Getting Around Cape Verde

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: the FCDO notes that 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

You can drive in Cape Verde on a valid UK photocard license for up to six months. If you still hold a paper license you should either update it to a photocard or get the 1968 international driving permit and carry it alongside.

Then the FCDO puts it plainly: you will be arrested if you are found driving without a license. That is a sharper sentence than these advisories usually use, and it 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.