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Voykit pocket guide · Cape Verde
Maio
Skip Maio unless you have 5+ days and want a flat, quiet island with empty beaches and almost no tourism: 2–3 nights is enough.
Maio is the flattest and least developed of Cape Verde's inhabited islands, with a single cobblestone road, a handful of Italian-run restaurants and long, empty beaches. It has no nightlife, no big resorts and no must-see sights. The appeal is total quiet and a very low crime rate. Most travellers should skip it unless they have already seen Santo Antão, Fogo and Santiago and want a beach-only wind-down.
- Country
- Cape Verde
- Best months
- Nov–Jul
- Avoid
- Aug–Oct (rainy, turtle season is the only draw)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CVE
- Money
- Currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE), pegged at about 110.27 per euro; euros are sometimes accepted in tourist areas, usually at a rounded rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget CVE 3,000–5,000 excl. bed · Mid CVE 5,000–8,000 excl. bed · High CVE 8,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- CV Movel and Unitel T+ sell SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; a few GB costs a few euros.
- Emergency
- Police 132 · Ambulance 130 · Fire 131
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10% if service is good.; Hiking guide: €5–10 a day.; Taxi: Round up.
- Water
- Mostly desalinated; bottled water recommended.
- Toilets
- Western toilets everywhere tourists go; bring paper on hikes.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | CVE 100–200 |
| Pasta dish at Trattoria del Qwerty | CVE 800–1,200 |
| Beer (bottle) | CVE 150–250 |
| Taxi Vila do Maio – beach | CVE 500–1,000 |
| Bus around the island | CVE 200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MMO · Maio Airport
- Flights from Praia 3 times per week; check
Typical fares
- Ferry Praia–Maio
- about CVE 1,500, 2.5 h (check)
- Flight Praia–Maio
- about CVE 4,000, 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Buses circle the island on the single cobblestone road. Hitchhiking is common and accepted. A rental car is useful for reaching beaches but not essential.
See and do
Known for
- Empty white-sand beaches
- Very low crime
- Turtle nesting (Jul–Sep)
- Hitchhiking as common transport
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Praia | Ferry (2.5 h) or flight (30 min) | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- Vila do Maio
- The only town; all guesthouses, villas and restaurants are here or a short walk away.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Oláoh-LAH |
| Thank you | Obrigadooh-bree-GAH-doo |
| How much? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| Where is the beach? | Onde fica a praia?ON-deh FEE-kah ah PRY-ah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, or cheek kisses among friends; greet everyone in a small shop; avoid: Skipping 'bom dia'
- Dress: Cover up in towns and churches; avoid: Beachwear in the street
- Pace: Relax and wait; avoid: Showing impatience
- Music: Join in, applaud, buy the musicians a drink; avoid: Filming performers without asking
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry from Praia does not run every day: check CV Interilhas.
- No ATM on the island: bring enough escudos from Praia or Sal.
- Restaurants are few and mostly Italian; vegetarian options are limited.
- The island is very quiet: if you want nightlife or activities, choose Sal or Boa Vista instead.
Crime on Maio is very low. The main risks are sunburn and dehydration on the empty beaches. No hospital on the island: serious cases are flown to Praia.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Maio yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Empty white-sand beaches
- Very low crime
- Turtle nesting (Jul–Sep)
- Hitchhiking as common transport
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- CV Interilhas ferry schedules: www.cvinterilhas.cv/routesschedules
- Wikivoyage: Maio, revision 5263667 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5263667
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/maio). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.