Documents
Valid Passport (6 months).

Visa
It is necessary. It can be obtained directly at Sal airport.

Language
The official language of Cabo Verde is Portuguese, but the population speaks criolo.



Vaccinations
No vaccination is necessary: the absence of endemic illnesses and poisonous animals make Cabo Verde a safe destination.

Currency
The official currency is escudo capoverdiano. The exchange rate with Euro is 110,265. It is however possible to pay in Euros almost everywhere.

Banks, Credit cards and Automatic teller machines
In Saint Maria there are two banks open from 8am until 3pm. Automatic teller machines are not present and credit cards are only usable going to the bank.

Clothes
Recommended light casual, something warmer for the evenings from November to April.

Climate
Moderate with average between 18° Celsius and 30° Celsius, two seasons, which is dry (novembre/luglio), the other humide (agosto/ottobre) with a nighttime temperature not going below than 10°C mark from November to March. Constant breeze the whole year, winds are stronger December to April.

Food
Africa influenced food, the caboverdian food is extremely rich and varied, grilled of pig meat or fish and fruits of sea constitute a specialty of the place. Particularly the tuna occupies a predominant position is in the local gastronomy as in the national economy. Lobsters are also in abundance. The national dish is the cachupa, a base soup with corn, beans, meat of pig, tuna, sweet potato and aromatic grasses. Papaya, banana and mango are the more known tropical fruits, other types of fruit are imported by the South Africa. Among the drinks there are the grog (brandy of sugar reed) and the ponche (grog added of honey of reed and lemon).

Electricity
220 volts anywhere, normal european plugs.

Cigarettes
The only brands of cigarettes sold in Sal are Marlboro and Marlboro Light.

Island of Sal Area: 216 kmq. Population: 14.451 Useful Telephones Hospital: 41 11 30 fireman: 41 11 31 Police: 41 11 32 Airport: 41 11 35