BEFORE ARRIVING

Official procedures:

Every passenger must have a valid passport (for 6 month period, at least) and a visa delivered by a Cape Verde diplomatic representative. Children  must be in possession of their own passport.
You can obtain a visa through a Cape Verde diplomatic representative or  your travel agent.
If you book the hotel directly, we can also organize a visa for you. For this purpose we need  the following information at least 10 days prior to your arrival: name, surname, nationality, date of birth, passport number, date of issue, date of expity, arrival date and flight number.

Insurance:

For the sports events, an assistance/repatriation insurance that includes sea-searching is obligatory.

Pharmacy kit:

Even though you can buy medication on location, we recommend that you bring along essential drugs such as, Imodium, Ercefuryl, aspirin, Doliprane, sterile bandages, seasickness pills and above all, your sun tan lotion.

UPON ARRIVAL

The airport:

Amilcar Cabral International airport is sited 18kms away from Santa Maria. Airport taxes are included in the price of the flight.

Jetlag:

3 hours in the summer and 2 hours in the winter compared to the most European countries.
2 hours in the summer and 1 hour in the winter compared to Portugal or England.
Local time : GMT -1

ON LOCATION

Climate:

Warm and dry most of the year (subtropical dry), we can distinguish two seasons:
- From November until July, dry season, tempered by the trade winds.
- From August until November, humid season characterized by scarce precipitation.
Throughout the year, outdoor temperatures range between 20º to 25º. Rarely does the maximum go above 30º. Bring light clothing and some warmer garments for the winter evenings.

Currency and payments:
The Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) is exchanged only on location.

1 € = about 106,93 CVE at the hotel.
The hotel accepts only Visa creditcard.

Language:

The official language is Portuguese, but the daily language is Creole. In the touristic and business milieux, French, English and German are widely used.

Religion:

Catholicism is the main faith. Protestantism and its various branches, is the second religion.

Music:

The melodies along with their individual dances reveal the wealth of the Cape Verdean cultural patrimony. Rooted within the popular habits, they occupy a privileged place in the population’s daily routine.
The best known musical style is the morna, whose most grandiose ambassador is Césaria Evora.

Voltage:

220v. European sockets.

Telecoms:

To call Cape Verde from a foreign country, dial 00 238 followed by the 7 digits of the number you want to connect to.