Cabo Verde travel guide
Cabo Verde is an archipelago of ten volcanic islands in the Atlantic, off the coast of West Africa. The islands vary widely, from the flat, sandy beach islands of Sal and Boa Vista to the green mountains of Santo Antão and the active volcano on Fogo. Its music, especially morna, is famous worldwide. It suits beach holidays, hikers and travellers interested in Creole culture.
Places worth the trip
Sal
The island with the main international airport and the beach town of Santa Maria, known for its long sandy beach and good conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing. At Pedra de Lume, visitors can float in salt pools inside an old volcanic crater.
Boa Vista
An island of sand dunes and long, empty beaches, where loggerhead turtles come ashore to nest in summer. The Viana Desert looks more like the Sahara than an Atlantic island.
Santo Antão
The best island for hiking, with deep green valleys, terraced fields and cliff-edge paths, such as those in the Paul valley and around the Cova crater.
Fogo
Dominated by Pico do Fogo, the country's highest peak and an active volcano. People live and grow grapes in Chã das Caldeiras, inside the old crater, and the climb to the summit is a tough but rewarding hike.
Mindelo, São Vicente
A port town with colonial buildings and a strong music scene, birthplace of the singer Cesária Évora. Its Carnival, in February or March, is the liveliest in the country.
Cidade Velha, Santiago
The first European colonial town in the tropics, founded in the fifteenth century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a fortress, the ruins of a cathedral and a stone pillory in the square.
Tarrafal, Santiago
A sheltered bay with a sandy beach at the northern end of Santiago, reached by a scenic road through the mountains from Praia.
Interesting facts about Cabo Verde
- The islands were uninhabited when Portuguese navigators arrived in the fifteenth century.
- Morna, the melancholy song style made famous by Cesária Évora, is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
- More people of Cape Verdean descent are thought to live abroad than on the islands themselves.
- Pico do Fogo last erupted in 2014 to 2015, and lava flows destroyed villages in the crater.
- Cabo Verde asked in 2013 that its name no longer be translated, so 'Cabo Verde' is used in English as well as Portuguese.
Best time to visit Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde is warm and dry for much of the year. November to June is the most popular period, with steady winds ideal for kitesurfing from about December to March. The short rainy season from about August to October brings occasional heavy showers and makes the mountainous islands greener. Loggerhead turtles nest on Sal and Boa Vista from about July to October.
Getting around
Inter-island flights and ferries connect the islands, but timetables can change, so plan connections with some flexibility. Ferries between São Vicente and Santo Antão run daily. On the islands, aluguers (shared minibuses) are the cheap way to get around, while taxis and organised tours are common on Sal and Boa Vista. Car hire is possible on most islands.
Practical details
- Capital
- Praia
- Currency
- Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 132 police, 130 ambulance, 131 fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not obligatory, but around 10 per cent in restaurants is appreciated. Tip guides and drivers for good service.
Staying online in Cabo Verde
Mobile coverage is good in the towns and on the main roads of the larger islands, with 4G widely available. It becomes patchy in remote valleys on Santo Antão, on high ground on Fogo and in the interior of Boa Vista. Wi-Fi is common in hotels and resorts, and many cafés offer it. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
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Useful apps
- Google Maps: Driving directions and offline maps for hiking on Santo Antão and Fogo.
- Windy: Wind and wave forecasts, essential for kitesurfers, windsurfers and ferry travellers.
- WhatsApp: Used by guesthouses, aluguer drivers and tour operators for bookings.
- XE Currency: Convert escudos, which are pegged to the euro.
Cabo Verde travel FAQs
Sal and Boa Vista are best for beaches. Santo Antão and Fogo are best for hiking, and São Vicente for music and nightlife. Many visitors combine a beach island with one of the mountainous ones.
Yes. Modern phones work on local networks, and coverage is good in towns. A travel eSIM gives you data from arrival without depending on your home plan's roaming rates.
Euros are accepted in many tourist businesses, especially on Sal and Boa Vista, but change is given in escudos. Local currency is better for buses, markets and smaller islands.
Portuguese is the official language, and Cape Verdean Creole is the everyday language. English, French and Italian are spoken in many tourist areas.