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Frequently Asked Questions

We answer all your questions about travel to Cape Verde.

Before traveling

Visas, vaccinations, security

Since 2020 it is mandatory to do the process of obtaining a visa online and there is no other alternative. Anyway, it is a very simple operation. We tell you about it. This process must be done at least 5 days before arrival in Cape Verde.

  • Go to https://www.ease.gov.cv/ and click on “Pre-registration of travelers”.
  • Fill in your details, it will take less than 5 minutes and will require confirmation by email.
  • In the last part of the process you will be able to pay the fee of 30,83€ comfortably with your credit or debit card.
  • You will receive a receipt at the e-mail address you have indicated. Save the email and print a copy for more security.
  • On the day of your arrival, they will have your details; simply show the receipt to the authorities and your entry to Cape Verde will be guaranteed.

It is an agile process similar to the one offered in the United States for access as a tourist. You simply need to have your passport, your e-mail and a payment card.

Web Visas

Required Vaccines

Yellow fever vaccination certificate (2013) is required for travelers over one year of age from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers who have been in transit for more than 12 hours at airports in countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Recommendations for vaccination against yellow fever: No.

Recommended Vaccines

It is convenient to have the official vaccination schedule updated. Other vaccinations may be recommended and should be prescribed individually at any of the authorized International Vaccination Centers.

Malaria

There is a limited malaria risk (2013) from August to November inclusive on Santiago Island and Boa vista (1 local case reported in 2012), predominantly due to P.falciparum. Recommended prevention : A .

More info at the Ministry’s website .

Web Visas

Cape Verde has a network of public and private health centers. The most advisable when one needs medical attention is to call a cab or the “Bombeiros” service and go to a public or private hospital.

There are private clinics on all the islands, and large general hospitals in Sao Vicente and Santiago.

At the level of care, the patient will be attended according to the health declaration, with priority being given to the most serious affections, which will be attended immediately; otherwise, the patient must complete the application form (identifying himself/herself with passport or ID card) and wait for his/her turn.

It is recommended to have a travel insurance that includes health costs, so that travelers will not have to pay the possible bill of clinics or hospitals.

From Oi Cabo Verde we offer you a 5% discount on any IATI coverage by clicking on this link this link.

All the islands have hospitals or “Centro de Saude”, open 24 hours a day, but at night they only have an infirmary service. In case of emergency, local medical personnel are available.

5% Discount

Accessibility standards in Cape Verde are very different from those in Europe. In general, Cape Verde would not be an ideal destination for people with reduced mobility. Most roads and pavements are paved with cobblestones and this creates some difficulty for wheelchair users.

In terms of accommodations, the most touristic ones in Sal comply more with European standards. On the other islands, we can find accessible facilities, but with the paradox of having somewhat complicated exterior access.

However, if the person with reduced mobility, together with their companions, are used to traveling, specific itineraries can be programmed with the aim of discovering Cape Verde beyond Sal. What can be guaranteed is a more than receptive attitude of the local people who provide services (cabs, accommodation, guides, etc.) with a great willingness to help.

The Cape Verde Islands are generally synonymous with safety. It is undoubtedly one of the safest African countries with the lowest crime rate on the continent. There, you can stroll peacefully along its beaches, markets and villages; in addition, the locals are very hospitable and you will not feel danger or insecurity at any time. Only in the city of Praia and in Santa Maria (Sal) there have been some isolated cases of petty theft in some areas away from tourism; but we can assure you that it is no worse than Barcelona…

At Oi Cabo Verde, we regularly consult with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding safety and health in Cape Verde, in order to provide maximum security to our travelers.

Cape Verde is certainly one of the most tolerant African countries in Africa in terms of LGBTI rights. Following the restructuring of the penal code in 2004, same-sex sexual relations are legal on the islands of Cape Verde. In 2008, legislation was passed to end employment discrimination against homosexual and transgender people. Despite this situation, the right to same-sex marriage, equal access to civil union, the right to adoption or the right to a legal sex change are still not available. Since 2011, there have been several associations fighting to equalize the rights of the LGBTI community with those of the rest of Cape Verdean society.

At the level of tourism and travel to Cape Verde, the most prominent “Gay Friendly” places are Santa Maria on the island of Sal and Mindelo in Sao Vicente, where every year at the end of June the Pride Parade is held since 2013.

If you want to know more information you can consult our article where we provide some more interesting details.

Read article

About Oi Cabo Verde

Method of work, documentation, warranty, deadlines

To request a trip, go to the web page of the trip in question and click on “I want to travel”.

You will then access the itinerary configurator and when you finish, your travel request will be fully registered. From that moment on, we will keep you informed about the next steps to follow.

To request a fully tailor-made trip, please go to the “Tailor-made Cape Verde” page.

If you do not know exactly what type of trip to request, do not worry, you can contact us at the following link and we will help you without any problem.

I want to travel!
Once we receive your travel request we will start designing your trip as soon as we can. Once we get to work, it will take between 24 and 48 hours to present you with your proposal. Please note that we will prioritize requests on a first-come, first-served basis. In some seasons, due to limited services we may delay a little the design phase; in any case we will inform you about it.

Important: If you request a trip before 30 days prior to departure or during Sold Out periods (indicated on the website or forms), we will not be able to fulfill your request.

Of course! You decide how you want your trip to be and we will do our best to make it happen. So we will adapt the number of days and modify services so that your trip adapts 100% to your needs.

Yes, at Oi Cabo Verde we work with small and medium sized groups of up to 20 people. The optimal ratios with which we guarantee a unique itinerary are from 8 to 20 people (depending on the type of trip up to 30); from a higher number and in order to preserve the sustainability of the trip and ensure unique experiences, the itinerary can be divided at certain times. The fact of having to split the group is mainly due to the size of some accommodations or the access to certain experiences.

We have some exclusive departures with date, private trips programmable all year round and finally itineraries of friendly travel agencies advertised on the web.

Group travel

At the moment, Oi Cabo Verde only accepts payments by bank transfer.

To formalize a trip, i.e. to guarantee all contracted services (final accommodations to be determined), 50% of the cost of ground services (including internal flights) will be required. We will provide you with the exact amounts and deadlines in your travel proposal and via email.

The rest of the trip must be paid 30 days before the beginning of the trip. In case of contracting the trip within 30 days before the beginning of the trip, 100% of the amount must be paid.

At Oi Cabo Verde we like to be always in touch with you, before, during and after your trip. To do so, we will inform you, always with the utmost transparency, about all deadlines, information and answering any questions you may have.

At first you can request a video call with us or leave us your contact details so we can call you back. At all times we will be connected via email and when you travel you will have 24/7 support on all islands.

Approximately 30 to 15 days before the beginning of the trip you will receive all the necessary documentation for the trip and/or the precise indications to receive it. Vouchers for accommodation, internal flights, transfers, etc.

*In some cases, ferry tickets will be delivered to your hotels.

You will also receive a guide on practical advice, what to do if…, assistance, etc.

Once you have made the decision to travel to Cape Verde, we recommend you to formalize your trip as soon as possible and not to delay it.

As you know, the archipelago is still an emerging destination, but it is becoming fashionable and there are seasons when it is difficult to find good accommodations. Especially in seasons like July, August, Christmas and Carnival we recommend booking at least 3 months in advance, as later the availability (both air and accommodation) is very limited.

It is also worth mentioning that we have managed trips with only a few weeks notice, and despite not having a wide range of options available, we have been able to offer a magnificent itinerary with total guarantee of success. Of course, we do not manage trips less than 30 days before departure.

Oi Cabo Verde is the agency specialized in the African archipelago. Located in Barcelona, we work online throughout Spain and Andorra. We are present in all the islands of Cape Verde through our local partners vistaverde tours.

In this way, we can offer trips so that you can discover every corner of the islands with total guarantee and efficiency.

Our local guides speak Portuguese, English and some of them also speak Creole. Although there is no guarantee that they will speak Spanish, it is very easy to understand each other without any difficulty in Portuguese-Spanish (a kind of “portuñol” if you can call it that).

Basically comfort, guarantee and great time savings. Nowadays it is possible to travel to almost any corner of the world independently, as travel designers we know this, and very well.

However, in certain emerging tourist destinations (such as Cape Verde), it is important to have itineraries that work and assistance in each of the islands. Apart from saving you the trouble of searching for each and every service to hire, it is important to have the support of professionals who can anticipate and react to any situation. Another guarantee is to get to know the country through local professionals so as not to miss anything.

What less than traveling with total peace of mind, right?

In Cape Verde

Weather, SIM, WiFi, meals, currency

The Cape Verde Islands are an archipelago located off the coast of Senegal, made up of 10 islands and 3 islets. They are divided into two main groups: the Windward Islands in the north and the Leeward Islands in the south. In the north, the cultural capital Mindelo, with its lively nightlife, and the most remote of the islands, Santo Antao, stand out. In the latter, we will find a paradise for lovers of hiking and contact with nature. In the extreme south, we find the island of Santiago, with its capital Praia and the town of Tarrafal, a magnificent enclave to enjoy its beaches. Among the southern islands also include Fogo, with its spectacular volcano of 2829m visible from several points of the archipelago. In the easternmost part are the islands of Boavista and Sal, with desert interiors and spectacular beaches of white sand and crystal clear water.

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The climate of the Cape Verde Islands is hot, dry and tropical. Temperatures vary between 24-30oC. Water temperatures range from 21oC in February to 26oC in September.

During the rainy season, generally between the months of August and October, milder temperatures can be enjoyed thanks to the Atlantic and Canary currents combined with high sea temperatures such as those near Senegal.

In terms of equipment, we recommend light and comfortable clothing. In the afternoon-evening, it may get a little chilly, so a windbreaker or jacket will always be useful.

If we are going to do some trekking it will not be superfluous to have a raincoat handy in case it rains at some point. The coolest areas where you will need a sweater or softshell are Cha das Caldeiras (in Fogo), Rui Vaz (Santiago) and some inland areas in Santo Antao, always at dawn or at night.

No, the time difference between mainland Spain and Cape Verde is 2 hours less during winter and 3 hours less in summer. Cape Verde time is GMT-1. Yes, traveling to the Cape Verde Islands is also a little time travel.

Traveling to Cape Verde means sharing languages and cultures. The official language is Portuguese. On the other hand, the local language is “Criolu”,

which is a mixture of Portuguese, different words from African languages and French. As for foreign languages, English is usually understood by emigrants who returned to Cape Verde and in some tourist establishments.

The way to show gratitude or to say thank you is “obrigado” (masculine) or “obrigada” (feminine). It is always a good start to use the native language. The telephone networks work quite well. For calls from Europe to Cape Verde, the international code is +238.

The national dish is cachupa. It is a mixture of wheat and beans with chunks of both meat and fish. Many traditional menus serve a vegetable soup as a starter and fruit for dessert. Cape Verdean cuisine is made up of a variety of fish and seafood, as well as roasts, stews with onions and onion, and a variety of other dishes.

and garlic, and accompanied with potato, yuka or moniatos. The dishes are usually accompanied by potatoes or rice.

We can have a one course meal for 3-5€ and in the evening two course dinners for 10-12€.In the cities we will always have the option of eating a pizza, pasta dishes or hamburgers.

In terms of beverages, you will find local beers, wines and liquors everywhere.

The popular grogue is a local rum that is sweetened with honey (Ponche). We recommend always drinking bottled water.

Do you want to know more about gastronomy in Cape Verde?

Read article

The official currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo, which is equivalent to approximately 0.0092 Euros, i.e. 1 Euro is approximately 110 escudos.

The best option is to pay by credit card whenever possible.

Then we have several options, on arrival at international airports, where we will be charged a slightly higher commission than in other places.

Another option is to make the change during the trip at the ATMs of the banks BCA (blue sign) or CAIXA (green sign). To make the change in a branch, they are open from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. We do not recommend the branch option as there are usually long queues.

Traveler’s checks are not recommended as the fees are exorbitantly high.

Credit cards (VISA ONLY) are accepted in most hotels in Sal and Boavista, in the rest of the islands they are accepted only in some hotels or restaurants. Mastercard cards are accepted in some places, and although they are being adapted more and more to its use, it still has limitation of use.

The currency exchange rate from EUR to Escudos (cve) is 1EUR=110,468 Escudos. It is possible to pay in Euros in Sal and Boa Vista.

To support the community of the Cape Verde Islands you can buy goods manufactured there. Keep in mind that many goods are imported from Senegal (especially Sal). Please do not buy coral, plants or native fruits. Products made from turtle shell are prohibited.

Yes, Cape Verde has implemented a tourist tax for all travelers since 2013. It costs 276 CVE (ca. 2,50€) per person per day (over 16 years old; max. 10 nights per hotel). To be paid directly at the hotel.

If you agree with the service, you may leave tips. If you don’t leave a tip, no one will ask for it.

The plugs or sockets used in Cape Verde are the same as those used in Spain and in most European countries. The common voltage is 230V and the frequency is 50Hz, therefore, when traveling to the Cape Verde Islands we will not require any type of adapter to be able to connect our devices.

At the level of coverage and internet; most of the accommodations have free wifi in the common areas of the hotel. And in many squares of the towns or cities we can also find this service for free. In rural areas and valley bottoms it will be very difficult to have coverage and good internet speed.

We recommend purchasing a SIM card at the airport upon arrival. This way we will have a local number to make emergency calls or any use and have some megabytes to surf the Internet. There are offers from 5€ that include 200 minutes of voice and 1Gb of data.

Live music is a fundamental part of Creole culture. It can be heard in countless corners of any of the islands. The bars and terraces of Mindelo stand out, in Praia, we recommend the restaurant Ipanema, and in places like Santo Antao, guesthouses like “Música do Mar” serve as a meeting point to sing traditional songs on weekends.

Transportation in Cape Verde is mostly by public transport with vans of up to 15 seats. It is a very popular means of transport on the islands, but not very punctual and often with long queues or waits to find a seat or to wait for the vehicle to leave. We recommend, in any case, to book transfers with private vehicles. Transportation between islands is by internal flights. Between some islands, it is possible to take ferries.

Want to know more about internal flights and ferries?

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Trekking Trips

Equipment, difficulty, routes

In terms of recommendations we do not require more than the basic equipment for any trekking destination.Considering that temperatures vary between 24 and 30oC and the water temperature is slightly below we recommend the following equipment:

  • Day or trekking backpack
  • Comfortable trekking footwear with a sole profile suitable for rocky terrain.
  • Lightweight clothing (breathable T-shirts, long trekking pants)
  • Lightweight windbreaker
  • Bath linen with towels
  • Flashlight
  • Sun hat
  • Minimum sun protection factor 30 (recommended)
  • Sunglasses – First-aid medicines – First aid medicines
  • Copies of documentation (passport, vaccination letter and airline tickets)
  • Credit card for security reasons.

As in any of the trips we offer, you are in charge. The proposed itineraries contemplate adapting to the physical and technical needs of the travelers, so that, at the same point, different hiking itineraries can be done so that they can be adjusted as much as possible.

Itineraries

From Oi Cabo Verde we always recommend to do the excursions or hiking activities with our local guides. Apart from the safety and the correct guidance on trails, which sometimes are not properly marked with European standards, they provide a great added value by explaining the landscape around us at all times. In addition, this way we will also contribute to the development and local economy.

Yes, we design trekking trips for small and medium groups of up to 20 people. For groups up to 30 people the itinerary is divided into different treks combined with common areas. This limitation is due to the size of the accommodations in the rural trekking areas. This way, we can guarantee an authentic and comfortable trekking experience in the islands. The optimal groups are from 8 to 16 people, for a larger number, it will be necessary to book more in advance to be able to guarantee especially accommodations.

Group Trips

Yes, apart from our two adaptable proposals in the Windward and Leeward islands, we have no problem in designing other itineraries. As experts in the African islands we will recommend you the best options.

Of course. An Oi Cabo Verde trip includes all services such as guides, transfers, accommodations and luggage logistics. These will be located at the accommodations and transported when necessary in the private vehicles.

Accommodations

Types, standards, availability

Hotels on the Cape Verde Islands do not always meet Western standards in terms of accommodations, although there is a wide variety of establishments with different levels of comfort and services. On the islands of Sal and Boavista we find the only resorts and hotels of western chains. On the rest of the islands there are small locally owned hotels and guesthouses. They are small establishments and generally very correct, clean and with a good customer service. In more remote areas, accommodation can be in private homes, adapted to accommodate tourists, as in the case of Cha das Caldeiras in Fogo.

Generally all our itineraries offer accommodation with breakfast. This will have a more continental format in the large city hotels and much more familiar and closer in the smaller lodgings. In areas where the presence of restaurants is limited, half board will be offered.

As in most destinations, the rooms offered by the lodgings are double, twin, and some triple or family rooms.

Flights

International, domestic, stopovers, prices

At the price level, as you know it is impossible to predict the fares of the tickets, but we can show a tendency of them. In no case we would speak of low cost prices. We can travel from 325 € in months like March or October or up to over 900 € in special seasons such as Christmas, New Year or some weeks of August.

Learn more

The best option to travel from the mainland is offered by TAP Portugal, which with a quick stopover in Lisbon, we can access the archipelago from different cities. In summer periods, Vueling offers direct flights from Barcelona and Madrid to Sal. From the Canary Islands, the company Binter offers direct flights to Sal.

There are other options such as Royal Air Morocco, but we do not recommend them due to their long layovers and changes of airlines.

Learn more

Yes, from Madrid and Barcelona there are stopovers via Lisbon. These have an approximate duration of 1h 50min. The peninsular flight takes 1h 15/50min (MAD/BCN) and the long flight takes about 4 hours. The tickets include snack during the short flight, menu on the long flight, and normally luggage.

Learn more

You can access all the information about internal flights between islands through the following link.

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Agencies

Conditions, partnership

  • Offering a unique emerging destination.
  • Staff on all islands
  • The effective response of a specialist agency
  • Group travel management and creation of agency tours
  • On-site training
  • Availability of catalogs and agency resources
  • Destination training program

Click on the following link to register your agency and start enjoying all the advantages.

Learn more

Always with you before,
during and after your trip.

24/7 support on all islands

Travel with total peace of mind knowing that you have staff available on all the islands for anything.

Itineraries
that work

Responsible travel with the maximum guarantee by having total control of the itinerary and permanent contact with the suppliers.

Authentic travel with essence

There is no better way to discover a destination than through local staff who are experts and passionate about their land.

I WANT TO TRAVEL!