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  • 🇨🇻 Cape Verde: bunq Community Travel Tips

✈️ Heading to Cape Verde? We've gathered some tips from the bunq community to make sure your trip is the smoothest it can be. 😎

Check them out below! 🌈 👇


Using your card

💳 Do I need cash in Cape Verde, or can I use my card everywhere?

Card payments are accepted in large shops and touristy areas, but you should carry cash on you just in case.

💰 What currency do they use here?

The currency here is Cape Verdean escudo.Symbols are Esc or $ or CVE.

🏧 Which ATM’s can I use for free?

The bunq community hasn't reported reported any free ATM's here yet. If you find one, help other bunqers by sharing it here!

💵 If I want cash, how much should I take out of an ATM?

11 000 CVE should be enough for a few days.

💳 Should I choose local currency or Euros when paying?

If you're asked to choose between local currency and Euros, always choose local currency.

That way bunq does the conversion for you, and you get to take advantage of the best rates with bunq ZeroFX.


Staying connected

📱 Can I roam, or should I get a local SIM?

Most EU mobile plans will charge you for roaming.

If you want to get a local SIM card, you can learn about your options here.


Useful things to know

💁‍♀️ How does tipping work?

The service fee is usually charged to your bill. You don't need to tip on top of this.

🍺 How much does a 0.5L beer cost?

€1,50

🍽 How much does an average meal cost?

€5,50

🚨 What’s the emergency number?

There are different numbers for the different services here.

  • 🚓 Police: 132
  • 🚑 Ambulance: 130
  • 🚒 Fire: 131

🔌 What type of plug do they use?

This one! It’s the standard European plug.

🚗 What side of the road do they drive on?

They drive on the right side of the road here.

🗺 How do I navigate my way around?

Google and Apple Maps both work well here.

Otherwise, we recommend Rome2Rio as the best way to find out how to get anywhere. It even tells you the cost of each option. 🙌

👀 Any other good tips?

Go turtle watching at night, it's a magical experience.


If you've been to Cape Verde 🇨🇻 share your experience! The following would be really useful for other bunqers to know:

  • Which ATMs are free to use?
  • What card should I use and where?
  • Any other info you think may be useful.

Share your experience with us in the comments below! 🌈 👇

    3 months later

    Almost every ATM on the island only support VISA credit cards and VisaPay debit cards. It’s very difficult to get cash with your Maestro or Mastercard.

      a month later

      This info is only verified on the island of Sao Vicente.

      The fee on the ATM is 200 CVE, which is currently less then €2. It works perfectly fine with a maestro card and there where no problems on any ATM machine.

      Paying with a maestro card in restaurants and hotels is also no problem.

        15 days later

        VISA cards are more accepted than Maestro (Sal island). Contactless NFC payment NOT seen in hotel, supermarked, airport, so you need a physical card with PIN.

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