Practical information

To fully enjoy your holiday to the Cape Verde Islands a good preparation is important. On this page you will find practical travel information for a stay on Cape Verde. Read carefully and be well prepared for your journey.

• Weather: there is a subtropical climate with an average temperature between 25 and 30 degrees.
• Flight duration: the flight time to Cape Verde is approximately 6 hours from London or Amsterdam.
• Time difference: It is two hours earlier compared to Central European Time, during summer time the time difference is three hours.
• Language: Portuguese
• Other languages: English, French, The Cape Verdean Creole.
• Vaccination: vaccinations are not required as far as known. A number of vaccinations such as a DTP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, polio) are recommended. Always consult a doctor or GHS whether a vaccination is needed.
• Currency: Escudo (CVE) is the currency in Cape Verde and it follows the exchange rate of the euro. For € 1 you get approximately 110 CVE. The Euro is for daily payments generally accepted, prizes are often shown in Euro’s. Cape Verdean Escudos cannot be changed. Take care returning home you do not have too many Escudos left.
• ATM: these are sufficiently present, usually to found close to the bank. Credit cards are accepted by the big hotels and restaurants.
• Consumer prices: the price level in Cape Verde is much lower compared to Europe or the United States.
• Passport: you need a valid passport upon arrival in Cape Verde which is at least six months valid.
• Visa: a tourist visa is required unless you come from one of the visa-exempt countries, which are mostly in Africa and European Union. A visa can be acquired at the consulate. It is easier and faster to obtain the visa upon arrival at one of the airports in Cape Verde.
• Driving license: most foreign driving licenses are accepted, however to avoid any problems and international driving permit (IDP) can be use usefull. Do you want to rent a car? There are several car rental companies.
• International airports: international airports are Amilcar Cabral International Airport (SID) on the island of Sal and Rabil Airport (BVC) on the island of Boa Vista.
• National airports: Maio Airport (MMO) on Maio, San Pedro (VXE) on Sao Vicente, Praia (RAI) in Santiago, Preguica (SNE) in Sao Nicolau, Maio on the island of Maio (MMO), Sao Filipe ( SFL) on Fogo, Santo Antao (NTO) on the island of Sao Antao. Between many of the islands there are flight connections available, conducted by the national airline.
• Electricity: 220-230 volts.
• Internet: in most accommodations there is a (free) WiFi connection. It is often also possible in many restaurants and bars to go to the Web using your phone. It is very convenient that at central places in villages, for example the central square, the government had provided free WiFi. You will come across many Cape Verdeans who are here on the internet via their phone. And when you are at the airport, you also can connect via free Wifi.
• Telephone: the country code of the phone is +238. Mobile phone is possible via various telephone providers. Also, access to the internet is almost possible everywhere.Using a prepaid SIM card is a cheap alternative for making calls or using mobile internet.
• Drinking water: tap water is not suitable to drink, use only water to drink from closed bottles. Be careful with drinks containing ice cubes or with ordinary ice.
• Consulate in Cape Verde: several consulates present in the capital Praia (Santiago).
• Travel advice: Cape Verde is a safe country to travel to. For advice from the government, see the page about travel advice Cape Verde.
• Shopping Hours: they follow the southern European business hours. Generally from 8:00AM to 20.00PM with a break for lunch. On Sundays and holidays, many shops are closed.
• Work: to work in Cape Verde you need in addition to a valid passport, a work permit and a (temporary) residence permit. The requirements vary and depend on your personal situation.