Cape Verde with children

Cape Verdeans are known for their kindness and helpfulness. They love kids! This is not so strange as the population is relatively young. About 45% of the population is under 15 years of age. Cape Verde is a child-friendly country. There are several activities that you can do with your children to discover the archipelago in a nice way. For example, explore the wonderful world of the ocean around Cape Verde by making a nice boat trip. Or go spotting whales and turtles. In the next section we will give you some nice ideas that you can do with your children and family at Cape Verde.

Activities for children at Cape Verde

Biking / mountain biking
The islands of Sal and Boavista are flat and have good roads. You can explore a part of the island at your own tempo and stop wherever you want. And if you are sportive, bikes are available for children as well as adults.

Turtle spotting
There are a lot of turtles at the islands of Sal, Boavista and Maio. Cape Verde even belongs to the places in the world where the Caretta Caretta turtle is the most common. Between June and November, the turtles land go ashore. After about 60 days the baby turtles are born and they go to the sea. Via nature conservation organizations you can also watch the turtles with a guide close by.

Whale spotting
A magical experience is to spot whales at sea. The mammals are incredibly beautiful. Not only whale spotting is fun, the boat trip is already an experience. The best time to spot whales at Cape Verde is between late February and May. The minimum age for children is often from 6 years.

Beaches
The Cape Verde islands have lovely beautiful beaches where children can play all day long. Beaches are generally large and offer plenty of space. The fine sand is a nice challenge for children to make a sand castle. The sea is also lovely to splash in, but there may be rather high waves. These waves are fun for older children to play in, but always be careful. There are also smaller beaches where the waves are broken. Ideal for smaller children. Do your children want to swim in the blue sea? Ask on the spot for the best places at for that moment.

Sand dunes
There are many beautiful and high sand dunes on Sal, Boavista, Maio and partly on Sao Vicente. Here children can enjoy running down and play from them. A fun activity for the whole family  that you can combine with a beach walk.

Watersports
The Cape Verde islands are a an eldorado for water sports enthusiasts. Especially on the islands of Sal and Boavista you have many possibilities. Surfers, sailors, kite-sufers and kayakers can really  enjoy it fully. It belongs to the best surfing sites in the world. Lessons for children can also be followed at certified surf schools. You can even do the lessons together with your children. Not only you can enjoy being on the water, also underwater it is beautiful. You can snorkel wonderfully and for an older child diving is even an option. There are various tropical fishes underwater and there are also special old shipwrecks to be admired.

Natural swimming pools
Cape Verde has some fantastic natural swimming pools. You swim near the coast in quiet and sheltered basins of water. Super cool and a nice experience.

Horse riding
On different islands you can make beautiful rides on horseback. For example, on the long beaches of Boavista or  through the mountains of Santiago. For both young and old.

Shipwreck
Children can watch from nearby the Cabo de Santa Maria shipwreck on Boavista Island. Very exciting and impressive sight! In the area you can also swim, snorkel or simply enjoy the endless white sandy beaches.

Saltpans Pedra de Lume
Ever once driven on water? In Sal’s salt pans you can have this unforgettable experience. Due to the high salt content, you keep floating on the water. You can also smear yourself with the mud from this salt pan. The mud hould have a beneficial effect on the skin. In short, floating on the wonderful water is a fun activity for the whole family.

National nature areas
On Cape Verde are very beautiful natural areas. From desert with gorgeous oases to tropical green forests. With the children you can spot animals, take walks, sometimes swim and discover nature. Beautiful nature areas can be found on Santo Antao, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Boavista.

All-inclusive hotel for children

For some families, an all-inclusive resort with children’s facilities can be an solution. The biggest advantage is that you know in advance exactly what the cost of the holiday are. Moreover, the children can also enjoy themselves at these resorts. There are often various swimming pools, slides, (water-) sports activities and animation teams. Both for young and older children.

Tips for traveling with children

A holiday with your children, of course, you will not only book for your children. You want to enjoy yourself too. And with minimal care. Our main tips to keep in mind when you are going to travel with your children are:

• Own passport. It might be that your children must have their own valid passport when traveling. Make sure you apply this in time before your vacation.
• Insurance. Check in advance whether you have travel and health insurance for your children. You can often write your children on your existing insurance.
• Vaccinations. No mandatory vaccinations are required to travel to the Cape Verde Islands. As with any trip, there are some recommended precautions.
• Visa. For children up to 12 years a visa is free. And in 2018, a visa for EU people is not required.
• Sun. Cape Verde is a country where the sun shines a lot. However, children are more sensitive to the sun than adults. So use a good sunscreen for you children and try to avoid the bright sun between 12:00 and 15:00 PM.