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Article by: emmanuel@seekinternationalproperty.com (Emmanuel Adeyanju) Published: 19/12/2011

Cape Verde Travel Information

To enter the country, the tourist must have a passport with a visa issued by a Cape Verde Consulate in the country of origin, or upon arrival at the International Airport in Sal , Sao Vicente, Santiago and Boavista.

Passport must valid for atleast 6 month required by all Nationality.

Visa and Passport Requirements

Single Entry Visa are valid for six month from the date of issue. Usually last for 30 days then there would an extended visa for 90.

Multiple Entry Visa are valid for one year from the day of issue. Under this the holder may travel In and Out of Cape Verde as long as each stay in no longer than 90.

The entry of pets, plants, guns and temporary imported vehicles in the country is subject to law in force. The entry and exit of yachts in the ports are controlled by the Port Authorities.

Insurance :

There are two insurance companies in the country with branches in the most important islands. They cover different insurance modalities in the whole national territory, if any accident may occur.

Language :

Although Portuguese is the official language, Creole is the language the most spoken all over the Archipelago. English, French, Spanish and Italian are reasonably understood and spoken by some of the local residents of the main urban centres as well as in the main tourist places.

Transport & Moving Around :

The way the most used to get to Cape Verde is by plane. There are national Airline Agencies, which assure a direct air transport to the country from Africa, Europe and the North and the South of America.There are International Airport on the Island of Sal, Sao Vicente, Santiago and Boavista.

It is possible to reach the country by sea because there are appropriate ports in all of the islands. One can commute within the islands by air or by sea, because there airports and ports available in most of them.

Air:

Flying is the best option for getting to and from Cape Verde. There are regular flights from Lisbon and less frequent flights from other European centres.

Bus:

Taxis are generally very expensive and few and far between, travelling around the islands is best by bus or truck.

Road:

You can rent cars on São Tiago, Fogo, São Vicente, Boavista, Santo antao, Sanicolau, Brava, Maio and Sal. Traffic drives on the right hand side and an International Driving Licence is required.

Waters:

Water is a valuable resource in Cape Verde, which should not be wasted. Bottled water is highly recommended for drinking.

Religion Cape Verde is a Christian country.

Banking & Business Hours The urban centres offer a variety of shops and fairs with different consuming goods, as well as very well supplied supermarkets.

Bank:

The bank opens at 8am to 3pm - Monday - Friday

Weekly Business hours are:

Monday-Friday

8:00 am – 12:30pm 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Saturdays

9:00am – 1:00pm

Most shops are closed on Sundays, but some supermarkets are open on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Convenience stores and oil stations are open everyday from 8:00am to 10:30pm, including weekends.

Tips:

are not compulsory, but they’re widely used to show the customer’s satisfaction regarding a service.

Clothes:

Due to the country’s tropical and dry climate, and the temperatures of about 25º the whole year round, casual and light clothes are recommended. Bikinis and swimsuits are a must in the luggage. The months of June, July, August and September are the warmest months of the year. Wearing a light coat at night may be necessary during the windy season.

Food And Drinks:

The combination of the African and the European cultures also had impact on the Capeverdean food. A variety of ingredients are combined in the preparation of typical dishes resulting in exotic and delicious flavours. Besides the traditional food, international cuisine is also included in the menus of the restaurants spread all over the Archipelago. There is a great variety of fresh fish, being tuna fish among the most consumed by the local residents. Lobster, squid, rock barnacle and various kinds of fresh shellfish are the delight of the seafood lovers. "Cachupa" is the most famous national dish corn base and made with various kinds of meat, different types of beans, vegetables (such as manioc, sweet potatoes, squash, cabbage and unripe banana), and different types of national sausages; cachupa can also be prepared with fresh tuna fish.

Electrical Power:

Electric power is 220V moving at 50H. The type of plugs use are:

Round pin attachment plug:

Schuko plug with side grounding contact:

Currency:

The national currency is the Capeverdean escudo. Money Exchange can be done in any of the bank agencies or in the exchange offices spread around the Archipelago. Money can also be exchanged in some hotels.

An agreement of parity between the Capeverdean escudo and the Euro was celebrated, so that the exchange rate is fixed:

1 Euro = 110.265 ECV

1 USD = 82.906 ECV

(exchange rate estimated at 07/12/04 – source BCV)

Opening and closing hours of the Banks

Monday-Friday

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Telecommunication And Post Office:

Technological evolution introduced in the country has allowed for direct communication from anywhere in the Archipelago to the whole world, be it by phone, fax or Internet. The cellular network system covers the whole country. Pre-paid phone cards as well as public phone booths are available all over the archipelago. Post Offices with the fast and effective Express Mail Service are spread around the country. There are also Express Mail companies in all of the islands.

Security:

The Capeverdeans are peaceful and outgoing, and the country is well known for its social stability and absence of any kind of conflict. As far as security is concerned, one should take the basic precautions that are within the general security rules to be observed anywhere in the world.

National Holidays:

1st of January New Year; International Peace Day

13 th of January Democracy and Liberty Day

20 th of January National Heroes Day

1 st of May Labour Day

5 th of July Independence Day

15 th of August Nossa Senhora da Graça (Our Lady of Grace)

1st of November All Saints Day

25 th of December Christmas Day

External Article Link: http://www.property-partnership.com/overseas-property-guides/overseas-property-guide.cfm?id=364

Article Link: http://www.property-partnership.com/overseas-property-guides/overseas-property-guide.cfm?id=364

Please contact the author at emmanuel@seekinternationalproperty.net for more information.