Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) is a group of ten volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa, and where you land depends on the kind of trip you have planned. Beach holidays usually start at Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal or Aristides Pereira International Airport on Boa Vista. Nelson Mandela International Airport in Praia serves Santiago, and Cesária Évora Airport on São Vicente is the gateway to Mindelo and the hiking island of Santo Antão. A HelloSIM eSIM connects you as soon as you arrive.
Why use an eSIM in Cape Verde
- Resort Wi-Fi rarely stretches to the beach, the pool or the boat trip, but mobile data goes where you go.
- Island hopping is easier when you can check ferry times and inter-island flights on the move.
- Your home SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps your usual number.
- The data is prepaid, so there is no roaming bill from your home carrier when you get back.
- If you extend your stay, you can top up the same eSIM.
One Cape Verde plan works on every island where the local networks have coverage, so you don't need a new eSIM each time you change island. Install it before you fly and it is ready when you land, whichever airport you use.
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Networks and coverage
HelloSIM in Cape Verde connects to Alou and T+, both on 4G. Coverage is good in the main towns and resort areas: Santa Maria and Espargos on Sal, Sal Rei and the hotel strip on Boa Vista, Praia on Santiago and Mindelo on São Vicente.
It gets patchier in the steep valleys and on the high trails of Santo Antão, inside Fogo's crater around Chã das Caldeiras and on the climb up Pico do Fogo, and in the quieter corners of smaller islands such as Brava and Maio. On ferries between islands the signal can drop mid-crossing.
How to get connected
- 1Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked; recent iPhones, Google Pixels and many Samsung Galaxy models do.
- 2When your QR code arrives by email, scan it at home over Wi-Fi (iPhone: Settings → Mobile or Cellular → Add eSIM; Android: Network & internet or Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM).
- 3After landing, turn the HelloSIM line on, make it your mobile data line and switch on Data Roaming for it. Leave data roaming off on your home line.
- 4Top up from your HelloSIM account, the app or the Check / Top up page if you need more data, using the same eSIM.
How much data do you need
- Light: a beach week of maps, messages and the odd search needs about 1 GB.
- Medium: posting holiday photos, browsing and social media take around 3–5 GB a week.
- Heavy: video calls, streaming by the pool or working remotely mean 10 GB or more a week.
Most hotels and many guesthouses offer Wi-Fi, which is useful for backing up photos in the evening.
Good to know
- Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (CVE), pegged to the euro; euros are often accepted in tourist areas
- Capital: Praia, on Santiago
- Languages: Portuguese is official; Cape Verdean Creole is spoken everywhere
- Time zone: UTC−1
- Plugs: Type C and F (European two-pin)
- Don't miss: Pico do Fogo, Santo Antão's hiking trails, live music in Mindelo and the Pedra de Lume salt crater on Sal
Travel tips for staying connected in Cape Verde
- Taking the ferry from Mindelo to Santo Antão? Save your ticket and onward transport details before boarding, because signal can fade at sea.
- Download offline maps of Santo Antão and Fogo before you go hiking, and let your guesthouse know your route.
- Arriving on a cruise ship? Ships often run their own maritime mobile network, which is not covered by your plan and can be costly through your home carrier. Use flight mode at sea and switch to your eSIM once you are in port.
- Inter-island flight schedules can change, so keep notifications from your airline switched on.
- Pack a power bank for long hiking days and boat trips.
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