Transportation in Cabo Verde

Inter-island travel is the backbone of Cabo Verde transport, small prop planes and ferries shuttle between islands, with flights being the reliable choice and ferries the budget option when seas are calm. On the larger islands like Santiago and São Vicente, shared aluguer minibuses are the local lifeline, they leave when full, cost a fraction of a taxi, and will drop you anywhere along the route. Taxis exist but are a splurge. Most visitors use them only for airport runs or late-night returns. First-timers should download the offline map app Maps.me before arrival, mobile data can be patchy on smaller islands and offline navigation saves hours of wrong turns. Skip the taxi touts at airport arrivals; instead, walk to the official taxi rank or look for the shared aluguer minibuses that typically wait near the terminal exit, they're marked with destination signs and leave once they fill up, usually within 15 minutes.