Getting Around Cape Verde
- Country Cape Verde
- Guide Flight Planning
- Reviewed 29 October 2026
- Sources 1
- Length 1 min read
Credit Gibenol, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Last reviewed 29 October 2026
Cape Verde is an archipelago, which sounds obvious until you plan an itinerary. Getting between islands is a flight or a ferry, and neither is a formality: sea travel to the southern islands of Brava and Fogo in particular can often be disrupted.
On any given island, the aluguer is how people move. It is a pickup or a minibus that runs a route and leaves when it is full.
Driving yourself
Carry your home driving license and an international driving permit, and check that the license is accepted for the length of your stay.
You will be arrested if you are found driving without a license. That is worth taking at face value.
If you hire a car, scooter or quad bike, check that it is in good condition and fully insured. Hire companies often set stricter terms than at home, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age, and holding an international permit.
Getting around without driving
- Only take authorized taxis, from a rank or called by your accommodation.
- On Sal and Boa Vista, authorized taxis are colored blue and yellow.
- Intercity bus services can be dangerous because of poor driving.
- Allow slack around inter-island boats, especially to Brava and Fogo.
- Check with your travel provider before traveling to Brava or Fogo: tremors are felt there and sailings are disrupted.