Cape Verde - Cape Verdean Escudo - Currency Guide

CVE News, Forecasts and Trends

Travel, Currency and Money saving tips for Cape Verde

Jutting up from the Atlantic, some 500km west of Senegal, this stunning island chain has a captivating blend of mountains, beaches and peaceful seaside villages. On Santo Antão, craggy peaks hide piercing green valleys of flowers and sugar cane, ideal for epic hikes. São Vicente is home to the cultural capital of the islands, Mindelo, which throbs with bars and music clubs. On Sal and Maio, undulating windswept dunes merge with indigo-blue seas on unspoilt beaches of powdery white sand. Meanwhile, far-flung Fogo and Brava in the southwest offer their own enchantments, from surreal volcanic landscapes, to sparkling bays framed by towering peaks. Throw in the constant beat of music that Cabo Verde is famed for and the renowned morabeza (Creole for hospitality) of its people and you’ll see why many have come – and never left.

What currency to use in Cape Verde?

Credit cards are not widely accepted so be sure to take some currency, however the Euro is accepted in most places.The local currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo or CV Esc which can only be obtained in the islands. You can take Sterling or Euros to exchange. The fixed exchange rate is 110 CV Esc to €1. ATMs are only found in some places so be prepared to not be able to find them easily.

How to get around in Cape Verde?

Taxis are readily available in the larger towns and resort areas and are generally of a good standard. Although they work on a meter they can at times be ‘creative’ so it is always worth agreeing the cost before setting off. The most inexpensive way of getting around are the 'alugueres’ buses that are easily identified and drive around the town and are often full of passengers and packages. You simply shout when you want to get off.

The only reliable scheduled ferry services in Cabo Verde are between Praia, Brava and Fogo; Praia and Maio; and Mindelo (São Vicente) and Santo Antão. There's less frequent service (twice monthly) from Praia to São Vicente via São Nicolau. Seas can be rough and the crossings rocky, especially during winter months. There are cafes on board the bigger boats, but it's always a good idea to bring a reserve of water and snacks.

Provided you're in good shape to handle the steep inclines, Cabo Verde's islands are a great place to bicycle around. Few visitors travel this way, however. It's inconvenient to have to pack up your bike as you fly between the different islands, and smaller planes may also refuse to take your bike.

Travel tips for Cape Verde.

The official language of the islands is Portuguese, which is used in most written communication, including newspapers; however Creole tends to be used in conversation and its this you'll hear being used on a day to day basis. Creole is based on African languages but with additions from several European languages. Even this can differ from island to island. More recently, English has been taught as a foreign language in schools.The religion of the islands is largely Christian, with most people being Catholic.

A pleasantly tropical destination, the Cape Verde islands benefit from average annual temperatures of between 26°C and 30°C.

Travel money for Cape Verde

Save money and time by Ordering your Cape Verdean Escudo online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the CVE cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.

Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash.

For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Cape Verdean Escudo otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.

Send Money to Cape Verde - Best Rates

To get a good (and fair) exchange rate when sending money to Cape Verde you need to find and compare exchange rates for International Money Transfers (IMTs).

The available FX rates for sending money abroad can be very different to the mid-market (wholesale) rate which you see reported online and in the News.

You should especially compare your own bank's exchange rates to those available from Money Transfer specialists to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.

Get a better deal for foreign transfers to Cape Verde

When sending money to Cape Verde it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :

1. Open an account with a BER reviewed FX provider (id docs may be required)
2. You specify the local or Cape Verdean Escudo amount you want to transfer
3. Make a local currency domestic transfer for the requested amount to the provider's bank account in your country
4. Once your funds are received by the provider the converted CVE amount will be transfered to the recipient account you specify in Cape Verde.

Use the above Send to Cape Verdean Escudo calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Cape Verdean Escudo deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!