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Cape Verde travel information

Cape Verde - Holiday Islands

TRAVELLING BY AIR

The best way to get to Cape Verde is by air and only 5.5 hours away from England, it is no wonder these beautiful islands offer an alternative to the Caribbean.

The main Cape Verde international airport is on Sal. There are two new international airports which have recently opened in Praia on Santiago and on Boavista. This offers the visitor various prices and variety of islands to visit as from these destinations onward flights are available to further islands. Prices can vary from £250 - £400 to include taxes.

To contact the airport: TEL: (+238) 41 13 72, FAX: (+238) 4115 70.

There are also daily direct flights to Praia International Airport on Santiago Island from Lisbon and weekly direct flights from Amsterdam, Paris and Boston.

TAP AIR PORTUGAL

TAP air Portugal has scheduled flight from:

  • London Gatwick and London Heathrow to Sal via Lisbon
  • Manchester via London and Lisbon to Sal

TACV

The national carrier of the Cape Verde islands is TACV who has recently introduced weekly direct flights to the Cape Verde from London Stansted:

  • Mondays from London Stansted to Praia on Santiago.
  • Thursdays from London Stansted to Sal.

THOMSONFLY

Thomsonfly also offers direct flights from:

  • London Gatwick to Sal, every Monday depart @1005 arrive @1400, return @1500 arrive @2235
  • London Gatwick to Boa Vista, every Thursday depart@1005 arrive@1355, return @1455 arrive@2235
  • Manchester to Sal, every Thursday depart @1000 arrive@1400, depart @1500 arrive@2230
  • Manchester to Boa Vista every Monday depart 0900 arrive 1255, depart 1355 arrive 2145
  • Birmingham to Sal, every Tuesday depart@0900 arrive@1300, depart@1400 arrive@2145

INTERNAL FLIGHTS

An alternative local Cape Verdean airline is Halcyonair, who at present flies between Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago and Sao Vicente. However, it is their intention to extend their flights to Fogo and Maio which will open these islands to visitors. Halcyonair offers various promotions throughout the year and flights can be booked over the internet – go to www.flyhalcyonair.com or to contact reservations directly via email - reservas@halcyonair.com.

TACV has flights to all islands except Santo Antao and Brava. Flights frequency depends on which island you decide to fly to. Early booking is advisable especially through the summer. The scheduling can be prone to last minute changes and disappointment, it is worth informing the TACV office in Sal airport of your accommodation and contact details, so they can inform you of any changes. Please reconfirm your flights at least 72 hrs before you leave.

Baggage allowance for internal flights is 20kg. Flights cost approximately 85 Euros (£60) per single journey and flight time is around twenty and fifty minutes. Internal flights prices can be reduced with an airpass. These can be obtained through booking your flight with the national airline TACV or TAP and should be purchased at the time of booking. Two passes is the minimum costing around 49 euros (£30) and they are valid for 21 days. One coupon is used per flight.

TACV DOMESTIC ROUTES

Travel map

TRAVELLING BY HYDROFOIL

Internal ferry travel in Cape Verde can take advantage of high speed marine transportation on two hydrofoils owned by Moura Company.

Two routes are available: between Sao Vicente and the islands of Santo Antao and Sao Nicolau and between Praia and the islands of Fogo, Brava, Maio, Sal and Boa Vista.

The first hydrofoil, The Auto Jet, has a 222-passenger capacity and connects Sao Vicente to Santo Antao two or three times per day. It also takes passengers between Sao Vicente and Sao Nicolau twice a week.

The other hydrofoil, The Jet Caribe, with a 313-passenger capacity, will travel the Praia-Maio-Boa Vista-Sal route on Sundays and connect Praia to Fogo and Brava on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Passenger ticket prices vary between 1,300 Cape Verdean escudos (£9 approx. for the trip between Sao Vicente and Sao Nicolau) and 4,890 Cape Verdean escudos (£35 approx. for the trip between Praia and Sao Vicente).

For information contact: SOLATLANTICO, Praca Albuquerque, Plateau, Praia - Santiago - tel. 261 6692; fax 261 7491; email:agencia_solatlantico@hotmail.com

TRAVELLING BY LOCAL FERRIES

Timetables and frequency of journeys are also not strictly followed. Nevertheless there is a regular and efficient daily ferry service between Mindelo on Sao Vicente island and Porto Novo on Santo Antao and the journey takes approximaly one hour.

Travelling by ferry is considerably cheaper than by air, the longest leg should not cost more than 30 Euros (a little bit more if you want to travel in a cabin). Tickets have to be booked in advance at the ferry tickets office, often founds in the docks.

BARLAVENTO Ferry: Santiago (Praia) - Brava - Fogo - Maio

For information contact: POLAR, rua Serpa Pinto 141, Plateau, Praia - Santiago -tel. 261 5223 - 261 7224; fax 261 4132; e-mail:polarp@cvtelecom.cv

SAL REI Ferry: Santiago (Praia) - Boavista

DJON DADE Ferry: Santiago (Praia) - Sal

For information contact: ANAV, Agencia Nacional de Viagens, SA, Rua Serpa Pinto, Plateau, Praia - Santiago - tel. 260 3107; fax 261 2162; e-mail:anavpraia@cvtelecom.cv