Sal Island (Santa Maria)

Cape Verde's most popular resort island, with Santa Maria's white-sand beaches and kitesurfing, and a crater salt lake where you float as in the Dead Sea.

Sal lies in the northeast of the Cape Verde archipelago. It is a low-lying, desert-like volcanic island of about 216 sq km, named for the sea salt it historically produced. Amílcar Cabral International Airport has direct flights from many European cities and is Cape Verde's tourism gateway; visitors from China usually connect through Lisbon or another European city. The island is dry and sunny all year, with temperatures between 22 and 30°C year-round. From Nov to May the strong northeast trade winds make it kitesurfing and windsurfing season; Jul–Oct is hotter with occasional showers, and is also turtle nesting season. Sightseeing falls into three parts: Santa Maria in the south is the resort hub, with a white-sand beach several kilometers long, a wooden pier with a fish market, kitesurfing beaches, and most of the hotels and restaurants; the capital Espargos in the center, plus Palmeira, Murdeira Bay and Monte Leão on the west coast, show local life and calm bays; and the north has the Pedra de Lume salt lake in a volcanic crater (where you can float as in the Dead Sea), the Buracona natural pool and the "Blue Eye," and Shark Bay on the east coast. Public transport on the island is mainly minibuses between Santa Maria and Espargos; for sights around the island, hire a private car, rent a 4WD, or join a half-day or full-day tour. Plan on 3–5 days, and a few more if you want to learn kitesurfing. The UV is very strong, so bring sunscreen and a sun hat; the local currency is the Cape Verdean escudo, and euros are widely accepted in tourist areas.

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Where to eat

Itineraries