Cape Verde

Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands, each with its own personality, so a good plan makes all the difference. Sal and Boa Vista are all about long beaches and resorts, Santo Antão is a hiking paradise, Santiago mixes history and city life, and São Vicente draws you in with music and nightlife in Mindelo. In 7–10 days, focus on 2–3 islands rather than trying to see everything.

Flights and ferries between islands can sell out or be delayed, so build some flexibility into your schedule. With Hello’s trip planning, you can pin flights, ferry times, and hotel bookings in one place, then adjust easily if schedules shift. Aim to book inter-island flights as early as you can, especially in high season (roughly November–March).

Think about your theme:

• Beach & relax: Sal + Boa Vista
• Hiking & nature: Santo Antão + Fogo
• Culture & history: Santiago + São Vicente

Use the Hello app to sketch daily ideas—morning hike in Santo Antão’s valleys, afternoon ponche tasting in Mindelo, sunset on Santa Maria beach—and share the itinerary with travel companions so everyone knows the plan and can add their own must-dos.

Cape Verde uses the Cabo Verdean escudo (CVE), though euros are widely accepted in resort areas like Santa Maria on Sal and parts of Boa Vista. Outside those hotspots, expect to pay in CVE or by card. ATMs are found in larger towns, but can be scarce on smaller islands, so withdraw cash in Praia, Mindelo, or Santa Maria before heading somewhere remote.

Everyday costs are generally moderate. A local espresso is around CVE 70 (about 0.70 USD), a plate of cachupa roughly CVE 300 (around 3 USD), and a basic guesthouse room from about CVE 2500 (25 USD) per night. Mid-range dinners for two with drinks can be around CVE 3000 (30 USD), but resort restaurants can be higher. Shared taxis within towns are usually CVE 100–500 (1–5 USD), depending on distance.

To avoid constant mental conversions, use Hello’s budget tracking to log expenses in CVE and see your total in real time. If you’re travelling with others, Hello’s expense splitting keeps group costs simple—just add that island-hopping flight or rental car once and split it fairly later instead of doing the math over every bill.

Moving between Cape Verde’s islands and getting around them are two different games. For inter-island travel, you’ll choose between domestic flights and ferries. Flights are faster and more reliable but can be pricey and fill up quickly, especially on popular routes like Praia–São Vicente or São Vicente–Santo Antão via ferry connection. Ferries are cheaper and atmospheric, but schedules can change with weather and sea conditions, so avoid tight same-day connections.

On each island, taxis and shared minibuses (aluguers) are the go-to. Shared taxis run set routes and are the most budget-friendly option, making them perfect for short hops around Praia, Mindelo, or Santa Maria. For day trips—say, crossing Santo Antão to hike in the Ribeira do Paúl valley—many travellers hire a taxi with driver for the day, which is surprisingly affordable when shared. Use Hello’s expense splitting to divide the fare instantly among your group.

Traffic is generally light, but road quality varies, especially on mountain roads. At night, avoid long rural journeys if you can. Keep Hello eSIM active so you can check maps, confirm ferry updates, and call your accommodation if your arrival time changes.

Cape Verde’s culture is a relaxed blend of African and Portuguese influences, best experienced through music and food. In Mindelo on São Vicente, look for live morna or coladeira in small bars—intimate shows where you can sit with a grogue-based ponche while local musicians play. On Santiago, visit Cidade Velha, a UNESCO-listed town with a hilltop fort and cobbled streets that tell the story of early Atlantic trade routes.

Food is hearty and simple. Try cachupa, the slow-cooked corn, bean, and meat or fish stew that’s the national dish; many cafés serve a fried version, cachupa refogada, for breakfast with egg and sausage. Fresh grilled fish, lobster, and tuna are common on coastal islands, and you’ll find pastries and strong coffee reflecting Portuguese roots.

Wi‑Fi can be patchy or slow, especially on smaller islands and in rural areas. To stay online for maps, translations, and keeping in touch, set up a Hello eSIM before you land so data starts working as soon as the plane touches down—no hunting for local SIM stalls. With steady connectivity, you can use Hello’s trip planning to find restaurants, bookmark live-music spots, and note your favourite cachupa place to revisit before you leave.