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April is one of the best months for Cape Verde: the sky is almost always clear, it hardly rains at all, the air warms up gently and the sea stays at 22-23 °C. The only drawback is the wind, since the trade winds still blow, and they decide which beach will suit you best. Our advice: go in April if you want dependable sunshine without oppressive heat, provided you choose your island according to what you plan to do.
In brief
- On the coast, expect 25 to 28 °C in the afternoon and 19 to 21 °C at night, with almost no rain (1 mm at most over the month).
- The sea is around 22 to 23 °C: you can swim, but getting in is cool and the trade winds can make some beaches dangerous.
- Sunshine is generous: 9 to 10 hours a day in Praia and Mindelo, about 7 hours in Sal.
- At altitude it is cool: 16 °C during the day and 9 to 11 °C at night in Fogo (crater) and in the highlands of Santo Antão.
- French spring school holidays in 2027 run from 3 April to 3 May depending on the zone; Easter (28 March) falls just before.
- Humpback whales are still in the archipelago: the season generally runs from February to May, peaking in March and April.
Planning a trip to Cape Verde?
Tell us about your project: we will put you in touch with a local agency that knows every island and will prepare a proposal tailored to your wishes and your budget.
What are the temperatures island by island in April?
Cape Verde is made up of flat, desert islands (Sal, Boa Vista) and mountainous islands (Santo Antão, Fogo, Santiago). In April, the coastline of all of them looks much the same: 25 to 28 °C during the day. The thermometer varies mostly between Praia, the hottest, and the highlands, where you go from beach to fleece jacket.
| Location | Day / night (°C) | Rain over the month |
|---|---|---|
| Sal (airport) | 25.5 / 19.6 | 1.0 mm |
| Mindelo (São Vicente) | 24.9 / 20.8 | 0.4 mm |
| Porto Novo (Santo Antão, coast) | 24.6 / 20.1 | 0 mm |
| Praia (Santiago) | 28.1 / 20.3 | 0 mm |
| São Filipe (Fogo, coast) | 26.7 / 19.4 | 0 mm |
| Chã das Caldeiras (Fogo, crater) | 15.9 / 8.8 | 0 mm |
| Espongeiro (Santo Antão, 1 371 m) | 16.3 / 10.9 | 1 mm |
The sky is brighter on the islands of Santiago and São Vicente than on Sal: Praia gets around 285 hours of sunshine over the month (9.5 h a day) and Mindelo 291 hours, compared with 216 hours in Sal (7 h a day), where the air is also a little more humid (71% against 65% in Praia). In other words, sunshine is everywhere, a little more so on the southern and western islands.
March or May? April sits in between, with a gradual rise: in Sal, the afternoon goes from 25.2 °C in March to 26.1 °C in May; in Praia, from 27.8 to 28.7 °C. Our Cape Verde weather page gives the table for every month.
Sea and wind: can you swim in April?
Yes. The water hovers around 22.5 °C in Sal, Praia and Santo Antão, and a little higher, around 23 °C, in Mindelo and Boa Vista. It gains barely a degree by May.
| Location | March | April | May |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santo Antão | 22.6 °C | 22.4 °C | 22.7 °C |
| Sal | 22.7 °C | 22.6 °C | 22.8 °C |
| Praia | 22.6 °C | 22.4 °C | 22.7 °C |
| Mindelo | 23.1 °C | 23.1 °C | 23.7 °C |
| Boa Vista | 23.1 °C | 23.1 °C | 23.7 °C |
This temperature suits swimmers who prefer lively water rather than bathwater. The real issue is the wind: the north-east trade wind blows from November to June, so it is still here in April. It delights kitesurfers and windsurfers, but it can raise waves and currents on exposed beaches, and the sea is sometimes dangerous when it picks up. In practice: check the flags and the weather before you swim, favour sheltered bays or a hotel pool, and don’t let children wander away from the shore.
As for dust, Saharan haze mainly affects the period from December to March; in April, the sky is generally clearer. Travelling with children? Ask the local agency for beaches and hotels suited to families.
Which island should you choose in April?
For the beach: Sal or Boa Vista, with a hotel sheltered from the wind. The sea stays at 22-23 °C and the sunshine is constant. It is not the calmest month for lounging on the sand, but it is a very good month to combine beach time with wind sports. The guide to choosing your island compares what each one offers, and you can ask the local agency for beach hotels sheltered from the wind if this worries you.
For walking: Santo Antão, then Fogo. April is dry and cool at altitude (16 °C at midday), which makes the trails of Santo Antão comfortable. On Fogo, the climb to Pico do Fogo must be done with a local guide, and mornings at the crater stay below 10 °C; the local agency can suggest a guided hiking itinerary. Pack warm layers; the packing checklist tells you which ones.
For culture and full sun: Santiago (Praia and Cidade Velha), or São Vicente (Mindelo). These are the two islands where the sun shines longest in April; Praia is also the hottest city in our readings, and Mindelo keeps its musical life going all year round.
Planning a trip to Cape Verde?
Tell us about your project: we will put you in touch with a local agency that knows every island and will prepare a proposal tailored to your wishes and your budget.
Whales and events in April
Humpback whales visit the archipelago from winter through spring, especially around Boa Vista and Sal. The season generally runs from February to May, peaking in March and April: it is therefore a good time for a boat trip, although a sighting is never guaranteed.
As for the calendar, Easter 2027 falls on 28 March, just before April. If you want to travel during French school holidays, here are the dates to keep in mind: zone C from 3 to 19 April, zone A from 10 to 26 April, zone B from 17 April to 3 May. It is best to book flights and accommodation fairly early, as for any holiday period; having the local agency prepare a quote for your holiday dates will quickly show you what is available.
Before you leave
French citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 30 days, but online registration with EASE is mandatory; the airport security tax (TSA) costs 3,400 CVE online, compared with 6,800 CVE at the counter. Our pages on visas and formalities and safety and travel advice answer the practical questions. To schedule your flights, nights and excursions around this month, send your dates to the local agency.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average temperature in Cape Verde in April?
On the coast, daytime temperatures hover around 25 °C in Sal and 28 °C in Praia, with nights at 19-21 °C. In the highlands of Fogo and Santo Antão, expect 16 °C during the day and 9 to 11 °C at night.
Is it safe to travel to Cape Verde in April?
Yes: April is a dry and stable month, with no notable rainy spells. The main caution concerns swimming, since the trade winds can make some beaches dangerous: respect the flags and local instructions. For the rest, our safety page details the useful precautions.
What is the sea temperature in Cape Verde in April?
It ranges from 22 to 23 °C depending on the island, slightly higher in Mindelo and Boa Vista (23.1 °C) than in Sal, Praia and Santo Antão (22.4 to 22.6 °C).
Should you book early for April?
If you travel during French spring school holidays, yes: it is best to plan ahead, as for any holiday period. Outside those dates, you have more flexibility on flights and accommodation.
Sources
- Sal, Cape Verde (Climate data) (accessed 2026-11)
- Praia (Climate data) (accessed 2026-11)
- Mindelo (Climate data) (accessed 2026-11)
- Fogo, Cape Verde (Climate) (accessed 2026-11)
- Santo Antão, Cape Verde (Climate) (accessed 2026-11)
- Humpback whale (accessed 2026-11)
- Sea temperatures in Cape Verde (accessed 2026-11)
- Cape Verde in April (accessed 2026-11)
- When to go to Cape Verde? (accessed 2026-11)
- School calendar 2026-2027 (order of 22 October 2025) (accessed 2026-11)
- School holidays 2026-2027 (accessed 2026-11)
- EASE, online registration for Cape Verde (accessed 2026-11)
- When to go to Cape Verde? (Club Med) (accessed 2026-11)
- When to go to Cape Verde (WeRoad) (accessed 2026-11)
- Cape Verde in April and at Easter (Evaneos) (accessed 2026-11)
Are you planning a trip to Cape Verde?
To organize your stay, we work with a local agency based in Cape Verde, which knows the archipelago island by island. Tailor-made tours, accommodation, inter-island flights, excursions: describe your project, we put you in touch and the agency prepares a proposal tailored to your wishes and budget.
Written by Adilson Gomes Garcia
Founder of Casa di CV and Gomia-Voyage, I was born in Santiago and I am committed to showcasing African territories, starting with Cape Verde. Through my platforms, I help travelers and curious minds better understand these destinations, their cultures and their realities, so they can plan authentic and respectful trips. My goal: to offer a clear, local and useful perspective for discovering Africa as it really is, with its riches and its identity.
