DIVING HOLIDAYS CAPE VERDE

DIVING THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS

There are 25 diving sites on Sal island, Cape Verde including wrecks at a depth of 10m. Fish include grouper, tuna and mackerel but shark are a rarity. Ribs take 10 to 12 divers each and can provide gentle drift dives in 1 knot of current. Night dives are made at most inshore locations. Plenty of reef fish and occasionally tuna and wahoo, can be seen. Late summer brings mantas,.morays, barracudas, nurse sharks and more rarely sand, tiger, sting rays and small grouper. Whale shark are rare visitors.

DIVING SEASONS IN CAPE VERDE

Cape Verde is pleasant year-round. Even during the so-called rainy season from mid-August to mid-October, weeks can go by without a downpour. Thanks to cooling ocean currents and offshore winds, Cape Verde has the lowest temperatures of any country in West Africa, and also some of the most moderate, ranging from a minimum night-time average of 19°C in February to a maximum daytime average of 29°C from May to November. Summer temperatures, especially in the northern islands, can be cooler than in Europe, though the southern islands, especially Fogo, can get hot and sticky. From December to March you may need a sweater in the evenings, especially at higher altitudes. Winter months are also marked by gusty winds, which blow in dust all the way from the Sahara.

RECCOMMENDED VACCINATION

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all travelers, regardless of the region they are travelling in, should be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, as well as hepatitis B. While making travel preparations, take the opportunity to ensure that your routine vaccination cover is complete.

THE ENTRY REQUIRMENT

British Passport holder may buy a tourist visa on arrival at a cost of E25. Other passport holders should consult their respective consulates. All entrants should have a full passport that does not expire within 6 months of your return date.

MONEY

The unit of currency is the Cape Verde escudo (CVE), divided into 100 centavos. It’s not a hard currency, but it’s stable; in January 2002, it was pegged to the euro. Most businesses also accept US dollars and euros. Banks are found in all the main towns and even some of the smaller ones, and most have ATMs that accept bankcards and Visa. Many also change travellers cheques and cash in all the main currencies (except the West African CFA). Many also give cash advances with a Visa card. Credit cards are accepted only in very upmarket establishments.