Getting Around Cape Verde

The short version

Between islands: a short flight or a ferry. On an island: an aluguer, which is a shared van, or a taxi. Distances are small and journeys still take a while, because the roads climb.

Between the islands

This is the planning decision that shapes a Cape Verde itinerary, and the mistake is treating the archipelago as though the islands were suburbs of each other. They are not. Each hop costs either money or the better part of a day.

Flying is quick and is the reliable option when the sea is up. The network is small, the aircraft are small, and a harmattan dust day can delay things. Book the hops as part of the itinerary rather than as you go.

The ferry is cheaper, more interesting and more weather-dependent. The crossing most visitors make is São Vicente to Santo Antão, which is short and runs often, and it is the standard way to reach the walking island because Santo Antão has no commercial airport in use. Other routes are longer and less frequent. Swell from a system a long way offshore can cancel a sailing under a clear sky, which is the single best argument for a spare day before an international flight.

On an island

The aluguer is the backbone. It is a shared minibus or pick-up that leaves when it is full rather than at a scheduled time, it is cheap, and it is how most people actually travel. It is also a perfectly good way for a visitor to get about if you are relaxed about the departure being approximate.

Taxis are straightforward in the towns. Agree the fare before you set off; meters are not the norm. Hiring a car makes sense on the flatter islands and is a more serious undertaking on the mountainous ones.

The cobbled roads

Much of the road network on the older islands is hand-laid cobblestone rather than asphalt, and on Santo Antão the mountain road across the island is one of the genuine sights of the country in its own right. It runs along a ridge with valleys falling away on both sides, and it was built by hand.

Two practical consequences. The first is that journeys are slower than a map suggests, so budget by hours rather than kilometers. The second is that cobbles, gradients and unfenced drops make this a demanding surface for anyone with limited mobility or a tendency to motion sickness. See accessible travel.

Driving

If you drive, drive in daylight on the mountain roads. They are narrow, they are busy with pedestrians and livestock, and the drops are real. There is no advantage to arriving anywhere in the dark here.

Sources

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Cape Verde travel advice: the FCDO restricts no part of the country, and Global Health Insurance Cards are not accepted. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Cape Verde safety and security: snatching, burglary and muggings, named for Praia and for Sal and Boa Vista. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre: the inscription of Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande, in 2009 under criteria (ii)(iii)(vi). Accessed 14 September 2026.