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Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina |
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Cape Verde, Madeira,
Porto Santo, The Azores,
La Gomera, Caribbean
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Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily,
Aeolian Islands |
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| Cape Verde Holidays
bringing the tropics a little closer
 
In 2006, Holiday Options pioneered the introduction of tourism from the UK to the beautiful Cape Verde Islands. We provide a range of luxury and family hotels as well as quality apartments and island hopping tours.
Our choice of flights to the Cape Verde islands is as follows :
London Gatwick to Sal on Mondays
London Gatwick to Boavista on Fridays
Manchester to Sal on Tuesdays
Birmingham to Sal on Fridays
Our Cape Verde holidays feature the popular islands of Boa Vista, Fogo, Maio, Sal, Santiago, Santo Antao and Sao Vicente. All of these holidays in Cape Verde are accessed by direct flights from London and Manchester.
Simply use the column on the right hand side of this page to view the resorts as well as detail on all the accommodation we have available. At any stage you can book the Cape Verde holiday of your dreams by using our search and book box.
The Cape Verde islands lie 385 miles from Senegal and 800 miles south of the Canaries. Cape Verde is on the same latitude as Barbados and there are regular flights to Brazil and as they are just one hour behind UK time there is no jet lag.
The archipelago of Cape Verde presents the nearest tropical islands to the UK. Climatically they are a marine extension of the Sahara, and benefit from a dry, moderate climate throughout the year with generally very little rainfall although it can vary according to the island and altitude.
At the coast it rains on an average of only 22 days a year in contrast to nearly 3000 hours of sunshine (average 8 hours per day). There is a pleasant, almost permanent breeze. It can rain more often in the green and mountainous islands.
Time Difference: |
Cape Verde is on GMT-1 and is one hour behind the UK in winter and 2 hours behind the UK in summertime |
Local costs: |
A typical set 3 course meal will cost approximately £12; a tea or coffee is 50p; a glass of wine or beer 70p and a bottle of wine £10 |
| Dress Code: |
The dress code is generally casual although some hotels require gentlemen to wear long trousers for dinner. As it can be cool in the mountains, and often windy at the coast with cool evenings, you are advised to pack at least one warm sweater |
Electricity: |
220v with 2 or 3 pin sockets; a European adaptor is required |
Vaccinations: |
No vaccinations are required and malaria and other tropical diseases are not endemic. There are hospitals or clinics in urban areas. Large hotels have a clinic and/or a doctor on regular visits. Please be sure to take high factor suncreams and a hat. We recommend you take any medical items with you (including over the counter remedies such as medication against stomach problems) as these can be expensive to buy locally
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Water: |
You should always drink only bottled water |
Language: |
Portuguese is the national language and is widely spoken along with the local Creole. English is taught at school and generally understood |
Visas: |
All nationals require a full passport valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of departure from Cape Verde . All nationals also require a visa to enter Cape Verde . Holiday Options will arrange this for you free of charge when booking an inclusive holiday with us
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Flight time: |
The direct flying time from the UK is approximately 6 hours. Flights via Lisbon take longer due to the time in transit |
Internal Flights: |
Our local representatives will give you the tickets for all internal flights on arrival in Sal. They are also on hand to provide assistance if local flights are disrupted by weather or other unexpected events during your holiday. Please note that the luggage allowance on these flights is limited to 20 kilos in the hold. |
Flight Upgrades: |
Astraeus’ Star Class service offers a stress-free check-in and a spacious, relaxing environment in the foreward cabin. It is available at a supplement of £139 per person return. Additional benefits of this upgraded service from Gatwick include:Spacious leather seats with 36” pitch * 40kgs luggage allowance * Use of Executive Lounge at Gatwick * Superior meal choice served on china * Complimentary drinks * Newspapers and in-flight entertainment |
| Travelling from the Islands: |
Day of Departure - The local flights within Cape Verde run to schedules over which we have no control. We will always choose to book the best possible connection, however the schedules are not always ideal. If you are returning to the island of Sal several hours before your flight to the UK, we can make arrangements for you to store your luggage safely and go into the town of Santa Maria should you wish to do so.
Please speak to our local staff for details. |
Money: |
The local currency is the Cape Verde an escudo (£1= 160 escudos). The euro is also widely accepted and we strongly recommend that you take euros with you. Most shops and restaurants exchange at 1 euro / 100 escudos. Credit cards are gradually being introduced and VISA is now normally accepted in tourist hotels and many restaurants, although a handling fee will often be charged. ATMs can now be found on Sal, São Vicente, Boa Vista and Santiago, which will only accept VISA or ELECTRON cards. Alternatively, money can be drawn from banks against a credit card. Shops and restaurants work on fixed prices; bartering as found in neighbouring African countries is not part of the culture |
You can find restaurants to suit most tastes in the more popular areas. Freshly caught fish is always on the menu cooked to local recipes, with relatively inexpensive swordfish and tuna widely found. Bananas, papaya, mango and other fruit including strawberries are usually readily available when in season. Most meat is imported from Brazil and South Africa.
The wines come mainly from Portugal, although there are good wines produced on the island of Fogo, and there are local beers and a rum-based grogue! Fogo also produces fine coffee and cheese.
Interestingly many shops are now run by the Chinese, originally from Macau. There is a good curio and ceramic shop on Santiago and local foods and liquor are popular purchases.
The beaches are superb with long stretches of fine white sand. The most popular are on the islands of Boa Vista and Sal, whilst Maio, Santiago and São Vicente have fine but little visited beaches.
Island-hopping, trekking, horseriding, diving and watersports are popular activities.
Cape Verde comprises two distinctly different types of islands. Seven of the more westerly islands are characterised by their mountainous landscapes, whereas the three closer to Africa (Boa Vista, Sal and Maio) are distinguished by their long sandy beaches.
Island-hopping between them using a combination of local ferries and inter-island flights is a popular pastime.
Trekking and rambling along the paths created by the local people on the islands of Santiago, Santo Antão and Fogo introduces you to breathtaking scenery with green valleys, rocky inlets, terraced plantations and volcanic peaks.
During the summer months bird watching on most islands is also popular. The islands are normally a key nesting site for loggerhead turtles in August and September.
The crystal clear waters around the islands are excellent for scuba diving and deep sea fishing. Waterskiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing are also popular activities, depending upon weather conditions.
There is a modest golf course on São Vicente and there are excellent spa facilities at the Venta Club on Boa Vista. Massage is available at several hotels.
Some of the larger hotels provide international style entertainment. However local entertainment is most interesting, especially on Sal and São Vicente where there is a choice of clubs, bars and restaurants. The local people thrive on music and dancing, and a band will strike up anywhere for an impromptu beach or street party. Salsa and Samba mixed with tribal African dance are de rigueur.
Cape Verde ans love festivals, the most splendid being the annual Mardi Gras in late February, but each island indulges in at least two additional fiestas each year.
Here are just a few things we recommend you include on any holiday to Cape Verde :
- Island hop and visit at least 3 islands
- Meet the locals by taking a trip in an aluguer and/or the ferry from São Vicente to Santo Antão
- Visit a local bar and enjoy a spot of samba or salsa dancing
- Visit Fogo
- Make the incredible road journey across the mountains on Santo Antão
There are international airports on Sal and Santiago with new ones opening this year on Boa Vista and São Vicente. Travel within the islands is by inter-island flights, or by ferry between São Vicente and Santo Antão, subject to timetables. Travelling around the islands by aluguers, locally run minibuses, is a great way to get to know the locals. Car hire is available on some islands. Most roads are challenging and are often of local stone or rough tracks.
Our range of Cape Verde holidays includes 2008 holidays, 2009 holidays, package holidays, january Holidays, February Holidays, March holidays, April holidays, May holidays, June holidays, July holidays, August holidays, September holidays, October holidays, November holidays, December holidays, winter holidays, Christmas Holidays, New Year holidays, Bank holidays, family holidays, golf holidays, Summer sun holidays, school holidays, all inclusive holidays, bon appetit holidays, bargain holidays, last minute holidays, cheap holidays and self catering holidays
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