Things to Do in Cape Verde in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
May Weather in Cape Verde
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
79°F (26°C)
High Temp
69°F (20°C)
Low Temp
0.0 inches (0 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Harmattan dust reduces air quality and visibility mid-month - sensitive travelers should monitor local reports and carry antihistamines
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Trade-wind season whips up prime kitesurfing and windsurfing on Sal and Boa Vista. Expect steady 15-20 knot winds from May through August. These breezes are clockwork. Riders plan whole trips around them.
- + Hotel rates drop 30-40% below December-February peak. Beachfront on Santa Maria's main drag cost the same as inland guesthouses in winter. Same room, half price. Book early anyway.
- + Ocean visibility hits 30 m (98 ft) for diving. That's the clearest you'll see all year around Sal's underwater caves and the Blue Eye off Boa Vista. Bring a wide-angle lens. The reef looks close enough to touch.
- + Sea turtles start nesting on Ervatão beach. Night tours through licensed operators in the booking widget below let you watch loggerheads lay eggs under red-filtered torches. No white lights allowed. They scramble the turtles' GPS.
Considerations
- − Harmattan dust from the Sahara can bleach the sky and stir allergies. Mid-May is usually worst when visibility shrinks to 5 km (3.1 miles). Pack antihistamines. The haze photographs like fog.
- − Ocean temperatures are still shaking off winter upwelling. Expect 22°C (72°F) water that feels brisk until your skin goes numb after ten minutes. It's refreshing. Then it's just normal.
- − Some restaurants on smaller islands shut for annual holidays. Check locally before trekking to remote villages on Santo Antão or Brava. Call ahead. A closed door means a long, hungry ride back.
Year-Round Climate
How May compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°C | 19°C | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Feb | 25°C | 19°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Mar | 25°C | 19°C | 0.0 inches (0 mm) |
| Apr | 25°C | 19°C | 0.0 inches (0 mm) |
| May | 26°C | 20°C | 0.0 inches (0 mm) |
| Jun | 27°C | 21°C | 0.0 inches (0 mm) |
| Jul | 28°C | 22°C | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Aug | 29°C | 23°C | 1.2 inches (30 mm) |
| Sep | 29°C | 24°C | 1.6 inches (41 mm) |
| Oct | 29°C | 23°C | 0.7 inches (18 mm) |
| Nov | 28°C | 22°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Dec | 26°C | 20°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Sal Kitesurfing Lessons
May brings the most reliable wind of the year. Expect 18-22 knots from 11am until sunset. Kite Beach curves 3 km (1.9 mile) facing northeast, funneling the trade winds straight in. Morning lessons run in flat water behind the reef. Afternoons serve rolling swell for intermediates. Water sits at 22°C (72°F) so a shorty wetsuit saves the first hour.
Booking Tip: Book 48 hours ahead. Schools cap instructor ratios and sell out once wind forecasts firm up. Hunt for IKO-certified crews with gear included. Cheap lessons often mean battered kites.
Santo Antão Mountain Trekking
Before June heat cranks up, May mornings stay cool enough for the 1,000 m (3,280 ft) ridge walks between Paul and Porto Novo. The ribeiras stay green from winter rains. Clouds usually lift by 10am, revealing banana terraces glued to basalt cliffs. Start hiking by 6:30am. Beat the heat and the Harmattan haze that thickens after lunch.
Booking Tip: Hire local guides at Ponta do Sol pier. They know which trails dodge the loose volcanic scree that shifts every rainy season. Saves your ankles. Saves your temper.
Boa Vista Turtle-Watching Night Tours
Loggerhead nesting peaks mid-May through June. Ervatão beach, 20 km (12.4 miles) south of Sal Rei, hosts 30-50 females nightly. Tours depart at 8:30pm under red-beam flashlights. White light disorients the turtles. You'll patrol 2-3 km (1.2-1.9 miles) of sand, following tracks like ATV treads from surf to dune.
Booking Tip: Reserve two nights. Tours cancel if rain (rare) or heavy surf makes landing risky. Maximum 12 people per group to keep disturbance low. Small groups mean better views.
Santiago Cultural Heritage Walks
May's mild 24°C (75°F) afternoons suit half-day walking tours through Cidade Velha. The UNESCO fort and cathedral where Columbus allegedly restocked sit quiet before summer cruise crowds. Your footsteps echo off 16th-century stone. Guides pause at the slave pelourinho and the banana-wine cooperative for tastings.
Booking Tip: Morning tours dodge the 11am-2pm Harmattan dust peak. Ask for guides born in the village. Family stories layer history you won't hear from generic scripts. Worth the extra escudo.
Fogo Volcano Crater Hike
Clouds that smother Fogo's 2,829 m (9,281 ft) peak all winter finally lift in May. The 8 km (5 mile) round-trip from Chã das Caldeiras to the rim crosses black lava that still vents steam from 2014's eruption. Temperature drops 1°C per 200 m (656 ft). Bring layers. It's 10°C (18°F) cooler at the top even when sea-level bakes at 26°C (79°F).
Booking Tip: Start hiking by 5am. Locals lead pre-dawn departures to beat the summit clouds. Carry 2 L (0.5 gal) water. Zero shade above 1,800 m (5,905 ft). Dehydration sneaks up fast.
São Vicente Music Night Crawl
Mindelo's carnival is history. Yet May weekends still cram terrace bars along Rua Lisboa. Live morna, Cape Verdean blues, kicks off at 11pm in clubs where Cesária Évga once dropped by unannounced. Humid 70% air carries trumpet lines into alleys smelling of grilled limpets and grogue sugar-cane rum.
Booking Tip: No cover charges. But buy at least one drink per set. Musicians live off tips tip jar. Week nights stay quieter if you want conversation over volume. Support the scene.
Where to Stay in Cape Verde in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
May Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late May (check exact dates year-to-year)
Gamboa Festival
Santiago's biggest music fest lands late May on the beach outside Praia. Three days of kizomba, funaná and international acts on an oceanfront stage. Locals haul coolers of Strela beer. Tourists grab VIP wristbands for raised platforms and real bathrooms, not porta-potties.
Packing Checklist
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Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Cape Verde Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Lock in internal flights first. TACV and Binter add extra May departures when wind forecasts lure kitesurfers. Seats disappear within hours. Click fast.
Download the Windy app. Locals check real-time gusts at each beach. Forecasts decide which side of Sal schools teach on. Knowledge is wind.
Eat early on Sundays. Most family-run restaurants lock up by 4pm so matriarchs can prep for the week. Dine at 2pm or settle for supermarket sandwiches. Plan ahead.
Carry photocopies of passport - police sometimes set up roadblocks between Praia and Cidade Velha looking for undocumented migrants from mainland Africa
Negotiate taxi fares before entering - no meters anywhere. The fair rate from Santa Maria to Kite Beach is half what drivers quote newly arrived Europeans
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming May is scorching like the Canaries - trade winds keep it comfortable. But visitors still pack only bikinis and freeze on 6am boat launches
Trying to island-hop in one week - ferries run twice-weekly on some routes. Build in buffer days or you'll miss flights home
Ordering 'lobster' without asking the price - menus list per kg, not per dish; a single grilled spiny lobster can cost more than your hotel room if you don't confirm weight
Book Experiences in Cape Verde
Top-rated things to do in Cape Verde this May
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