Cape Verde

[Empress13]

Thinking of going to Cape Verde in November. Has anyone been and is the weather good then ? Thank you

I imagine that article put a lot of people off. It's certainly on my "definitely not" list now, not that it was ever on the wish list. That said, I've known a couple of people go and have a great time, as I imagine most do. I think cheap holidays to a place like this come with risk and downsides that are not worth it to me, but others might feel differently and that's ok too.

So sad about those who got ill and died. The threat of a tropical bacteria or whatever bug floating around would put me right off TBH, same goes for anywhere I'd need vaccinations for. Not worth it to me.

The Cape Verde island group is probably worthy of being the next Canary Islands especially for Winter sun - in due course. However it has a lot of catching up to do to make it safe and pleasant for visitors. It looks like it needs a lot of infrastructural and other investment to bring it up to the standards of other similar destinations. That will possibly happen in time with investment from speculators and developers. Until then I won't go near it.

This, hated it there.
Everyone pissed by the pool is not my thing, can't go out, food in the AI's was for me crap and second rate, Rui Boa Vista.
It's a 6 hour cramped flight, I'd rather go further or canaries, Cypress etc.

I understand that there will be many visitors who don't get ill but the deaths are the extreme. Many others have suffered illness, it's important that visitors know the risks of travelling there especially if they are elderly or not in good health.
I wouldn't choose to go somewhere where you have to be hyper vigilant because lots of people have contracted a disease spread by faeces. I'd rather spend my money somewhere else.

Not my cup of tea (I believe there’s not much there and nothing to see or do) and the recent cases of illness and death (6 deaths now I think and thousands of illness and many hospitalisations that needed medevac to the canaries) have put me off even more.

If you do go make sure you have Hepatitis A vaccine, practice really strict food, water and hand hygiene and use insect repellent liberally.

(Disclaimer, I’m a nurse practitioner who does travel health).

I suppose all is dandy until you or your loved ones win the 4 dead a year lottery...

So I contacted TUI and asked if we can change our destination given the recent news article etc. we don’t go till May. They’ve come back and said as it’s due to underlying health conditions normal T&Cs apply so we have to pay £50pp to change destination

I wouldn’t touch it. As an ex Travel Industry person from the last 30 years, it reminds me of the horrors of early days Dom Rep and Margarita Island.

I would pay to change if I had a holiday booked there I think.

I think for fifty pounds, I’d change it!

Yeah I’m thinking the same it’s just where to go now. As it’s May we want somewhere hot and somewhere special as it’s for my big birthday and our 10yr wedding anniversary. Also first time we’ve been abroad for 10yrs plus without the kids!!!

@Absolutelycluelesss look at the Canaries. Lots of different kinds of resorts from busy to quiet and romantic. Five star hotels galore. Weather in May warmer than the Med and sunny. EU class health care should you need it.

@Absolutelycluelesss Egypt, Canaries, southern Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Cyprus would all be mid 20s at least in May.

We went to the Karamboa on Boa Vista in 2024 in April. Weather was warm from about 9ish once the wind died down. We enjoyed it, food was ok and it was great as a fly and flop.

We booked the Riu Palace on Sal for this April but after reading so many posts on Trip Advisor, reading stuff on Facebook groups and hearing about the 4 people that have died we decided to cancel. It just worried me and going on holiday is something to look forward to, not dread.

I would pay the £50 pp no hesitation, even the risk of horrid gastro illness is enough to put me off, go on holiday to relax not worry about getting sick!

I’m swapping my hol to somewhere else so won’t have to pay the deposit (which I didn’t actually pay in the first place)

“Alarmist “ try telling that to the 1500 cases Irwin Mitchell solicitors are currently dealing with!!

What about Madeira?
We went one May and it was mid 20s. It's a beautiful island with lots to see and do.

This is the second outbreak of shigella in as many years. Cape Verde is underdeveloped and remains so. Medical facilities there are poor.

And I’d pay the £50 to change destination. It reminds me of Dominican Republic, another tourist destination that has had serious concerns re food hygiene standards.

All the cases were from the Riu hotel chain.

It's the new Egypt. No thanks.

La year I stayed in a RIU hotel in Boa Vista, beautiful place with a typical all inclusive buffet. This is a developing country, nothing to do outside of the hotel except for the excursions and a red flag beach where people can’t swim.We didn’t have any problems but after discovering that the islands don’t have any hospitals I decided that it was a risky destination as you never know if you’re going to need emergency treatment and having to be transferred to Tenerife might be the difference between life and death. I’m sorry but I won’t be going back for a few more years until the infrastructure for a holiday resort is developed, I’m happy I’ve been and had an amazing experience but do know we were lucky to not need medical assistance.

I’ve been twice - first time it was lovely, second time I caught the food poisoning bug that all those articles are talking about. I had no underlying health conditions and was careful with hand washing and using hand sanitiser but still caught it. I was so ill I wasn’t allowed to fly home and we were stuck there for a few days extra. It was absolutely awful and 10 times worse than any other food poisoning or stomach bug I have had. I lost 3/4 of a stone in less than a week as I couldn’t hold anything down. There were a lot of ill people at the hotel, and the spread of these bugs seems to have got worse since then. I wouldn’t risk it!

We went to the Riu Karmaboa in 2014, when there was one flight a week from a couple of airports, and was absolutely fine. We had an amazing holiday, the food was great, the hotel was spotlessly clean and no one got sick. My parents went to Sal a couple of years earlier, before Boa Vista was available to go to, and had the same experience.

I think the infrastructure can’t cope with the amount of hotels they’re putting on the islands and with how many people are coming in and out weekly. If’s such a shame. I do feel so sorry for the local people because if this many tourists are becoming ill, then how many of them, and their children are catching it too? They won’t be getting the medical treatment they need because they live in such poverty.

Hi, we went to the Riu Karamboa in 2019 and it was ace. I don’t know whether that helps, because it was 6 years ago, but the beach is gorgeous and non of us (8 people and kids) were sick.