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Top 10 Tips for Cape Verde – How to Get the Best Travel Experience
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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.
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.
2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT ISLANDCape Verde consists of 10 main islands, all of which are different from each other and offer travelers wonderful and versatile experiences:
- 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.
- 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.
- Boa Vista – A peaceful and exotic island with stunning sand dunes and pristine beaches. Perfect for relaxing and admiring nature.
- 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.
- Fogo – A dramatic volcanic island that offers hikers unforgettable experiences. The Fogo volcano dominates the landscape, and vineyards spread across its slopes.
- 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.
- São Nicolau – A lesser known and quiet island that offers peace and beautiful mountain scenery. An excellent destination for nature lovers and hikers.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 VERDEThere 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
- Island tour with a local guide
- Snorkeling to the underwater world
- Guided tour to visit the turtles nesting
- Shark Bay – walk amongst lemon sharks
- Zipline with amazing views
SANTIAGO
- Island tour with a local guide
- Visit Cidade Velha old town
- Visit the banana fields & a couscous workshop
- Serra Malagueta natural park hike
SAO VICENTE
SANTO ANTAO
SAO NICOLAU
BOA VISTA
- Island tour to the sand dunes, Santa Monica beach and caves
- Dinner with fire and drum show
- Whale watching tour
FOGO
MAIO
4. ACCOMMODATION IN CAPE VERDEThere 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!
5. WEATHER AND CLIMATEPay 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!
6. MONEY AND CURRENCYThis 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!
8. SHOPPING AND LOCAL MARKETSDon’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.
9. HEALTH CAREHealth 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!
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!
HAVE YOU BEEN TO CAPE VERDE? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS AND EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMENTS! 🙂<3: Tiina Johanna
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Santo Antão – The green paradise of Cape Verde
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Santo Antão is the green paradise of Cape Verde, whose rugged mountain landscapes and picturesque little villages charm with their beauty time and time again. Both tourists and Cape Verdeans always answer “Santo Antão” when asked what is the most beautiful island in Cape Verde. I guess it has to be true then, especially after we saw this ourselves in October 2022 during our own trip to Sao Vicente.
Santo Antao HIKER’S GREEN PARADISE
Santo Antão is located in the northern part of Cape Verde and its green mountains offer a true hiker’s paradise. You don’t go to Santo Antão for a beach vacation, but to enjoy nature, outdoor activities, fresh air and nature’s own tropical swimming pools. Santo Antão is the second largest island in all of Cape Verde and its highest peaks are Topo de Coroa (1,979 m) and Pico da Cruz (1,585 m).
Due to its challenging terrain, the island no longer has its own airport and the nearest airport is on the island of Sao Vicente, from where you can take a ferry to Santo Antão. The ferry ride takes a little less than an hour, and on the way you can enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the sea views. After spending a few days in Sao Vicente, we caught the morning ferry to Santo Antão and for me this was the first ferry trip in Cape Verde, so we spent the whole trip on deck in the morning sun. I was expecting to see dolphins and turtles, but they didn’t hit our route this time.
Santo Antao
PORTO NOVO – THE HARBOUR CITY OF THE ISLANDPorto Novo is the harbour city of the island and the core of all services, if you can say that on this island. All ships arrive here and so did ours. Outside the port, there are a lot of local island tour providers waiting, from which you can either grab your own right away or rent your own car from one of the Porto Novo’s car rental companies. We did neither, because we hopped on an aluguer, (minibus), and headed to the other side of the island towards Ribeira Grande, where our first accommodation was located. Our trip went through the most beautiful mountain and coastal landscapes of the whole island and this was only 4 euros per person.
Porto Novo 
Porto Novo
RIBEIRA GRANDEWe stayed at the small apartment hotel called La Menor* in the Ribeira Grande valley. The accommodation was comfortable and our apartment was a penthouse with a large roof terrace. For a small additional fee, the lodge served a really rich and delicious breakfast according to your wishes, as well as a laundry service. Upon separate request, the lodge’s restaurant also prepares dinner for hungry adventurers, and since the island is not a place for night owls, this dinner really came in handy a couple of times.
Ribeira Grande also offers a number of services, from restaurants to small boutiques, and from here it’s easy to grab an aluguer and explore the island’s other villages and natural attractions. Santo Antão is not a place for international card payments, so prepare enough local currency in cash for your trip. Escudos can be easily obtained from every machine on the Cape Verde islands with your own card, but in Santo Antão there are limited machines only in the bigger villages.
CHECK OUT THE BEST ACCOMMODATIONS OF SANTO ANTAO ON BOOKING.COM*!
La Menor aparthotel 
Ribeira Grande 
Ribeira Grande
PONTA DO SOL – THE NORTHERNMOST VILLAGEPonta do Sol is located 4km from Ribeira Grande and is the northernmost village on the island. Ponta do Sol was once only a small fishing village, but in the 1880s the place began to be developed and more residential buildings were built.
Ponta do Sol 
Ponta do Sol 
Ponta do Sol
FONTAINHASFontainhas is a popular attraction and definitely a place worth experiencing. Fontainhas is a beautiful little village in the middle of steep mountains in a valley leading down to the sea, just 2km from Ponta do Sol. Fontainhas is a bit similar to Tenerife’s Masca valley, but in my opinion Fontainhas is even more beautiful.
Fontainhas 
Fontainhas
LOMBO DE SANTAThis place is not mentioned anywhere when searching for information about the best must see places on the island. We also managed to visit here only because my husband’s friend is from here and happened to be on the island visiting his home exactly at the same time as our trip. Lombo de Santa is a tiny village in the middle of the mountains, where there are no tourists and the local houses are small farmhouses on the slopes of the mountain. We sat admiring the scenery next to the road, ate fruit straight from the trees in our yard and just enjoyed the silence. This place stuck in my mind as one of my favorite places on the whole island, in all its simplicity and untouchedness.
Lombo de Santa 
Lombo de Santa 
Fruit and vegetables from the own garden 
VALE DO PAÚLPaul is definitely the most beautiful place on the whole island. Whereas in Porto Novo the hot sun is scorching and you can lie on the dark sandy beaches of the island, in Ribeira Grande and Ponta do Sol the sun also shines from time to time and the villages mainly serve as resting places while exploring nature, the tropical environment of the Paul Valley is like its own world.
In Paul Valley, the climate is more humid and the valley bursts with greenery and tropical fruit trees more than any other place on the island. Paul valley is a popular attraction and place to stay for many travelers precisely for these reasons, and the valley’s several natural swimming pools are like a wet and wonderful cherry on top of this tropical cake. In Paul, you can find a variety of accommodation from luxury to budget, as well as good restaurants, and my favorite restaurant is definitely Casa Maracuja, where you can definitely find something for every taste without being disappointed.
Vale do Paul 
Vale do Paul 
Banana trees 
Donkeys everywhere 
Fruit trees 
XOXOXoxo is also like the Paul valley, a tropically green and nice area, where you should definitely visit and enjoy your daily swim by taking a dip either in a flowing river or in a nice natural swimming pool.
Xoxo 
Xoxo 
Sugar cane juice 
HIKING IN SANTO ANTãOThere are plenty of different hiking trails on the island, each of which is worth exploring. The difficulty level of the routes varies, and you certainly won’t have time to do them all during one vacation trip. Popular routes include, for example, Cova de Paúl – Vale do Paúl, Ribeira Grande – Ponta do Sol – Fontainhas, Chã da Igreja route, Corda – Coculi. We traveled most of the sights, viewpoints and most wonderful routes with a private rental car, but the Paúl’s route was a must-do for us as well and this route I can definetely recommend from personal experience.
Our day of hiking the Paúl route happened to be rainy and humid, so the view of the crater (Cova) and the valley to our was totally covered in clouds, and the wet cobbles on the steep route didn’t really help me with my fear of high places, while my local husband just casually trudged down the winding serpentine route with only flip flops on his feet. Maybe next time we can enjoy the view with the sun.
Cova do Paul 
Foggy and wet 
Valley under the foggy clouds
I also recommend exploring many other routes and even just aimlessly driving and going from one place to another. I will never forget the feeling when we drove up the Corda road so far up high that the cloud covers remained below and the sun was shining from a clear sky above, with nature flowing green and untouched in front of us. The landscape above the clouds reminded me of the eternal Finnish summer.
Corda 
LOCAL TREATS FOR SOUVENIERCape Verde is known for its local drink grogue, which is a strong alcoholic drink made from sugar cane in Santo Antão. In Santo Antão, you should definitely visit the grogue factory and grab a bottle or two of this strong treat, as well as my personal favorite, Ponche, which is a slightly sweeter local drink.
A local grogue factory
In Santo Antão, the people are friendly and hospitable, and here you should bravely visit, for example, the local farms to ask for products to buy. Many times the farmers are happy to sell some of their products to interesting visitors. We grabbed for ourselves goat cheese, goat milk, corn, different fruits straight from the trees and many other delights for both snacks and souvenirs. The island is a world of its own, offering a local atmosphere, untouched nature, wonderful scenery and affordable prices. Santo Antão is a perfect counterbalance to Sal’s flat sandy terrain and even though Sal’s beaches are the home of this beach girl, Santo Antão’s greenery is always tempting to relax again and again.
This goat cheese never made it until home.. 
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Have you already travelled to Santo Antao? Or are you planning a trip to Cape Verde in the near future? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below! 🙂<3: Tiina Johanna
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