Getting around in Cape Verde

One area that many tourists have questions about when visiting any destination is how to travel around within the country or city being visited. In Cape Verde, the transportation industry is quite developed. The infrastructure is in place for road, air and sea travel. You'll find that the conditions vary by island given population sizes and state of development of each of the nine inhabited islands.

Car Rentals
Roadways are increasingly being paved. Over 25% of the roads are paved and the unpaved roads are not places you would have imagined anyone driving on anyway. So driving yourself around is very doable. However, car rentals are relatively expensive at around €45-80/day depending on the type of vehicle you rent. There are quite a few choices for car-rental agencies and you'll even find a few in the airports on your arrival.

Don't expect turn-by-turn GPS! LOL. In fact, you'll promptly and often get lost even with detailed maps because none of the streets have street-signs although the streets all have names. I've often wondered what is the point of naming a street if no-one can actually see the name? And if you're the adventurous type and want a good laugh ... just stop and ask a resident for directions! It's not that Cape Verdean's are not a friendly lot, but you simply will not get there.

Be aware that Cape Verdeans love their cars. So don't smack into anyone! And watch out for the guys who will offer to wash your car at every turn.

I would strongly advise that you not drive at night if you don't know the roads really well. If you decide to rent, please be safe.

Cape Verde drivers and their cars!

Every country on God's great earth has its own unique reputation when it comes to its drivers and their love affair with their cars!

Cape Verde is no exception. Now don't get me wrong. I find Cape Verde to be among one of the safer countries on the globe in which to operate an automobile. This is so for a few key reasons. First, new cars in Cape Verde are very expensive - maybe 50% more costly than in the US or Europe - and their owners keep them immaculate condition. They treat their cars like a second home (because they cost as much as a small house)! They don't want any dents and scratches on their shiny automobiles. Inevitably, cars do show their age over time. Yet Cape Verdeans will "bati chapa" the dents out of an old or damaged car and repaint it. Cars that are 20 years old look brand new again - and for 500 euro or less! And they'll try to sell it to you for double its actual value. LOL. And you'll probably think it's a good deal.

Second, drivers here are quite careful compared to the crazy drivers found in other countries. In a sense, they hardly have a choice. The roads, with few exceptions, are not meant for exceptionally fast driving. There are no multi-lane high-speed freeways as in first world countries. What's the rush anyway? These are small islands and distances are short ... how much time are you going to save but a couple seconds by speeding up.