Frequently Asked Questions


Investment

Travel

Visa and Health

Weather

Food

Cape Verde and Sal Entertainment / Activities

Shopping


 

Investment

What does the developer do?
We specialise in developing and selling off-plan properties. We take great care only to select developments in prime locations, which are set to provide substantial growth in value, and high returns on investment.

How can I be certain of the quality of the property I’m buying?
The developer is an established, reputable company with a proven track record of delivering high quality projects on time, on budget, and on spec.

What will I need to pay upfront?
To invest in a ‘Tortuga resort’ property a minimum reservation fee of €2,000 for an apartment or villa is required to secure your property. There are 3 types of payment options available.

When will they be completed?
We are aiming to start construction on ‘Tortuga resort’ in the 2nd/3rd quarter 2008. Completion dates are yet to be confirmed but we are projecting 2010.
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Travel

Are there direct flights to Cape Verde?
Yes, there are direct flights to Cape Verde from Manchester and Gatwick. There are connecting flights from Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Channel Islands, many on budget carriers, which connect with the direct flights on the day of departure.

How long is the journey from the UK to Cape Verde?
One of the key attractions of Cape Verde is its proximity to Europe, it can be reached in less than 6 hours from the UK.

How many airports are there in Cape Verde?
Seven of the islands in Cape Verde have airports, which can also accommodate STOL aircrafts (short take-off and landing utility airplanes). All nine inhabited islands have ports.

How long will it take me to travel from the airport in Sal to the Tortuga resort?
The Ilha do Sal airport is only approx. 10 minutes drive away from the Tortuga resort.

Will I need to fly to get to the surrounding islands?
Travelling between the islands can be made by both, domestic flight or boat. For travelling around the islands themselves, tourists can hire bikes or cars, or take taxis – although walking is also a pleasant way to see the islands.

Is there a car hire service?
Yes there is a car hire service in Cape Verde, you can find this facility at most of the airports in Cape Verde including Ilha do Sal airport. Below is the link to Ilha do Sal airport, here you can find a contact number.

http://www.wordtravels.com/Airports/Cape+Verde/Sal+International+Airport


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Visa and Health

Are Visas required to go Cape Verde?
Required by all of the following nationals:
British,
Australian,
Canadian,
USA,
Other EU citizens.

Except for those who are continuing their journey to a third destination provided, holding onward documentation and not leaving the airport. To obtain a Visa it is possible to either go through your travel operator prior to travel or a payment on arrival in Cape Verde.

(Nationals not referred to in the list above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements).

Application forms for Visas can be obtained by visiting the Cape Verde Bureau website below:

http://www.capeverdebureau.com

Do I need any vaccinations to go Cape Verde?
Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether vaccination is required. For further information click below:

http://www.who.int/countries/cpv/en/

Where can I get further information on Visa and health issues?
Contact your local GP for further health concerns. The foreign and commonwealth office website gives you further information on any Visa issues.

Visit the foreign and commonwealth office website


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Weather

What is the weather like in Cape Verde?
The tropical climate of Cape Verde is tempered by winds, temperatures remaining constant most of the year. Every day is a Summer’s day with Cape Verde temperature range from 24C to 30C through the year, Cape Verde seasons are the same as in the UK but much warmer in winter months. Below is a table which shows a comparison of UK average temp(c) to Cape Verde average temp(c).

 

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

UK

6

7

8

12

15

17

19

19

18

16

12

8

Cape Verde

24

25

25

25

26

27

27

28

30

29

28

27


What sort of clothing should I take?
Because Cape Verde is a summer’s day everyday, lightweight clothing and a cardigan for the evening would be ideal.

What are the average hours of sunshine each month in Cape Verde?
The sun is out all year round in Cape Verde. Below the table shows last years average hours of sunshine for each month.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

8

9

10

10

10

8

7

6

8

8

9

8






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Food

What are the traditional foods/drinks of Cape Verde?
Pastel com diablo dentro ('pastry with the devil inside') – which is made up of a mix of tuna, onions, tomatoes and pastry, made from boiled potatoes and corn flour. And traditional Fruits including mangoes, bananas, papayas, goiabas (guavas), zimbrão, tambarinas, marmelos, azedinhas, tamaras and cocos are all specialties of Cape Verde.

Traditional drinks of Cape Verde are Aguardiente which is a sugar cane rum, a liquor called ‘San Antao’ which is made from coffee, cinnamon, fig leaf, peppermint, orange or lime and Manecome which is a local wine from Fogo.

Source - http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/52/entertainment/Africa/Cape-Verde.html

Where to go?
Unless you really go off the beaten-track, you will generally find somewhere to get food and drink. Suiting both locals and tourists, there are many restaurants serving local and international food, along with snack bars, and beach bars. New restaurants are opening all the time in Santa Maria, including an Irish restaurant and bar right at the water's edge. And some already well known restaurants like Barracuda a fish restaurant which has beautiful food and great service, or Mateus which has a Cape Verdean cuisine and live folk music. Another great place to visit is Atlantis which serves French cuisine with an impressive setting right on the beach, perfect for a special occasion.
(source-serenity holidays-Cape Verde brochure).

Do I need to tip for food services?
When the service is good it is normal to give a 10% tip in Cape Verde.

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Cape Verde and Sal Entertainment/Activities

Does the Tortuga resort offer activities/entertainment?
At the Tortuga beach resort there will be a 150 seat restaurant, elegant wine bar and piano bar, courtesy and lounge areas, luxury spa and gymnasium, two communal pool areas and a variety of shops which will keep you entertained .

Where is there to go?
Day or night there is always somewhere to be entertained, from daytime beach activities to night time live music. For example Sal (island) has some great restaurants like the Atlantis and the Barracuda on the beach and the Zum Fischerman in town, the Pensao Relax which is small and clean and is said to be worth a visit, their Wahoo fish skewers are great value. Some other recommended places to visit in Sal are Chez Pastis, Leonardos, Americos and the Tipico Cultural in the square which is said to have excellent value. There are also 21 nightclubs in Cape Verde and most of them are on the main islands including Sal.
 http://www.iexplore.com/dmap/Cape+Verde/Dining;$sessionid$D0P14VIAAHOK4P2MN5XCFEQ

What sorts of activities are available?
There are a number of activities in Cape Verde especially in Sal, water sports including sailing, surfing, windsurfing and fishing are extremely popular. As Cape Verde has beautiful scenery walking is a popular activity too. Also there is an existing 18 hole course at Sao Vicente, Ernie Els is reported to be designing more for Sal and Sao Vicente.

 http://www.capeverdeinfo.org.uk/sports.html

Will the activities be suitable for all ages?
Many of the activities including water sports and night time activities do have age restrictions but children are welcomed everywhere as the Cape Verdeans love, and take excellent care of young ones. They will love playing on the beaches and some of the hotels have small play areas and sections of the pool for children although (largely unsupervised).

Are there local amenities nearby?
Along with the amenities that the developer provides at each location there are many local amenities some of which are only a short walk away. In Sal you can buy local crafts, necklaces and bracelets from shop stands. At the Central Square there is a café called The Cultural Café which provides internet facilities. Also in Sal, there are shops located near the beach, one in particular which is found to be extremely helpful is the ‘Mistral’ shop as they are English speaking.

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Shopping

Where are the places to shop?
There are daily markets on all islands of Cape Verde. Pots and kitchen utensils are always sold in shops at the Sal markets. And the Santa Catarina market is held Wednesdays and Saturdays where Coconut shells are carved by local craftspeople and pottery, lacework and basketry is sold.

What are the opening hours of Cape Verde shops?
Typically Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1500-1900

What is the currency?
Cape Verde Escudo (CVE) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of CVE5,000, 2,000, 1,000 and 500. Coins are in denominations of CVE200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1.

Euros are also widely accepted.

Can I use credit/debit cards and ATM’s?
Credit cards are becoming much easier to use in Cape Verde with many top hotels providing the use of them and banks can accept them. MasterCard and Visa are currently accepted. There are a number of ATM machines on island Sal, which can be found in the major banks.

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