Essential information for Boa Vista

When to go

Boa Vista is the easternmost island of the Cape Verde Islands archipelago, making it the closest of the islands to Africa. It, along with the other of Cape Verde’s island family, experiences year-round warm weather that never seems to dip below the twenties. Temperatures here tend to average between 26°C to 30°C across the board – Boa Vista is also treated to low humidity, which means the heat is more sun-kissed rather than oppressive.

Because of its never-ending stretches of warmth, Boa Vista holidays are a great choice to escape the dreariness that slips over the United Kingdom in the winter. December is the wettest month of the year with a still-low average of 15mm of rain. With six hours of sunshine per day, January is the coldest month, though that’s not saying much – temperatures this time of year still average around 24°C. May takes the prize for sunniest month, with an impressive 10 hours a day.

Boa Vista is considered to be one of the most important nesting grounds for loggerhead turtles. Animal lovers can catch glimpses of these reptiles scampering across the sand as early as June to September and even October, though August is often considered peak season.

The opposite of most beach destinations, Boa Vista’s watersport season runs from November to March. Winds generally tend to pick up this time of year in Cape Verde, making it a top spot for wind and kite-surfing. November’s average temperatures of 28°C and warm water temperatures also make conditions prime.

Health and safety

As with any holiday, you should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourself and your family on your trip. Make sure you have funds easily accessible to cover any cost of medical treatment you might need.

If you’re visiting Boa Vista specifically to take part in sports or watersports, including hiking, you should make sure your insurance covers this. See our holiday extras page for more information and for the latest health and safety information visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cape-verde.

Passports and Visas

British citizens need an entry visa to enter Cape Verde and must have a valid passport. By law, you must carry your passport with you and may need to show it when paying by credit card. For the most up-to-date passport and visa info, visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cape-verde/entry-requirements.

Getting around

Once you’ve arrived at Boa Vista Rabil Airport, the furthest resort is only a 25-minute drive away. Because of this, it’s easiest to rely on taxi services when getting around Boa Vista, though you have the opportunity to hire a car if need be. You should be advised, though, that much of Boa Vista is covered in sand, so unless you’re experienced with driving in these conditions, the journey might be unsafe on your own. Most tour operators include transfers in their Cape Verde holiday packages, so getting to and from the airport will be easy.

There are alternative methods to getting around Boa Vista, including quad bike rentals – they’ll certainly make exploring the sand dunes an easy feat. They’ll also help you traverse the sandy trek to the beach, plus getting between the capital of Sal Rei and surrounding sites.

Advice for travellers with children

Much of Boa Vista’s activities are found at the shores. Beach babies can splash through the waves or marvel at the little turtles, while teens and adults can take part in the island’s busy watersport scene. There are a number of group tours families can join, venturing across the sandy landscape by boat or quad bike.

Restaurants in Boa Vista are generally child-friendly, as are the resorts. Many will feature kids clubs and activities catering especially to children, in addition to child-friendly pools, though it’s always worth checking in advance what specific resorts have to offer little holidaymakers. Book your Boa Vista holidays All Inclusive and you can rest assured a host of family-friendly dinner options included in your stay.

Electricity

Connector type: Generally round two-pin adapter

Voltage info: 220 volts AC, 50Hz

Emergency information

In case of an emergency call 132 for the police or 131 for the fire department services.

British consulate

If you are a victim of crime, affected by a crisis overseas, or if something happens to a relative or partner, contact the British Consulate. There is no British Embassy in Boa Vista or Cape Verde. If you’re in Cape Verde and you need urgent consular assistance, you should call +44 1908 516666.

Hospitals

Medical facilities in Boa Vista are incredibly limited, and some medicines are in short supply. At most, you’ll find small health centres and doctors at your hotel. The largest hospitals are on the islands of Praia and Mindelo.