Cape Verde
Travel Destination – Cape Verde
Situated around 570 kilometres off the coast of West Africa, Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands known for its diverse landscapes, from the beaches and watersports centres of Sal and Boa Vista to the volcanic terrain of Fogo and the spectacular hiking trails of Santo Antão. The capital, Praia, is home to the UNESCO listed Cidade Velha, while Mindelo on São Vicente is regarded as the cultural heart of the islands, renowned for its music, Carnival celebrations, and Creole heritage.
Healthcare facilities can be limited, with the best services located in Praia and Mindelo. Travellers should ensure appropriate pre-travel health preparation to enjoy a safe trip.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Scheduling an appointment with a travel doctor six to eight weeks before departure gives the most flexibility for completing any recommended vaccine courses. A travel consultation also enables personalised advice that reflects both the traveller's individual health history and their planned itinerary across the islands. The appropriate vaccines and precautions for a beach resort stay on Sal differ from those relevant to extended hiking on Santo Antão or a volcano ascent on Fogo, and a travel doctor will account for these differences.
Travellers with limited time before departure should still seek a consultation. Many key vaccines can be administered on compressed schedules, and even a brief pre-travel assessment is more valuable than no preparation at all. Travellers should carry a sufficient supply of any routine prescription medications for their full time away, as pharmacy availability outside Praia and Mindelo can be unreliable. Comprehensive travel insurance that explicitly includes emergency medical evacuation is recommended for all travellers, and is particularly important for those planning adventure activities including hiking, volcano trekking, water sports, and sailing between islands.
Insect avoidance
Cape Verde was declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization in 2024, which is a significant and welcome development.
However, mosquito-borne disease remains a relevant health concern, as dengue is present across the archipelago. Dengue is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that feed predominantly during daylight hours, with peak activity in the early morning and late afternoon, and are particularly concentrated in urban and peri-urban environments. Zika virus is also present, warranting protective measures especially for pregnant women.
Insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin should be applied to exposed skin throughout the day and reapplied after swimming or perspiring. Wearing long sleeves and trousers provides additional protection, particularly in built-up areas and during high-risk periods. Accommodation with fly screens or air conditioning is preferable, and a permethrin-treated net may be useful in basic accommodation on outer islands.
Food and water hygiene
Cape Verdean cuisine reflects the country's island geography, with seafood, corn, beans, rice, and locally grown vegetables forming the basis of many traditional dishes. To enjoy Cape Verdean cuisine while reducing the risk of gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal infections, maintain good food and water hygiene. Before eating, make sure your hands are cleaned with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitiser. Choose food that is freshly prepared, thoroughly cooked, and served hot. Avoid raw or undercooked foods and meals that have been left standing or reheated. Fruits and vegetables are safest when they can be peeled before eating. Drink only bottled, boiled, or filtered water, and avoid untreated tap water and ice.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Cape Verde?
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver acquired through food or water that has been contaminated with the virus, producing symptoms ranging from mild fatigue and nausea to significant jaundice and weeks of incapacity, with severity increasing with age.
Vaccination against Hepatitis A is recommended for all previously unvaccinated travellers, as the vaccine is well tolerated and provides long-lasting protection. Given the recent increase in gastrointestinal illness reported among visitors to the islands, confirming Hepatitis A vaccination before departure is particularly timely. The vaccine requires two doses for full long-term protection and is widely available through Australian travel medicine clinics.
Typhoid
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Typhoid fever is a systemic bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi, transmitted through contaminated food or water and producing a characteristic pattern of sustained fever, frontal headache, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort. Without treatment, severe complications can develop.
Vaccination is recommended for most travellers to Cape Verde, particularly those venturing beyond resort environments, sampling food from local markets or informal eateries, visiting friends and relatives, or undertaking extended stays. Even with vaccination, careful food and water practices remain an important component of overall protection.
Hepatitis B
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Cape Verde is considered to have an intermediate to high prevalence of Hepatitis B. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted through contact with infected blood and bodily fluids, including via unprotected sexual contact, tattooing or piercing with non-sterile equipment, and unsterile medical or dental procedures.
Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for travellers who may be at risk through any of these routes, including those undertaking extended stays, those with underlying health conditions who may require medical care during their trip, and any traveller whose recreational or occupational activities increase potential exposure.
Many Australians received a Hepatitis B vaccine through childhood immunisation programs, but a proportion of adults remain unprotected, and vaccination history is worth confirming with a travel doctor.
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus transmitted through airborne droplets, producing fever, cough, red eyes, and a characteristic rash that begins around the hairline and spreads downward.
Measles outbreaks continue to occur globally, and all international travellers should be fully vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before departure. For Australian travellers born during or since 1966, two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine are required. Vaccination history should be confirmed with a travel doctor before departure.
Yellow Fever
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Yellow fever is not endemic in Cape Verde, and vaccination is not recommended purely for personal protection when travelling there.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is, however, required for travellers aged one year and over who are arriving from a country where yellow fever transmission occurs, including those who have transited through such a country.
Travellers whose routing to Cape Verde passes through an affected country in Africa or South America must carry a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Entry requirements of this nature can change, and the specific itinerary should be verified with a travel doctor prior to departure.
Routine vaccinations
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Protecting your health before travel to Cape Verde includes ensuring routine vaccinations are up to date, as vaccine-preventable diseases remain more common overseas than in Australia.
Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis protection should be current, with a booster recommended if more than 10 years have passed since the last dose. This is especially important for travellers planning hiking, trekking, or volcanic terrain activities where minor injuries can occur.
Polio vaccination should also be confirmed as up to date before departure. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and over, as influenza circulates year-round in tropical climates.
COVID-19 vaccination should be current in line with Australian guidance, including additional booster doses for older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.
Cape Verde
Other health risks in Cape Verde
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis is the most common health problem experienced by Australian travellers to Cape Verde. Most cases are caused by bacteria or viruses acquired through contaminated food or water, with symptoms including diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping typically appearing within one to three days of exposure.
Oral rehydration with water or electrolyte solutions is the most important treatment for uncomplicated cases, and most episodes resolve within a few days. Medical advice should be sought promptly if symptoms are severe, contain blood, or persist beyond several days without improvement, or if the traveller becomes unable to maintain adequate fluid intake.
Dengue
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Dengue fever is an important mosquito-borne illness risk in Cape Verde and is transmitted by daytime-biting Aedes mosquitoes. It typically causes a sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, pain behind the eyes, and marked fatigue. While most cases are self-limiting, a small proportion can progress to more serious disease.
There is no specific antiviral treatment, and vaccination is not routinely used for most travellers. The main form of protection is strict mosquito bite avoidance during the day, including repellent use and covering exposed skin.
Zika virus
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Zika virus is a mosquito-borne infection transmitted by daytime-biting Aedes mosquitoes similar to those responsible for dengue in Cape Verde. Most infections are mild or may cause no symptoms at all, but when symptoms occur they can include fever, rash, joint pain, headache, and conjunctivitis.
The main health concern is infection during pregnancy, as Zika virus can cause serious congenital abnormalities in the developing baby. Sexual transmission from an infected traveller is also possible, including from people who have had no symptoms.
Pregnant travellers, or those planning pregnancy, should seek specialist advice at the early planning stages of a potential trip to Cape Verde. Returning travellers should follow current health guidance on preventing sexual transmission after possible exposure, and strict mosquito bite prevention during the day remains the key protective measure.
Schistosomiasis
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Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that can be acquired through contact with contaminated freshwater, where larvae released by freshwater snails can penetrate intact skin. Infection may occur during swimming, wading, bathing, or washing in rivers, lakes, or other natural freshwater sources.
Travellers should avoid all freshwater exposure throughout Cape Verde as a precaution. There is no vaccine or preventive medication, but effective treatment is available after diagnosis, so any possible exposure should be discussed with a doctor on return to Australia.
Tuberculosis
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Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection spread through the air when an infected person coughs, speaks, or sneezes, most commonly affecting the lungs.
For short-term visitors to Cape Verde who are staying in hotels or resorts, the risk of infection is generally low. Risk increases with prolonged stays, healthcare work, or close and regular contact with local communities. Any persistent cough, fever, night sweats, or unexplained weight loss after travel should be reviewed by a doctor, with travel history clearly mentioned.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Violent crime against tourists in Cape Verde is uncommon, however, the there remains risk of pickpocketing, bag snatching, and opportunistic theft, particularly in the capital Praia, in crowded markets, and on isolated beaches after dark. Valuables should be kept secured rather than displayed, and travellers should exercise additional care in Praia compared with tourist-focused resort islands such as Sal and Boa Vista, where police presence in visitor areas is more visible.
Walking on deserted beaches after dark carries increased risk, and well-lit promenades are preferable for evening walks. Drink spiking has been reported, and food and drinks should not be left unattended in social settings. The risk of civil unrest in Cape Verde is low, and political demonstrations are uncommon.
Seek up to date safety information before and during travel to Cape Verde.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Flights from Australia to Cape Verde require one or more connections and involve a total journey time that typically extends well beyond twelve hours. This degree of immobility during travel can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which clots develop in the deep veins of the legs when blood flow is slowed for extended periods. To lower this risk, travellers should move regularly during long flights, perform seated leg exercises such as calf raises and ankle rotations, and maintain adequate fluid intake throughout the journey.
Travellers carrying additional risk factors, including a prior history of clotting, recent surgery, pregnancy, hormonal contraceptive use, or significant overweight, should discuss this with a travel doctor before departure, as below-knee compression stockings may be appropriate.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Road conditions across the islands of Cape Verde vary considerably, with paved roads reasonably maintained in populated areas but deteriorating significantly in rural and mountainous terrain. Sandstorms and dust storms can occur, particularly between January and February, creating difficult driving conditions and reducing visibility to a degree that may affect both road travel and flights. These storms can also cause respiratory symptoms, which may be more problematic for travellers with underlying respiratory conditions. Night driving in unfamiliar or rural areas should be approached cautiously.