Best time to visit Cape Verde: weather by month

The Cape Verde islands lie in the Atlantic off the coast of West Africa, level with Senegal. For travellers from Europe they are above all a winter destination: about six hours' flight from London, warm and sunny, and only one hour behind the UK in winter. The climate is dry, and the trade wind blows strongly in the cooler half of the year. Most holidaymakers go to the flat beach islands of Sal and Boa Vista; hikers head for Santo Antão or the main island, Santiago. We analysed the weather data for 2015 to 2024 for three places.

The short answer

• Winter sun: October to May. 24 to 29 °C by day, almost no rain. December to March is the coolest and windiest time.
• Warmest: August to October, with 29 to 30 °C by day and around 25 °C at night.
• Short rainy season: August and September. Sal gets 31 to 35 mm a month, mostly as short showers; Santiago gets more, Praia 111 mm in September.
• For kitesurfers and windsurfers: December to April, when the trade wind is strongest.

Cape Verde's climate: all 12 months

Temperature and rain: monthly averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo), rounded. Sal: Santa Maria in the south of the island; Boa Vista: west coast. The values describe a grid cell of about 25 km that partly lies over the sea; rainfall varies a lot from year to year.

The temperature curve is flat: on Sal just over five degrees separate the coolest month (February, 24.2 °C) from the warmest (October, 29.4 °C), and nights never drop below 19 °C. Rain is concentrated in a few weeks in late summer. Santiago and the other mountainous islands then get clearly more than the flat islands of Sal and Boa Vista.

Cape Verde month by month

December to March

High season for European holidaymakers. At 24 to 26 °C by day it is pleasantly warm, but not high summer: the trade wind blows strongly and you will want a light jacket in the evening. The sea is at its freshest in these months. Sometimes the wind carries dust from the Sahara (the Harmattan), and the sky is hazy for a few days. Christmas and New Year are in particular demand. For more warm places at this time: warm places in December, where to go in January for sun and warm places in February.

April to June

The quietest time: dry, sunny, 25 to 27 °C, with the wind gradually easing. If you want a beach holiday outside high season, May and June are a good choice.

July to October

It gets warmer and more humid; in September and October Sal and Boa Vista reach 29 to 30 °C. In August and September showers and storms pass through now and then – Sal averages 31 to 35 mm a month, mostly short, with sunshine afterwards. The sea is at its warmest now. In these months sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of Boa Vista and Sal; guided night-time viewing tours are offered locally.

November

A very good month: still 28 °C by day, the rain is over and the wind picks up again. See also where to go in November.

Which island for what

Sal is home to the resort of Santa Maria, with its long beach and wooden pier. In the north of the island you can float in the very salty water of the salt pans inside the old crater of Pedra de Lume. It is easiest to compare excursions and island tours online in advance^*. To combine islands you need domestic flights or ferries – leave some slack, as connections are sometimes cancelled.

How YesTrip helps with this trip

Tell YesTrip which islands you want to visit and when – the app plans day by day with real places on the map. You see the forecast for each travel day. The packing list suggests clothes for the weather, such as a light jacket for windy winter evenings. Travelling as a group, you share the trip and log shared expenses, such as excursions and taxis. The offline map of your places comes with you even where the signal on the islands is weak.

What to know before you go

• Entry: British passport holders can visit for up to 30 days without a visa but must pre-register on the official EASE platform at least five days before arrival and pay the airport security fee there. The current rules are on the UK government's travel advice page.
• Flight: From London a direct flight to Sal or Boa Vista takes approx. 6 hours.
• Time: one hour behind the UK in winter, two hours behind in summer.
• Power: 230 volts, mostly European two-pin sockets. Travellers from the UK need an adapter.
• Transfer: Sal airport is not far from Santa Maria; you can book a transfer^* in advance.
• Mobile data: a travel eSIM^* is usually much cheaper than roaming.

Looking for another winter destination in the Atlantic? Compare with the best time to visit the Canary Islands or see all destinations in the overview Best time to visit: where to go when.

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