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HEALTH

Maio has an adequate local clinic for common health ailments, a hospital under construction, talk of a private medical center and a fully-equipped hospital in Praia only a few minutes away.

Two pharmacies provide simple medicine accessibility. Bring those prescriptions which you feel necessary.

The most common ailment which a visitor may encounter is simple diarrhea. This can be by simply cured by eating one raw garlic clove 3 times a day with meals for 3 days.

TRANSPORTATION

At present, Maio has neither metered taxis nor public transportation. Small pickup trucks and minibuses fill this need. Wait on the main road for transportation north of town and they will find you . Sharing transportation on a vehicle (with benches behind) for example, the fare to Morro is 50 escudos. If you take an empty one which has aquilar written on the windshield you will pay 500 for a private rental. Many cars will pick you up for free. Others will let you know if they want the standard pay.

The fare from the airport to Vila or Morro is a standard 500 escudos. From Vila to: Calheta 100, Morrino 100,Casabulho 130, Pedro Vaz 150.

TOURING THE ISLAND
(A Quick Trip Around Maio)

(Note: Maio has no scheduled buses or tours at this time) The only option other than walking is preferably to rent a car. At present on the less inhabited west coast, there is a large road construction project underway on the Maio’s only main highway. If you wish to go around the entire island, a 4-wheel drive is strongly advised. For fuller enjoyment hire a multilingual guide...or more inexpensively and less comfortable, share a ride from the many mini-vans and trucks which make their living transporting people and goods.

Note: It is better to ask for permission before taking photos of individuals who maybe shy, unless you have a telescopic lens.

Maio

The island may appear barren from the air. (Keep in mind that if Maio were perpetually green, your precious holiday would have a good chance of being spoiled by rain.) This first impression is very deceiving and will greatly improve when visiting the countryside. The topography of the Island is volcanic in nature with a low mountainous interior. Although treeless by European standards, Maio has forested areas (the most in the entire archipelago). A few weeks after a good brief rainy season, the island miraculously turns green like an Irish countryside.