Cape Verde · Month comparison
May vs April
April ranks #1 overall vs May at #2. The quietest month with the best sunshine — an underrated gem for those in the know.
May
#2 of 12 months
Best match
Near-perfect and uncrowded — the best month almost nobody knows about.
- ↑May is Cape Verde's secret: outstanding weather (1mm rain, 8.8 sunshine hours, 27.8°C), low crowds, and affordable prices across all the islands. The combination of warm but not-hot temperatures and consistent sunshine makes it the most comfortable month for walking the volcanic interior of Santo Antão or hiking Fogo's active caldera.
- ↑Fogo island in May is extraordinary: the 2,829m Pico do Fogo (most recently active in 2014) can be summited in a long day with a guide from Chã das Caldeiras village — the lunar landscape inside the caldera, with vineyards producing one of the world's most unusual wines from volcanic soil, is completely unlike anywhere else in Africa or the Atlantic.
April
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The quietest month with the best sunshine — an underrated gem for those in the know.
- ↑April sees the highest sunshine hours of the year (9.0 per day) and the lowest tourist volumes: European package tourism has wound down from the winter peak and hasn't yet been replaced by summer visitors. The Sal resort area is calm, prices are competitive, and the wind sports infrastructure is fully operational.
- ↑The Cidade Velha UNESCO site on Santiago island is best visited in April's dry season light: the ruined Portuguese colonial city (founded 1462) — the oldest European settlement in sub-Saharan Africa — has extraordinary atmosphere at the Pillory Square and the Cathedral ruins. The Saturday market on the road from Praia is a genuine cultural experience.
| Factor | May | April |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 9 | 9 |
| Value score | 8 | 8 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 7 |
| Events score | 5 | 5 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 27.8°C | 27.3°C |
| Monthly rain | 1mm | 1mm |
| Daily sunshine | 8.8hrs | 9hrs |
May trade-offs
- ↓The trade winds are softer in May than the January-February window: reliable for competent kitesurfers but potentially frustrating for beginners who need consistent 5+ Beaufort wind.
- ↓June-September humidity begins creeping up — May is at the comfortable limit before the slightly muggier summer period on the wetter islands (Santiago, Santo Antão).
April trade-offs
- ↓Trade winds moderating from their January-February peak: kitesurfers and windsurfers will find April conditions excellent but less consistently powered than the winter prime months.
- ↓Some Mindelo music venues and cultural spaces run reduced programmes in April — the post-Carnival lull affects the cultural calendar on São Vicente.
Scores compare months within Cape Verde. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →