What To Wear In Cape Verde

To sum it up - Keep it casual

The Cape Verdeans display a wonderful cultural mix of Africa and Brazil, with a dash of Portugal.

Our advice would be to travel light, we mean really light. If you are staying on the main tourist destination of Sal all you need during the day is beach wear, flip-flops, sunglasses and a hat. For the evenings again keep it light and simple lightweight Capri pants or skirt work well with flip flops.

The roads and paths are very uneven so flat shoes are far more suitable than heels when out and about.

If you are staying in an all inclusive hotel then there is more scope to dress up so you may want to pop a dress in but otherwise dressing up really doesn't happen here, everyone is very casual.

Outside of the hotels you will find it very difficult to get laundry cleaned however with a temperature of at least 28c all year round washing and drying clothes is quick and easy to do.

Seasonal packing

From Oct – March the islands of Sal and Boa Vista are windier (which is why Sal attracts so many wind and kite surfers at this time of year) but it is still hot. However we would recommend that you pack a cardigan, fleece or pashmina for the evenings as the wind can make it feel cooler once the sun goes down.

On the main tourist islands of Sal and Boa Vista you really do not need to worry about taking rainwear at all, whatever time of year you visit as you are very unlikely to see any. However if there are tropical storms they tend to happen in August and there really is nothing to do but find a great bar like Blu and chill out with cocktails and wait for it to pass.

Visit www.weatheronline.co.uk to check on the likely weather conditions for your trip.

Shopping

This is a very young holiday destination and it will be difficult to get good quality sun cream. Books or newspapers in English are not available at the moment. Take Mosquito repellent.

We would suggest that you don't bother with travellers cheques as they are not widely accepted. Take instead a combination of Euros and credit card as the Euro is accepted everywhere. However we would recommend changing your Euros into the local currency, Cape Verde Escudos (cve) at the bank when you arrive as you will find that you will get around 110 cve for 1 Euro whereas most shops and restaurants will convert at 100 cve to 1 Euro. There are a number of banks and they all have cash machines but at the moment they take Visa but not mastercard.

Sightseeing and activities

With its stunning sandy beaches and myriad ocean-based activities, Santa Maria on the main tourist Island of Sal is becoming increasingly well known as the beach and water sports destination.

It is possible to tour the island by hiring a car or taxi, or for the more adventurous why not jump on a local bus (called 'Aluger') - great fun, quick and cheap!

Flip flops are the order of the day here. You really won't need sturdy walking shoes unless you're planning to visit some of the more remote islands, which is not to be recommended unless you are planning a trip for at least 3 weeks.

For those staying in all inclusive hotels it's very tempting to stay by the pool and never leave the complex but if you make the effort to go out into the local towns you will be rewarded, Cape Verdeans are a wonderful warm and friendly people. Take a trip into Santa Maria and while you're there try the fabulous real Italian ice cream and visit Blu bar for what we think our the best cocktails and coffee on the island.

Capsule wardrobe essentials for Cape Verde

Swimwear
Flip flops
Hat
Sunglasses &
Sun cream
Pashmina
Travel Wallet

For a more detailed capsule wardobe list please see our packing guide eBook.

We are also pleased to offer you special purchase of some of our favourite travel essentials - see our travel buys page for a fantastic leather document holder and a gorgeous cashmere pashmina - both indispensable on any trip.

If you have travel clothing advice for any other cities or parts of Cape Verde then let us know!

Didn't find what you need?

Have you seen our eBook Packing Guide? Or alternatively you can use our personalised 'advice by email' service - for more information just send us an email with details about your trip (where you're going, when and what you expect to be doing there).

Request info about what to wear in Cape Verde >