exists in Cape Verde, where time seems to stand still. This is how it feels, especially for those who, coming from a hectic place where everything is done in a hurry, decide to travel to certain places in Cape Verde, where everything is calmer. The very environment, warm and insular, with a nearby beach, is an incentive to happiness.

• wonderful weather

A The average atmospheric temperature is fantastic, with few oscillations throughout the year. The same can be said of the water temperature. This gives you 365 days to enjoy this wonderful beach environment.

• Different Islands, different experiences

Although, at first glance, it seems that all the islands are similar, a more careful observation allows us to realize that they all have unique characteristics. Therefore, knowing more than one island can prove to be even more enriching.

Features

• Geography

Located near the African Coast, this archipelago is made up of 10 islands, 9 of which are inhabited. To the north, we find the Barlavento islands, such as Santo Antão, São Vicente and Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, and some islets located close to these islands.

Cape Verdean Sotavento includes islands such as Maio, Santiago, Fogo e Brava and some islets located close to these islands.

• What are the differences between the islands?

Each of its islands has characteristics that differentiate them. Sal, and Boa Vista, are the best known for beach tourism, thanks to their white sand beaches, brought by air from the Sahara desert. Maio, although less known, is also an excellent island for the beach, with truly paradisiacal places.

The islands further to the northwest, such as Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau and Brava, are places whose climates are more conducive to agricultural activity. São Vicente is still the cultural capital of the archipelago.

Further south we have the Ilha do Fogo, known mainly for its active volcano, and the fertility that it brings to its lands and the Ilha de Santiago, where the administrative capital of the country is located, and where most of the population of the country lives. archipelago.

• what is the weather like in cape verde

With a relatively small temperature variation during the year, Cape Verde is a destination that can be visited at any time. Its climate is tropical dry, with little rain during the year, in most of the islands, and temperatures around 20ºC to 25ºC.

At certain times of the year, there are colder winds, originating in the Sahara desert, which bring the white sand that can be found on some islands of the archipelago, especially those that are closer to the African continent, such as Sal and Boa Vista.

• How to travel to Cape Verde?

Everything will depend on the part of the world you are in and your destination island. If you want to travel to Cape Verde, there are several tour operators that fly directly to the country, from Europe, North and South America and Africa. Most of these flights are destined for the islands of Sal and Boavista (due to their tourist importance) and Santiago (administrative capital of the country). Although São Vicente also has an international airport, the three previous ones have more flights from abroad.

International Airports in Cape Verde

• Amílcar Cabral Airport (Sal Island)
• Nelson Mandela International Airport (Santiago Island)
• Aristides Pereira International Airport (Boa Vista Island)
• Cesária Évora International Airport (Sao Vicente Island)

• Do I need a visa?

It depends: for short stays it may not be necessary, depending on the agreements with your country of origin. For stays longer than 30 days, most citizens of other countries will need a visa to enter. To understand the need to obtain it and place your order, you can find out at https://travel.gov.cv/ or, if you still have questions, you should contact the nearest embassy or consulate.

• Is it possible to visit more than one island?

Travel between islands can be done in two ways: by air or by sea. However, compliance with the boat schedules in Cape Verde has some problems, being canceled many times. Most of the islands can be reached by plane, as they have airports or airfields. In those that do not, only by boat.

• How is life in Cape Verde?

With the motto on stress, life in Cape Verde is, in general, serene. People are relaxed, and the heat invites you to smile and enjoy life and the company of others.

The country’s main economic sectors are the economy of the sea, tourism, and renewable energies. Cape Verde is one of the most democratic countries in Africa, one of those with the highest average life expectancy, and access to health care and education.

• what is the weather like in cape verde

With a relatively small temperature variation during the year, Cape Verde is a destination that can be visited at any time. Its climate is tropical dry, with little rain during the year, in most of the islands, and temperatures around 20ºC to 25ºC.

At certain times, there are colder winds, originating in the Sahara Desert, which bring the white sand that can be found on some islands of the archipelago, especially those that are closer to the African continent, such as Sal and Boa Vista.

• What money do I need in Cape Verde?

The money you need for shopping in Cape Verde is the local currency (Escudos Cabo Verdenos – CVE). In some places they also accept Euros (EUR) but you will always lose some money on the exchange.

You can obtain Cape Verde Escudos at banks or exchange offices. You can also withdraw cash or exchange at the hotel, but normally the associated commissions will be higher. The best thing is to understand where they offer you the best exchange rate and exchange.

• Do I have to get vaccines to go to Cape Verde?

To travel to Cape Verde, since the appearance of Covid, there are some rules, such as having a vaccination certificate or a negative test, in the last few hours. As the rules change, it is advisable to see this information directly In addition, some countries recommend taking vaccines or carrying out another type of prophylaxis before going to Cape Verde, such as Zika, malaria, or tuberculosis, especially in groups such as children Although the incidence of these diseases is not high in Cape Verde, compared to other African countries, the recommendation or obligation is a preventive measure against possible outbreaks that may arise. You should seek advice on the need and which vaccines to take at the Traveler’s Consultation or similar.

Advice for travelers

• Hydrate often
• Have light clothes, but take a warmer one, for colder days
• Always try to be contactable (if you need any help)
• Going out with a guide or accompanied when you don’t know the locals (despite the fact that in general Cape Verde is a safe country)
• Do not forget to take sunscreen, hat and clothes to protect you from the sun, when it is more intense.
• Use repellent (be careful with using it with children – get more information at the traveler’s consultation), in areas where there are mosquitoes and sleep with a mosquito net.
• Have a basic first aid kit

Insurance, transport and healthcare

• Transport in Cape Verde?

It is possible, through the existing public transport network on some of the islands, to reach different points of interest, although in some cases it may be necessary to wait for their availability and be subject to limited timetables. An alternative is hiaces or rentals (9-seat vans that work as collective taxis) or the taxi itself.

Another way to travel is to hire your own means of transport, in one of the many rent-a-cars throughout the archipelago. Whether you choose a car, jeep, pickup or quad, you should consider having a 4×4, especially if you are traveling inland or with sandy roads (frequent in some areas of the country).

• Health services?

Useful Numbers

Hospital – 130