• Cape Verde,  Ilha Do Sal,  Island hopping,  Santiago,  Santo Antao,  Sao Vicente

    Top 10 Tips for Cape Verde – How to Get the Best Travel Experience

    Kap Verde vinkit


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    Cape Verde is a perfect holiday destination thanks to its wonderful beaches, diverse nature and pleasant climate. Cape Verde is not just about wonderful beaches and year-round sun, it is also about the colorful culture, happy people, untouched nature and local island life. A few years ago, I moved to Cape Verde after a couple of memorable vacations, because I fell in love with the relaxation of the island life and the wonderful seascapes. Why not try moving to a distant island in Africa once in your life?

    In this article, I present the best tips for Cape Verde – from accommodation and activities to local food delicacies. Grab these practical tips and make sure your vacation is memorable and stress-free. Whether you’re planning your first trip or returning to the archipelago again, these tips will help you make the most of Cape Verde’s beauty.

    cape verde tips



    TOP 10 TIPS TO CAPE VERDE


    1. WHAT, WHERE, HOW CAPE VERDE?

    Cape Verde is a small and fascinating island nation in the Atlantic Ocean, about 500 kilometers from the coast of West Africa. This tropical paradise consists of 10 main islands, each with its own unique character. Cape Verde is known for its wonderful sandy beaches, lively culture and relaxed atmosphere. The islands attracts both nature lovers, sun worshipers and active hiking tourists.

    A self-guided trip to Cape Verde offers a unique opportunity to experience the authentic culture of the archipelago and support local residents. When you travel independently, you can choose local accommodations, restaurants and guide services, which directly benefits the islands’ economy. A self-guided tour also gives you the freedom to discover hidden gems outside the tourist areas and delve into the culture of the islands at your own pace. In addition, responsible tourism helps preserve Cape Verde’s unique character and supports sustainable tourism that protects natural resources and local livelihoods.

    cape verde tips


    2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT ISLAND

    Cape Verde consists of 10 main islands, all of which are different from each other and offer travelers wonderful and versatile experiences:

    1. Santiago – Cape Verde’s largest island, where the capital Praia is also located. Known for its history, lively market culture and great hiking trails. Read more about Santiago Island here.
    2. Sal – The most popular tourist destination known for its long sandy beaches and clear waters. An excellent destination for sun worshippers, surfers and divers. Read more about Sal here.
    3. Boa Vista – A peaceful and exotic island with stunning sand dunes and pristine beaches. Perfect for relaxing and admiring nature.
    4. São Vicente – A paradise for culture lovers. The city of Mindelo is known for its live music and colorful nightlife. Read more about the island of Sao Vicente here.
    5. Fogo – A dramatic volcanic island that offers hikers unforgettable experiences. The Fogo volcano dominates the landscape, and vineyards spread across its slopes.
    6. Santo Antão – A hiker’s dream island, whose green valleys and terraced plantations create a wonderful setting for nature lovers. One of Cape Verde’s greenest islands. Read more about green Santo Antao here.
    7. São Nicolau – A lesser known and quiet island that offers peace and beautiful mountain scenery. An excellent destination for nature lovers and hikers.
    8. Maio – A lesser known gem with peaceful beaches and traditional villages. Maio is the perfect destination if you are looking for silence and a local atmosphere.
    9. Brava – The smallest inhabited island, also known as the “island that blooms with flowers”. Brava’s mountain landscapes and floral splendor will enchant nature lovers.
    10. Santa Luzia – An uninhabited island that is a popular destination for day trips and fishermen. Santa Luzia offers deserted beaches and rugged beauty.


    ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ISLAND HOPPING IN CAPE VERDE? READ THIS:


    3. THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN CAPE VERDE

    There is plenty to do and see in Cape Verde, but not everything happens on the same island. This is another reason why a self-guided trip to Cape Verde is a more than recommended way to explore the island nation. It’s wonderful to relax on the beach and in a hotel basking in the sun for a week, but I dare say that this does not give any kind of picture of the real Cape Verde, nor does it offer the holiday experiences that many people would want anyway (yes, wonder why?).

    Here are the best activity and tour recommendations for each island offered by Kookospalmu Alla – travel site:

    SAL

    SANTIAGO

    SAO VICENTE

    SANTO ANTAO

    SAO NICOLAU

    BOA VISTA

    FOGO

    MAIO

    cape verde tips


    4. ACCOMMODATION IN CAPE VERDE

    There is a wide variety of accommodation in Cape Verde, from small bed & breakfasts to large hotel resorts and private holiday apartments. Most of all businesses are owned by foreigners, especially on the island of Sal, but if you want to support the local community and make the most sustainable choices on your trip, I recommend favoring small businesses. Small bed & breakfasts and apartment hotels are not chain companies and their income stays on the islands. Some of these are fully or usually at least half locally owned and thus also a more comfortable choice. In addition, this way you can get closer to the local way of life right from the moment you step into your accommodation!

    CHECK OUT THE BEST HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION IN CAPE VERDE!
    cape verde hotels


    5. WEATHER AND CLIMATE

    Pay attention to the weather when you travel. Cape Verde is sunny and warm all year round and it is a complete myth that there is wind all the time on the islands. During the winter, the evenings are cooler and the wind is a bit more during the day as well, so you should bring a small long-sleeved shirt for the evenings. Sunscreen 50+ is a must, unless you want to join the happy crowd of many tourists looking like a lobster. In the summer, the islands are hot and from August to September there is also some heavy rain. This can also be a fun time to travel as the locals love the rain!

    cape verde weather


    6. MONEY AND CURRENCY

    This is easy to remember, because Cape Verde uses a so-called closed currency called the escudo. Therefore, escudos cannot be exchanged anywhere in advance, and according to the law they should not be taken off the islands either (though I have never heard of anyone’s wallets being searched for this, heh). You can use escudos by withdrawing money normally from the ATM machines on site. In the Santa Maria area, the island of Sal also uses euros, because there is a lot of tourism on the island. 1 euro equals 100 escudos. In many places you can also pay by card, but for this an international card surcharge will be charged. I recommend caution when paying by card, as I have heard that sometimes zeros are added to the bill, especially at night in some bars for drunk tourists. So check the amount on the card machine before paying in the bars. However, this is quite rare and mainly targets the drunkest tourists.

    7. TRY THE LOCAL DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINKS

    Most of the restaurants and cafes in Cape Verde are of a good standard. I recommend you bravely get to know different restaurants and also the small and local ones. You can usually get lunch from these locals at a very good price, and dinner doesn’t turn out to be too expensive either. The average price of lunch in Cape Verde is 4-6 euros depending on the place, a filling lunch menu with dessert and drink is around 8-13 euros. Local delicacies are Catchupa and Feijoada, which are a type of bean stew topped with rice, vegetables and meat. Both are good!

    Also try the local hard and strong grog or the honey-flavored pontche as a drink, you can also buy these to take home with you!

    cape verde tips


    8. SHOPPING AND LOCAL MARKETS

    Don’t travel to Cape Verde looking for famous clothing stores, because there are none here. Cape Verde is not a paradise for shopping, as the clothing stores on each island are only small overpriced boutiques or cheap Chinese stores. Of course, you get clothes from these while living and visiting the islands, but you will hardly make any very wonderful discoveries.

    The local market is a good option. In bigger cities, market vendors are always there, and larger street markets are also organized at certain times every week. In these you can find everything from home goods to basic branded clothes. Often the sellers also know how to recommend clothes when you just say what you’re looking for. NOTE! Don’t mix local markets with markets established by people from the African continent (e.g. Senegal). These are two completely different things and also easy to recognize and distinguish from each other. Those who came from the mainland have booths and stalls here and there in the market places and they are full of African handicrafts, baskets, hand jewelry, wooden statues and colorful fabrics and scarves. Local markets are like our flea markets and markets with sales tables. Locals never take tourists from the street to their boutiques and they give you your privacy when looking for items. The mainlanders are more about asking tourists to visit their shops and this might be too much for some. There is still no need to be afraid and you can happily visit the stalls, there is no compulsion to buy and you can always politely refuse. No stress.

    cape verde tips


    9. HEALTH CARE

    Health care in Cape Verde is at an okay level. Health care centers and facilities are not quite at the level of our European hospitals, but the nurses are always nice and the doctors are trained either in Europe or America. Mild ailments, such as flu, stomach ache, diarrhea, dehydration, sinusitis, etc. are easily treated. If possible, I still recommend leaving problems bigger than this to be handled in your own country if possible.

    10. EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

    Cape Verde has different events every year, from small local concerts to cocktail parties at beach bars and more fun white parties at clubs. Especially on the bigger islands, something happens every now and then, so it’s worth finding out about the events of your island destination when you arrive. Annual carnivals are held every year at the beginning of the year, and festivals start at the end of summer. Each island organizes its own festivals and carnivals, so you can even jump from one event to the other!

    sal festival cape verde

    Now that you’ve got the tips and the travel bug is already biting you, there’s nothing left to do but get the flights and go. Check here for the best flight offers to Cape Verde!


    cape verde


    HAVE YOU BEEN TO CAPE VERDE? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS AND EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMENTS! 🙂

    <3: Tiina Johanna

    Remember to follow me on Social media!
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    *Photos: Tiina Johanna, blogger
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  • Cape Verde,  Santiago

    SANTIAGO – MINI GUIDE TO CAPE VERDE’S MAIN ISLAND


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    Santiago is the largest island of Cape Verde and at the same time the main island. Praia is the capital of Santiago and also the capital city of all Cape Verde. Santiago offers culture, shopping opportunities, history, colorful architecture, green mountain landscapes and beautiful black sand beaches. Here’s a mini guide to Santiago, Cape Verde’s main island!

    The size of ​​Santiago is 991km² and the population is about 240,000. Santiago is located between Fogo and Maio, belonging to the Sotavento island group. In addition to the capital Praia, cities worth visiting are the old town Cidade Velha, the beach town Tarrafal and the mountain town Assomada.

    Despite its name, this versatile main island has been spared from mass tourism, and therefore you can’t find all-inclusive hotel vacations here. On the other hand, the local way of life and lively culture will take sweep you away.

    You can travel to Santiago from other islands either by plane or by ferry. We took a local flight from our home island Sal, because a long ferry ride in heavy waves was not that appealing after the experience we had in Sao Vicente. From Europe, especially Portugal, there are direct or one-stop flights to Santiago, depending on your country of origin.



    PRAIA – THE CAPITAL OF CAPE VERDE

    Praia is the capital of the entire Cape Verde. In Praia, there are plenty of interesting walking tours and excursions with a local guide to make the most of this historic city. In Praia, a good guide is a key choice, also because the city’s crime rate is higher than anywhere else and caution is more than recommended here.

    In Praia you should visit the Sucupira market place, where you can get a true African market atmosphere. Sucupira sells everything from clothes, accessories, fruit, vegetables and other food products to livestock.


    Plateau is Praia’s oldest residential area right in the city center. Here you can shop nice clothes and other things easily. It is also safe to go from one boutique to another along the main street. On the pedestrian street, Kaza Katxupa turned out to be an excellent place for lunch, where you should try of course nothing else than the local Cachupa.

    Quebra Canela beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Praia, and the area also has several good restaurants with sea views. There are no tourists with sunbeds on this beach, and the sand on the beach is fine dark volcanic sand. Restaurants worth recommending near Quebra Canela beach are, for example, Seven, Nice Kriola, Osteria N3 and Poeta. Just to name a few. Each of these provides an excellent setting for any meal of the day.

    Quebra Canela / Osteria N3
    Nice Kriola


    Praia offers a wide range of accommodation from budget hostels to holiday apartments and hotels where you can take a dip in seawater pools. All-inclusive package holidays are not known here, but a similar atmosphere can be found in larger hotels such as Oasis Praiamar or Pestana Tropico. Especially the last mentioned was our favorite because of the wonderful staff, the delicious breakfast and the sea water pool. We spent part of our time pampering ourselves at Pestana Tropico, and part of our trip in our own good, budget-friendly rental apartment Apartamentos Timas with a pool.

    Check out the accommodation in Praia on Booking.com*.


    CIDADE VELHA – THE OLD TOWN AND UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

    Cidade Velha is the oldest and first capital of the whole island nation of Cape Verde. This charming old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, and the city is full of history dating back more than 500 years. Cidade Velha has also once been one of the most important centers of the slave trade.

    Check out the guided tours and activities in Praia and Cidade Velha:




    FORTRESS OF SAO FELIPE

    Sao Felipe Fortress is a 16th century fortress above Cidade Velha. The fortress functioned as part of the city’s larger defense system. The fortress was built from stone imported from Portugal, during the reign of Philip I of Portugal in 1587-1593. You can visit the fortress for only two euros, the visit is worth every cent and the staff is also very knowledgeable, if you have additional questions after the short introduction video.



    TARRAFAL – THE BEAUTIFUL BEACH TOWN IN THE NORTH

    Next our journey continued with a local aluguer, or minibus, to the north of the island to the beach town of Tarrafal. Aluguer costs only 6e/person and the trip takes about 1.5 hours. The highlight of Tarrafal is its beautiful beach with golden sand, which offers an excellent setting for a sunny beach day and snorkeling.




    In addition to the golden sandy beach, the Tarrafal region has wonderful natural swimming pools, the most popular of which is definitely the Cuba Natural pools. However, Santiago’s beaches are mostly dark volcanic sand, and among these beaches, in addition to Quebra Canela in Praia, Ribeira de Prata near Tarrafal, where you can find the beautiful Silverbeach, is definitely worth experiencing.

    Cuba natural pools
    Silverbeach


    Accommodation in Tarrafal is mostly small hotels, bed & breakfast accommodation and apartments. We stayed at the wonderfully idyllic Villa Alegria Bed & Breakfast, which I can warmly recommend. For a slightly more elegant taste, I recommend the King Fisher Village hotel, the only luxury accommodation in Tarrafal, with an infinity pool and delicious food. The hotel also has its own pier, where it is easy to take a dip in the sea to swim or snorkel in your own peace and quiet. We went to test the pier for swimming and snorkeling only at the “price” of drinks and food in the restaurant, so this option also exists if the accommodation does not fit into the plans for one reason or another.

    Check out the accommodation in Tarrafal on Booking.com*.


    TARRAFAL CONCENTRATION CAMP

    Tarrafal concentration camp was established in 1936 during the restructuring process of the Portuguese Estado Novo prison system. Its aim was to imprison political and social prisoners. The location was strategically chosen due to its remoteness and unhealthy climate, which contributed to the occurrence of diseases. The main goal of the place was to destroy the Portuguese and African opponents of the Salazar dictatorship, isolating them from the rest of the world in inhumane conditions. The prison facilities were barren, the treatment of the prisoners was miserable, hygiene was non-existent, the food was spoiled and the water was undrinkable. The scorching hot sun and sweaty wet rainy season made the conditions even more difficult.

    The concentration camp was in operation until 1974. Today, the place serves as a museum and a barren reminder of how cruel one person can be to another.



    SERRA MALAGUETA NATURAL PARK

    Serra Malagueta is a beautiful green mountain located in the northern part of the island of Santiago, the highest point of which is 1064m. Serra Malagueta is a protected natural park area and a popular hiking destination. There are several different routes in Serra Malagueta and you should get to know them under the guidance of an expert guide. The scenery is worth every step!

    Check out the guided tours of Serra Malagueta:






    THE BEST TOURS AND ACTIVITIES IN SANTIAGO AND CAPE VERDE:


    ONLY A SHORT TRIP AHEAD? TAKE A FULL DAY ISLAND TOUR AND SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS IN ONE DAY!


    HAVE YOU VISITED SANTIAGO? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE ISLAND? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMENTS BELOW! 🙂

    <3: Tiina Johanna

    Remember to follow me on Social media!
    Instagram:@tiinaunderthecoconut
    Facebook:Kookospalmun alla
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    *Photos: Tiina Johanna, blogger
    *Photo editing: Loov.fi “Tropical blues” presets – check it out!