Cabo Verde operates on Cape Verde Time, UTC-1 year-round with no daylight saving changes. The country uses the Cabo Verdean escudo, which maintains a fixed peg to the euro at approximately 110 CVE to 1 EUR since the currency's introduction. Euros circulate widely and most tourism-oriented businesses accept them directly, though at slightly less favorable rates than official exchange. ATMs exist in Praia, Mindelo, Santa Maria, and other major towns, dispensing local currency. Credit cards see acceptance in hotels and larger restaurants but cash remains necessary for markets, local transport, and smaller islands. Banks operate Monday through Friday with morning hours typically ending at 15:00.
The country maintains Portuguese as its official language, a legacy of colonization that ended in 1975. Cabo Verdean Creole, called Kriolu or Crioulo, functions as the national language spoken by the entire population, with distinct variants across islands that sometimes challenge mutual intelligibility. The Barlavento islands speak one dialect family while Sotavento islands use another, with Santiago's Badiu variety serving as the most widely understood. French sees some use due to regional connections with francophone West Africa. English exists primarily in tourism zones on Sal and Boa Vista where European package tourism concentrates. Portuguese fluency opens communication across all contexts.
International access concentrates through four airports with scheduled service. Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal handles the majority of European charter flights and serves as the primary entry point. Nelson Mandela International Airport in Praia connects to Lisbon, West African capitals, and provides inter-island links. Cesária Évora Airport in São Vicente opened in 2009 and receives some direct European flights plus domestic connections. Aristides Pereira International Airport on Boa Vista serves beach resort tourism. TAP Air Portugal operates year-round flights from Lisbon to Sal, Praia, and São Vicente with daily or near-daily frequency. TUI and other European charter carriers run seasonal service from Germany, UK, Italy, and Netherlands primarily to Sal and Boa Vista during northern winter months November through April.
Inter-island transport relies on domestic flights and ferry services with no fixed bridges between islands. Cabo Verde Airlines operates propeller aircraft connecting all inhabited islands except Brava, with Praia and Sal functioning as hubs. Flight times range from 15 to 45 minutes. Ferry companies run cargo and passenger boats on irregular schedules that shift seasonally and depend on weather conditions, with crossings between some island pairs taking three to six hours. The ferry from São Vicente to Santo Antão crosses the channel in roughly one hour and runs multiple times daily, serving as a crucial link since Santo Antão lacks an airport. Advance booking for inter-island flights during December through February and July through August becomes necessary as domestic capacity remains limited.
Road infrastructure varies dramatically by island and tourism development. Sal and Boa Vista maintain paved roads connecting airports to hotel zones and main towns. Santiago has paved highways linking Praia to Assomada and Tarrafal, with the interior mountain road to Cidade Velha improved in recent years. Santo Antão's Corda road, a mountain highway connecting Porto Novo to Ribeira Grande, was paved in sections over the past two decades but remains challenging with steep gradients and sharp curves. Fogo has paved access to São Filipe and partially paved roads into Chã das Caldeiras. Rural roads on most islands consist of cobblestone or dirt track. Rental cars are available on Santiago, Sal, São Vicente, Boa Vista, and Fogo, with small European and Japanese models predominating. A valid international driving permit or EU license suffices for rentals. Fuel stations exist in towns but not in rural areas.
Aluguer taxis operate as shared minibuses or pickup trucks on fixed routes within islands, departing when full rather than on published schedules. Fares remain low but routes concentrate on main town connections. Private taxis charge negotiated rates or use meters in Praia and Mindelo. On smaller islands like Brava and Maio, transport options reduce to occasional aluguers and arranged private vehicles. Santo Antão relies heavily on converted pickup truck taxis for mountain valley routes where no bus service runs.
Accommodation concentrates in specific tourism zones rather than distributing evenly. Sal's Santa Maria beach area contains dozens of all-inclusive resorts, aparthotels, and smaller guesthouses catering to European package tourism. Boa Vista developed similar beach resort infrastructure along its southern and western coasts over the past 15 years. Praia offers business hotels and guesthouses serving government and commercial travelers. Mindelo has small hotels and colonial-era guesthouses near the port. Other islands provide basic residencials and pensões with limited advance booking systems. Santiago's interior and most of Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Fogo, Maio, and Brava rely on family-run guesthouses, often requiring phone contact in Portuguese or Kriolu for reservations.