Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If bringing a phone from home with roaming facilities it will connect automatically;
note that Cape Verde is not on the GPRS system, so internet phones will not work here.
Local SIM cards (from CVE50) are available at all mobile phone offices and will work
with unlocked phones.
VISAS
All visitors (except holders of some African passports) require a visa.
Within West Africa, Dakar (Senegal) is one of the few places where you can get one.
A one-month tourist visa can be obtained without any problems on arrival at the air-
ports and at the ports of Praia and Sal. It costs €25 (payable in euros only - don't expect
change to be available).
Technically, there's a fine of CVE15,000 if you let your visa expire; in reality, if you're
only a little over nobody is likely to care.
For an extension you need, in theory, to fill in a form, supply a photo and lodge the ap-
Serpa Pinto, Praia)
; in reality, staff members here are likely to be highly confused if you turn
up requesting an extension!
Visas for Senegal can be obtained at that country's embassy in Praia. They cost around
CVE500 and take up to 48 hours to process.
WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Cape Verde is one of the safest countries in West Africa for solo women travellers - no
special precautions are required.
Getting There & Away
ENTERING CAPE VERDE
Proof of yellow-fever vaccination is only required if you are coming from an infected
area.
AIR
Most international flights land on Sal, though Praia and Boa Vista are seeing an increasing
amount of international activity and São Vicente recently started receiving international
flights.
TACV has five weekly flights to Lisbon from Praia and one weekly from Sal, São Vi-
cente and Boa Vista. There are also weekly nonstop flights to Boston, Amsterdam,
Fortaleza, Paris, Dakar and Bissau.
