Safety & No-Go Areas.

Cape Verde is not under a travel warning from the German Foreign Office. The currently valid safety-advisory page (AA's own source date: 18 October 2026, unchanged in substance since 21 September 2026) describes the crime situation like this:

"Petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching, but occasionally also armed robbery, occurs especially in the two largest cities, Praia and Mindelo, as well as on the islands very popular with tourists, Sal and Boa Vista."

The German Foreign Office recommends heightened alertness at airports, bus stops, markets, on public transit, and at beaches, as well as particular caution after dark on Sal and Boa Vista outside the hotel grounds. Valuables should be secured, and cashless payment preferred. Important: this assessment changes - always check the current version directly before departure, not just on this page.

Three independent government sources, one consistent picture: the US State Department also rates Cape Verde nationwide as "Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions," with a separate downgrade for Praia to "Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution" due to crime. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) arrives at the same picture: Sal and Boa Vista (around 90% of tourism) are considered very safe, while Santiago calls for "moderate vigilance" due to pickpocketing in markets and narrow alleys between neighborhoods. The fact that three independent government bodies (Germany, the US, the UK) arrive at the same overall picture is a strong reliability signal.

Documented: pickpocketing and bag-snatching, sometimes with distraction tactics or children as accomplices, at airports, markets, beaches, and on public transit. Also recurringly reported: inflated taxi fares - at Sal airport, a "tourist rate" roughly double the regular fare is sometimes charged for the ride to Santa Maria; in Praia, some drivers turn off the meter at night and demand fixed, inflated prices. Look for the official "TX" license plate with a roof light and agree on the price beforehand.

Not documented: ATM skimming (card fraud at cash machines) is not documented as a real, widespread problem for Cape Verde in any vetted press or official source. We explicitly don't name it as a risk here, to avoid creating unfounded worry - the usual international precaution (covering the PIN pad with your hand) is enough.

Solo female travelers: neither the German Foreign Office nor other official bodies publish women-specific crime statistics for Cape Verde - the assessments available are traveler consensus, not official statistics. This consensus (several independent travel blogs and communities) is predominantly positive: Sal, Boa Vista, and São Vicente are considered very manageable for solo travelers, with the usual precautions (no lonely beaches alone at night, only licensed taxis, agree on the fare in advance).

LGBTQ+ travelers: same-sex relationships have been decriminalized since 2004 - making Cape Verde the second African country to do so, after South Africa. Since 2008, discrimination based on sexual orientation has been prohibited by law in the workplace. Cape Verde is currently (per Equaldex's rating, as of mid-2026) considered the most LGBTQ+-friendly country in Africa - a stark contrast to, for instance, Senegal, which tightened its penalties in 2026. Important context: legal protection doesn't automatically mean complete social acceptance everywhere - Cape Verdean sources continue to report isolated cases of violence, job loss, or family rejection. The usual discretion in rural/more traditional areas makes sense, without there being a fundamental safety risk.