Cape Verde and your new life

Before visiting Cape Verde,  you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)

To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect.

Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

CDC recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine.  Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.

If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.

Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Cape Verde, the government requires some travelers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever virus transmission to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to Cape Verde from any country other than the United States, this requirement may affect you. For specific requirement details, see Yellow Fever & Malaria Information, by Country.

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.

Living the legend

 Arequipa

Widely known as the "Ciudad Blanca" (White City) for its beautiful colonial homes, churches and monasteries constructed of a white volcanic stone - sillar - that is unique to the zone. The city center, which was recognized by the UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site, is surrounded by a beautiful countryside. You may also visit the nearby Colca Valley and Colca Canyon, Valley of the Volcanoes, natural areas as Salinas and Aguada Blanca and the Mejia Lagoons. Arequipa is an ideal destination for those interested in colonial architecture, living culture and in spectacular outdoor natural beauty, biodiversity and outdoor adventure.

Puno and Titicaca Lake

Located in the Andean highland and beside the Titicaca the highest navigable lake in the world inhabited by the Uros, Taquile and Amantani Islands. Earth of the legendary Aymara town, and the Tiahuanaco Culture. It is the folkloric capital of Peru. It offers excellent alternatives for the archaeological, living culture and nature & biodiversity tourism.

Iquitos

An ideal place for those lovers of the nature & biodiversity tourism and the ones who want to feel an intimate contact with the virgin nature of the Amazon forests; from the city you will be able to go into housings located in full jungle, and for the most adventurous and fearless you can arrive to the Reservations and National Parks as Pacaya Samiria or Allpahuayo Mishana, with exuberant flora and fauna, and you can take contact with Amazonian aborigines.

Paracas

An excellent ecological destination for the nature lovers and birdwatchers, the Paracas National Reserve declared Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it also offers cultural historical attractiveness and it is a good alternative to pass relaxed moments excellent for the nautical sports as windsurf, scuba diving, deep sea fishing and more, visit the Ballestas Islands.

Cusco

The Archaeological Capital of America"; it constitutes the biggest tourist attractiveness in Peru, and the most visited one. Cuzco, was the biggest city and capital of the Inca Empire and then taken by the Spanish conquerors; today it has an architecture that fuses the Inca with the Spanish style. Their town conserves with pride its customs and traditions. It is also the forced step to know the mystic and enigmatic sacred citadel of the Inca Machu Picchu that the Spaniards never knew and was discovered by the occidental culture in 1911. Cuzco, as Machu Picchu, for its historical value, and for its beauty is considered Cultural World Heritage Sites. The Sacred Valley of the Incas, beautiful places and the Inca Trail are waiting for you.

 

  

Travel destination for 2012

Why in 2012: This chain of nine volcanic islands lies 930 miles off the coast of Lisbon, but the distance hasn't spared Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, from the mainland's economic troubles—which means big bargains for American travelers. Hotel rates across Portugal have slid since 2010, with five-star hotel rooms averaging a mere $112 per night, and the Azores, which are dotted with baroque churches, black-sand beaches, and crater lakes, are no exception. To lure visitors, Boston-based charter airline Azores Express is offering deeply discounted hotel-and-air packages through fall 2012 (508/677-0555, from $719). And while island-hopping had traditionally required a long ferry ride or a chartered fishing boat, last November, state-owned SATA Airlines shortened the trip when it increased inter-island flights (sata.pt). 

Best Time to Visit: Azores weather is mild year-round, but outdoor enthusiasts will dig October, when temperatures typically hit 70 degrees and daylight lasts 11 hours. Since the month also marks the start of Azores's low season, which runs through May, hotels deals are easy to find then. 

Where to Stay: The coastal Bahia Palace Hotel on the island of São Miguel is steps from Baia de Água d'Alto beach and has a freshwater swimming pool and 101 rooms, all with ocean-view balconies (hotelbahiapalace.com, from $104). Price Check: In September, Azores-based SATA Airlines has nonstop tickets from Boston starting at $688 round-trip. 

Egypt 

Why in 2012: Although (as of press time) the travel warning put in place by the United States after the Arab Spring has been downgraded to an alert for sporadic unrest, Egypt—where tourism accounts for 11 percent of the economy—is hurting for visitors, even at the nation's most famous destinations. Traveler numbers have plummeted by more than a third since 2010, and travel operators and hoteliers are cutting serious deals to encourage a turnaround. TUI, Europe's largest tour company, slashed $600 off the price of a recent Egyptian excursion, and average daily hotel rates have fallen 25 percent countrywide, dipping to about $107. There are deals at both the Great Pyramids of Giza, where room rates have slid 45 percent since 2010, and in the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, where prices slumped 26 percent to $104. 

Best Time to Visit: Summer delivers 90-plus-degree temperatures and winter brings tourist throngs, but the shoulder seasons (March to May; September to November) promise fewer, and less-sweaty, crowds. 

Where to Stay: The five-star Savoy Sharm El Sheikh, at the foothills of the Sinai Mountains and steps away from Sharm El Sheikh's powdery, pristine White Knight Beach, is an accessible oasis. savoy-sharm.com, from $143. 

Price Check: Stopovers are a must when traveling to Egypt, as direct flights are pricey year-round (we're talking $1,000 plus). Dutch carrier KLM offers decent one-stop fares in March: Trips from New York to Cairo start at $815; tickets from Chicago go for $786; and prices from Los Angeles hover around $996 with two stops. 

San Diego 

Why in 2012: With miles of picturesque Pacific coastline (perfect for surfing), only 10 inches of rain per year (ideal golf weather), and family-friendly attractions (Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, a LEGO-Land theme park), it's easy to see why San Diego is one of America's top 10 most-visited cities. And unlike northern neighbors Los Angeles and San Francisco, the SoCal city is offering bargains on everything from hotels—the average nightly room rate is $128—to rental cars, which are 3 percent cheaper than they were in 2010. Another reason to book a trip now: Hotel prices are expected to continue dropping through 2012 before spiking again in 2013, thanks to an ongoing construction boom. 

Best Time to Visit: The rainiest months are November through March, but even then you won't get soaked—the highest average precipitation (in January) is only 2.3 inches. If you're a museum lover, visit in February, when San Diego Museum Month kicks off. Forty area attractions, such as the modern LUX Art Institute and the Birch Aquarium, will offer half-priced admission fees (sandiegomuseumcouncil.org, discount card free). Prime beach season runs from April to October, when the temperatures rarely dip below 69 degrees. 

Where to Stay: One of the city's newest boutique additions, Little Italy's Porto Vista exudes a laid-back, European vibe (portovistasd.com, from $119). Most rooms have black-and-white, floor-to-ceiling photographs that evoke 1960s Italy—think glammed-up fashion models and young men on scooters—and the surrounding neighborhood is lined with sausage shops and old-school pizza joints. Price Check: February fares to San Diego are $156 from Portland (one stop on Spirit), $151 from Denver (nonstop on Frontier), and $339 from New York (nonstop on JetBlue).