Practical tips and safety in Cape Verde
Essential tips for a successful trip to Cape Verde: health, safety, currency, transport, and precautions.
Cape Verde is a welcoming and relatively safe destination. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your trip.
- No vaccinations are mandatory, but a yellow fever vaccine is required if you transit through Dakar
- Make sure your DTP and hepatitis A and B vaccinations are up to date
- Take out travel insurance covering hospitalization and medical evacuation costs
- There are no decompression chambers in the archipelago for divers
Cape Verde is generally safe, but certain precautions are recommended, particularly in major tourist cities. There are no sea rescue facilities, and beaches are not supervised for swimming.
- Stay vigilant in tourist areas, especially at night
- Do not leave valuables unattended on the beach
- Avoid swimming alone in isolated areas
- Take out comprehensive travel insurance before departure
The local currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE). The euro is widely accepted in tourist areas.
Inter-island flights take 20 to 60 minutes. Ferries connect certain islands, notably Sao Vicente and Santo Antao (1 hour).