Cabo Verde - Travel Health and Safety

Your Health Guide to Traveling in Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde is one of the Atlantic's most rewarding escapes — a volcanic archipelago of ten islands where turquoise water meets dramatic desert landscapes, and where the unhurried pace of island life makes it easy to disconnect completely. Whether you are heading to the white sand beaches of Santa Maria, the dunes of Boa Vista, or the lush interior of Santo Antão, Cabo Verde rewards travelers who arrive prepared. This Cabo Verde travel health guide covers everything you need to know before you board your flight.

This page walks you through the health risks specific to Cabo Verde, the vaccinations recommended before you go, food and water safety, common illnesses affecting visitors, and visa requirements for US citizens. Each section is written to give you a clear, honest picture of what to expect — and exactly what to do about it.

WayPax is here to make sure your health planning is as well-organized as your itinerary. Read on, and leave nothing to chance.

At a Glance

Category	Details
Risk Level	Medium
Region	West Africa — Macaronesia / Atlantic Islands
Tap Water Safe	No — drink sealed bottled water only
Vaccines Recommended	Yes — Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, MMR, and others depending on your itinerary
Visa Required for US Citizens	No visa required for stays of 30 days or less

Frequently Asked Questions

No FAQ questions were provided in the keyword brief for this destination. This section will be populated once keyword research data is available.

Get Your Personalized Travel Health Plan for Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde currently has an active CDC health notice about increased Shigella infections (a bacterial gut illness) among travelers returning from Santa Maria and Boa Vista — including people who stayed at resorts. On top of that, several vaccine-preventable diseases including Hepatitis A and Typhoid are real risks for unvaccinated visitors. Your health plan should be as specific to your islands and itinerary as possible, not a generic checklist.

WayPax builds a personalized Trip Kit around exactly where you are going and what you need before you leave home.

Start Your Trip Kit

Health Risks in Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde carries a medium overall health risk for travelers. The most pressing current concern is an increase in bacterial gut infections in specific resort areas, alongside several vaccine-preventable diseases and the need to prevent mosquito bites throughout your trip.

Shigella Infection

Shigella is a bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. According to the CDC, there has been a notable increase in Shigella cases among travelers returning from Santa Maria and Boa Vista, and this includes people who stayed in resort hotels — not just those eating at local street stalls. Shigella spreads through contaminated food, water, or surfaces. To reduce your risk, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid tap water and ice made from tap water, and be selective about where and what you eat. If you develop severe or bloody diarrhea during or after your trip, seek medical attention promptly, as some Shigella strains have become resistant to common antibiotics.

Mosquito-Borne Illness

The WHO advises travelers to Cabo Verde to prevent mosquito bites at all times. While the specific diseases circulating are not fully detailed in current source material, mosquito-borne illnesses can range from dengue fever (a viral illness causing high fever, severe headache, and joint pain) to other vector-transmitted infections. If you are pregnant, the WHO flags additional concern, and you should discuss your specific itinerary with a travel health provider before departure. Protect yourself by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and trousers during dawn and dusk hours, and sleeping in air-conditioned rooms or under insecticide-treated bed nets.

Food- and Water-Borne Illness

Food and water contamination is a recognized risk across Cabo Verde. The CDC advises travelers to follow careful food, water, and handwashing practices throughout their stay. This means more than just avoiding tap water — it also means being cautious about fresh produce washed in local water, sauces and soups made with untreated water, and any food that has been sitting out at room temperature. Stick to freshly cooked, hot foods and sealed packaged items when in doubt.

Rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. According to the CDC, dogs infected with rabies are not commonly found in Cabo Verde, but the risk is not zero. More importantly, access to post-exposure prophylaxis (the emergency vaccine treatment needed after a potential exposure) may be limited outside of larger urban or suburban medical facilities. If you plan to spend time in rural areas, work with animals, or travel with children, discuss pre-exposure rabies vaccination with your doctor before you go. If you are bitten or scratched by any animal, seek medical care immediately regardless of how minor the wound appears.

Yellow Fever — Entry Requirement Risk

Yellow fever (a serious viral illness spread by mosquitoes in certain tropical regions) is not a widespread risk within Cabo Verde itself. However, the WHO requires that travelers arriving from or transiting through countries with yellow fever transmission present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate at the border. If your itinerary includes a stopover in a yellow fever-risk country, you must have documentation of your vaccination or you may be denied entry.

Recommended Vaccinations for Cabo Verde

Several vaccinations are recommended before traveling to Cabo Verde, and one is required for entry depending on your route. According to the CDC, you should review your immunization status well in advance — ideally four to six weeks before your departure date.

• Yellow Fever Vaccine (entry requirement for some travelers): This vaccine protects against yellow fever, a mosquito-borne viral illness. If you are arriving from or transiting through a country with yellow fever transmission, the WHO requires proof of vaccination for entry into Cabo Verde. Confirm your routing before you travel and carry your International Certificate of Vaccination (the yellow card) in your travel documents.
• Hepatitis A Vaccine: Hepatitis A is a liver infection spread through contaminated food or water. According to the CDC, this vaccine is recommended for all unvaccinated travelers aged one year and older, and infants between six and eleven months should also receive a dose before travel. Get this vaccine at least two weeks before departure to allow full protection to develop.
• Hepatitis B Vaccine: Hepatitis B is a liver infection spread through blood, sexual contact, or contaminated medical equipment. The CDC recommends this vaccine for unvaccinated travelers of all ages visiting Cabo Verde. The standard series requires multiple doses over several weeks, so start this one early.
• Typhoid Vaccine: Typhoid fever is a serious bacterial illness spread through contaminated food and water. According to the CDC, this vaccine is recommended for most travelers to Cabo Verde, and is especially important if you plan to stay with local friends or relatives, visit smaller towns, or travel to rural areas. Allow at least two weeks before departure for the injected form to take full effect.
• MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): The CDC has issued a global measles notice and advises all international travelers to be fully vaccinated before travel. If you are not sure whether you received two doses of MMR as a child, check your records or get a booster. Infants between six and eleven months traveling internationally should receive an early MMR dose.
• Routine Vaccines: The CDC recommends being up to date on all standard immunizations before any international travel. These include varicella (chickenpox), DTaP or Tdap or Td (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), influenza (seasonal flu), polio, and shingles for eligible adults. These are easy to overlook but genuinely important.
• COVID-19 Vaccine: According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all eligible travelers before international travel.
• Rabies Pre-Exposure Vaccine (conditional): This vaccine series protects against rabies, a fatal viral disease transmitted through animal bites. The CDC recommends considering this vaccine if you have a higher risk of animal exposure — for example, if you are cycling through rural areas, working with animals, or traveling with young children. It does not eliminate the need for post-exposure treatment but buys critical time to reach medical care.

Your exact vaccine needs depend on your individual health history, age, and specific itinerary within Cabo Verde. Consult a travel health provider or travel medicine clinic at least four to six weeks before your departure to get a plan tailored to you.

Tap Water and Food Safety in Cabo Verde

Tap water in Cabo Verde is not safe to drink. Drink sealed bottled water throughout your trip, on every island.

Water Safety

The CDC and WHO both advise against assuming tap water is reliably safe in Cabo Verde. Concerns relate to local storage and delivery conditions, which can vary across the islands and even within the same town. Always drink from sealed, commercially bottled water. Check that the seal is intact before opening. Avoid ice in drinks unless you are confident it was made from purified water — in practice, this means skipping ice at most local venues. If bottled water is unavailable, boiling water for at least one minute or using a quality portable water filter with purification tablets are acceptable alternatives, according to the WHO.

Food Safety

Freshly cooked, hot food served straight from the heat is your safest choice. Avoid raw or undercooked meat, shellfish, and fish. Be cautious with fresh salads and raw vegetables, which may have been washed in tap water. Fruit you peel yourself — such as bananas, mangoes, and papayas — is generally a safer option than pre-cut fruit from market stalls. The CDC emphasizes handwashing as one of the most effective ways to prevent food-borne illness, so wash your hands with soap and water before every meal, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap is not available. At resort buffets, choose items that have been kept hot and covered, and avoid anything that has been sitting out at room temperature for an extended period.

Common Traveler Illnesses in Cabo Verde

The most common health problems affecting visitors to Cabo Verde involve the gut — diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. Knowing what to watch for helps you act quickly and recover faster.

Traveler's Diarrhea

Traveler's diarrhea is a digestive illness caused by consuming food or water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. It typically causes loose or watery stools, stomach cramps, nausea, and sometimes a low fever. It usually resolves on its own within a few days. Stay well hydrated using bottled water or oral rehydration salts (electrolyte packets designed to replace fluids lost through diarrhea). If diarrhea is severe, bloody, or accompanied by a high fever, seek medical attention — this may indicate a more serious bacterial infection such as Shigella that requires specific treatment.

Shigellosis

Shigellosis is the illness caused by Shigella bacteria, and it goes beyond typical traveler's diarrhea. Symptoms include bloody or mucus-filled diarrhea, significant stomach pain, and fever that can last several days. According to the CDC, cases have been specifically reported in travelers returning from resort areas in Santa Maria and Boa Vista. Unlike mild traveler's diarrhea, shigellosis often requires medical evaluation and may need antibiotic treatment. Do not self-medicate with leftover antibiotics — some strains are resistant to commonly used drugs, and a doctor can guide the right course of treatment.

Mosquito-Bite Related Illness

If you develop a sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle aches, or a rash within two weeks of returning from Cabo Verde, consider that a mosquito-borne illness may be the cause. Tell your doctor immediately that you have recently traveled to West Africa. Early diagnosis is important for effective treatment. Keep a note of the dates and islands you visited — this information helps healthcare providers narrow down what you may have been exposed to.

Visa Requirements for US Citizens Visiting Cabo Verde

US citizens do not need a visa to visit Cabo Verde for stays of 30 days or less. You can arrive and enter without pre-arranging a visa, which makes short beach holidays and island-hopping trips straightforward to plan.

If you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you will need to obtain a Cabo Verdean visa. Single-entry visas are valid for 90 days. Multiple-entry visas are valid for up to five years, which is useful if you plan to return regularly. Some sources reference an electronic travel authorization process for short stays, though the full details of that process are not yet fully standardized in official government guidance — check the official Cabo Verde government immigration website and the US Embassy in Cabo Verde for the most current instructions before you travel.

Your US passport must have at least six months of validity remaining beyond your planned departure date from Cabo Verde. Check your passport expiration date now, before you book flights. Renewing a US passport can take several weeks, and rushing the process adds unnecessary stress to your pre-trip preparation.

Visa policies and entry requirements can change without much notice. Always verify current requirements directly with the official Cabo Verde government immigration authority or the nearest Cabo Verdean consulate before your trip.

Quick Answers

No AI Search Prompts were provided in the keyword brief for this destination. This section will be populated once keyword research data is available.

Plan Your Safe Trip to Cabo Verde Today

Beyond the Shigella alert in Santa Maria and Boa Vista, Cabo Verde also carries real risks from vaccine-preventable diseases like Typhoid and Hepatitis A — both of which can be avoided with the right preparation before you fly. If your route includes a stopover in a yellow fever-risk country, you will also need to carry proof of vaccination to meet Cabo Verde's entry requirements. Getting all of this right before departure is much easier than dealing with illness on a remote Atlantic island.

Your WayPax Trip Kit gives you a clear, personalized action plan built around your exact itinerary, your vaccination history, and the specific health risks relevant to where you are going in Cabo Verde.

Start Your Trip Kit