The former Portuguese colony consists of ten islands located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean to the west coast of Africa. Surrounded by turquoise water and endless white sandy beaches, the destination is home to fascinating colonial style towns like Ribeira Grande, which was significantly the first European city to be established in the tropics. Each island features different landscapes, and the terrain of Cape Verde spans Maio’s barren flats, verdant valleys and volcanic peaks. Equally diverse, the hospitable and upbeat Cape Verde natives display cultural influences from Senegal and Brazil, the island’s closest neighbours. The fusion of the two national identities becomes particularly evident when listening to the tunes of the ever-present Cape Verde music, which brings together elements of Samba, Salsa and African tribal beats to form a distinctive style. Music lovers will no doubt thrive in Cape Verde, but the locale should equally appeal to folks interested in hiking and engaging in water sports such a windsurfing.

Getting there
SATA International and Thomson Airway are two airlines operating flights to Cape Verde.

Getting around
The most practical way to travel between islands is to fly, and TACV is the local airline in operation. The only regular ferry operating between the islands is the ferry crossing between São Vicente and Santo Antão. Taxis are readily available in most urban areas.

Language: Portuguese and Crioulo are the two official languages of Cape Verde.

Time: UTC-1 hour

Climate: The climate of Cape Verde’s tropical, and temperatures usually hovers between 26° and 30° C throughout the year, with uninterrupted sunshine from November to May. The rain season stretches from June to October, when sudden rainstorms can occur.

Tipping: Tipping is not compulsory.

Duty free: 200 cigarettes; 1l of liquor, a reasonable amount of perfume, lotion and eau de cologne in opened bottles may be imported.

Safety: Crime rates in Cape Verde are low but incidents of muggings have been reported.

Currency: Euro

Laws: It’s illegal to steal the turtles native to Cape Verde, and snatching one could result in arrest.

Healthcare: No vaccinations are required for entry to Cape Verde, but a yellow fever certificate of inoculation is compulsory for travellers arriving from a yellow fever infected area. There is a limited risk of malaria on Sao Tiago Island. Water is unsafe to drink, and milk is unpasteurised.

Socket type: Type C