CAPE VERDE - a guide to five amazing islands

Cape Verde – a group of amazing islands scattered in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa.

Fishermen pulling boat on shore in Tarrafal, Cape Verde — Fishermen pulling boat ashore in Tarrafal.

I get asked quite often which was my best trip and which has been my favorite country so far. How can I possibly answer such a question? How can I compare let’s say Italy to Vietnam?
Well, the pizza is tastier and the language is prettier in Italy.
Then again the Buddhist temples are bigger and the variety at farmers’ markets is more abundant in Vietnam.
Got the point? How could I ever compare?
Fortunately, I don’t have to.

But if someone pointed a gun to my head and made me choose, I would say Cape Verde. Cape Verde with its beauty, charm, and incredible variety is the secret star on my personal globe.

15 islands and countless tiny isles form the Atoll of Cape Verde. Nonetheless, only nine of those are inhabited.

What’s fascinating is the variety of the nine islands. Much to my regret I only visited five of them, and even among these five, the difference was amazing!

It’s as if each one of them stayed for an element – Brava for water, Boa Vista for the earth, Fogo for fire. However, there’s a refreshing wind blowing on all of them.

A Little Bit of History

Dark Years of Slavetrade

Until the Portuguese discovered the archipelago in the 15th century, it was uninhabited. Actually, it was the first European settlement in the tropics.

Due to its ideal location between Africa and the Americas, it was perfect as a trading post for the slave trade. After all, it’s located only 500 kilometers from the African west coast. The Africans were brought here from the mainland, “trained” to work and obey, and forwarded to the colonies.

The Pelourinho at Cidade Velha on Cape Verde's main island Santiago — The witness of a dark past: The Pelourinho, a marble pillar that was erected in the early 16th century. It was here where rebellious slaves were publicly punished.
(Photo: Cayambe, Cidade Velha Pelourinho square b 2011, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Therefore, it grew prosperous during the following centuries until the end of transatlantic slavery in the 19th century.

People Come…And Go

After a short economic decline, Cape Verde, again, became an important stopover for shipping routes. Also, over the centuries, there was major immigration from Portugal and Madeira.

On the other hand, about 700,000 are living outside the country, many of them in the USA and, of course, in Portugal. Hence, there are more Cabo Verdians living in the diaspora than in the motherland.

The Museu da Resistência focuses on one of the darkest chapters of Cape Verde's history. — The Museu da Resistência focuses on one of the darkest chapters of Cape Verde’s history.
(Photo: CorreiaPM, TarrafalEdificios, cropped to 2:3, , CC0 1.0)

Seeking Independence

In 1975, following the Portuguese Carnation Revolution, Cape Verde achieved independence. Since then, it has always been governed by leftwing, intermittently Marxist, parties.

For thirty years by now, Cape Verde has been a stable representative democracy. In the democracy index of 2016, Cape Verde is number 23 of 167 countries – the best position within the African continent.

Practical Information

Getting There

I don’t presume that you are getting to Cape Verde by freight ship – and international flights are going to the Nelson Mandela Airport on the main island Santiago as well as to the most touristy isles Sal and Boa Vista.

Since many flights have a stopover in Lisbon, make sure to check out my post on how to spend 24 hours in Portugal’s capital because some layovers grant you a couple of hours to explore the city.

Getting Around

By Air

Once you are in Cape Verde, the most convenient way to travel from island to island is, obviously, flying. At this moment, the best option seems to be going by Binter, a Spanish airline serving mainly the Canary Islands, but also other destinations in that region, for instance, on the North and Northwest African mainland.

By Sea

However, not every island has an airport, hence, there are ferries connecting all the islands. Nevertheless, you might have to juggle your schedule a bit since the connections aren’t necessarily synchronized. I will not lie to you, if you don’t travel Cape Verde on an organized trip, your itinerary shouldn’t be too tight. It can also happen that an island cannot be accessed due to bad weather condition; and this can also be the case while you are on that island.

Most of the time, things are fine and everything runs smoothly, however, you should be aware of small unexpected bumps.

By Land

There is an okay system of public transportation on most of the islands. Mostly, there are mini-busses that cruise around a certain area until they find enough passengers. Eventually, they make up for the loss of time by racing like mad. However, before you go to a place, make sure that there will be a bus going back the same day so you don’t get stuck. Local people are very nice and helpful, so ask if you aren’t sure.

However, your first ride from the airport to your accommodation should be pre-booked and you can do so conveniently on this page*.

Where to stay

The Cape Verde islands are not a cheap country to travel to. You can compare prices to those in southern Europe such as Spain or Portugal. Especially cabs are not a bargain. Since they are not metered, you should agree on the price before your trip.
Also, you won’t get a great room at a cheap price.

Hotelroom on Boa Visa — Accommodation on Boa Vista.

On this trip, I booked all the accommodations through booking.com – here you can check out the availability and rates of some great lodging options*:

Booking.com

Money

Another remnant from the Portuguese colonial times is the name of the local currency which is called – just like in Portugal until the installment of the €uro – Escudo respectively Escudo de Cabo Verde, abbreviated CVE. For 1 US$ you get 105 CVE, for a €uro 110 CVE (as per July 2022). You can check the current rate here.

Bills from Cape Verde — They don’t have only one of the most beautiful countries, they also have the most beautiful money, decorated with poems by local poet and musician Eugénio Tavares – and his portrait on the other side.

Credit cards are not as widely accepted as e. g. in Europe or Asia, even some small guest houses do take only cash. Some businesses add a small percentage if you pay by credit card – which can become a quite high amount if you pay for instance for a couple of nights at a hotel.
There are ATMs where you can get cash on all of the islands I’ve visited.

At least on the touristy islands such as Boa Vista and Sal you can also pay in €uro, however, there usually is a disproportionate surcharge. Pre-payment of hotels, for instance, is therefore advisable.

Language

As Cape Verde used to be a Portuguese colony, the official language is Portuguese, but people speak krioulo. This is a local patois and, like many dialects, differs a tiny bit even from island to island.

People do speak some English and French, but it is certainly helpful to have some basic knowledge of the local language.

Before my trip, I’d practiced using babbel. The first lesson is free and supplies you with the most important words to interact with people.

What to See

I’m an avid solo-travelling woman. Since solo travel doesn’t equal solitude, I love to join organized tours here and there. They allow me to meet fellow travellers – for just a short moment or a lifelong friendship.

Therefore, here are some great ideas of what to do during your stay in Cape Verde. Exploring the islands with qualified guides will help you make the best of your stay*: