In Santa Maria – the beating heart of Sal – a bust of Georges Vynckier celebrates the Belgian entrepreneur who, together with his wife Geneviève, pioneered tourism and renewable energy in Sal by developing the island’s first resort hotel, Hotel Morabeza.
That was in the early 1970s. Since then, Sal has seen its fishing villages and salt industry transform into a tourism economy fuelled by its bottomless African sunshine and blowing winds that are so ideal for water sports.
Add a pinch of morabeza (the typical Cape Verdean hospitality) and the ‘no stress’ philosophy (a reminder you’ll see printed everywhere, from T-shirts to paintings), and you’ll easily conclude why Sal can be the perfect destination for your next holiday.
Where is Sal?
The Republic of Cabo Verde is an archipelago of ten islands (nine of which are inhabited) in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Senegal. While Cabo Verde literally means ‘green cape’, that’s actually after the homonymous Senegalese peninsula (and westernmost point in continental Africa). In reality, Cabo Verde boosts verdant peaks and flat deserts, active volcanos and turquoise waters.
Sal is one of the windward and desert islands of the archipelago. While Santa Maria is the clear crowd-pleaser – thanks to its Caribbean-style beach, and hotel and water-sport scene – there is more to see here. The best way to explore it is by renting a quad bike, (ideally) wearing something khaki, and (definitely) feeling adventurous.
Caboquad is the only shop where you can rent a quad independently – so make sure to book yours a few days beforehand. A quad seating one or two people will cost you about €80 per day, or €45 for half a day. Here’s the itinerary you can follow. (Caboquad and other businesses in Santa Maria organise guided tours too.)
Ride through the villages of Murdeira and Palmeira via Calheta Funda
Santa Maria is at the southern extremity of Sal. Less than 5 km after heading north along the only road that cuts through the island, you’ll come across a sign for Calheta Funda. If you exit here and follow the dirt track, you’ll reach an unpatrolled inlet of grey-ish sand, surrounded by red rock formations, and framed by Monte Leão in the background. It might not be the easiest place to get to (despite this being the easiest route), but once here, you can be sure you’ll have your own private bay for the day.
Further north along the west coast are the villages of Murdeira and Palmeira. Murdeira’s main attraction are its rockpools and sunset spots. From here, you can either do a heavy-duty off-road to the port village of Palmeira via Praia da Fontona, or simply ride along the main dual carriageway. The choice is yours. (Be ready to get covered in sand if you go for the former, more fun option.)
Check out the Blue Eye Cave and spot a mirage in the desert
Either way, once in Palmeira, you’ll be close to one of the most famous attractions on the island: Buracona, or the Blue Eye. Upon paying a €3 entry fee, on a sunny day, between 10.30 am and 1.30 pm, you should be able to see what resembles the shape of an eye, of a mesmerizing blue colour, deep inside a dark basaltic sea cave. Around this site, there are several oceanic pools carved in the volcanic rocks where you can take a dip, knowing you’ll be protected by the power of the waves that crash against the nearby cliffs.
If you proceed inland, a flat dirt track will then lead you to Terra Boa, the greenest part of the island. Have you ever seen a mirage? Near here, you can see a Fata Morgana: the impression of a lake in the distance when in reality there’s nothing but sand, sand, sand. Espargos, the capital of Sal that sprawls from the foot of Monte Curral, lies just a few kilometres south.
Rejoice at the Pedra de Lume salt works
Crossing to the east coast, there’s another sensational site – and this one is not an illusion. In fact, it’s currently under consideration to qualify as a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s what triggered Sal’s name change from Llana (“flat” in Portuguese) to Sal (or “salt”).
After salt was discovered in the crater of an extinct volcano emerging 39 meters above sea level, the island witnessed a salt frenzy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Salt extraction, production and export thrived for about 2,000 years before slowly falling and eventually ceasing in the 1990s.
Today, this site is known as Pedra de Lume and is still shining from its past glory: the skeleton of warehouses that were used to store the salt, and of a cable car to transport it, are still visible and welcome you to the setting. A short tunnel leads you to the crater. Here, the salt ponds (27 times saltier than sea water) are now used as floating pools, where you can indulge in self-service thalassotherapy cum salt scrubs and mud masks. The surrounding landscape is breathtaking; white salterns juxtaposed to red earth, at points creating pink hues. Entry is €5.
Visit more unique beaches: Shark Bay, Kite Beach and the Shell Cemetery
On your way back to Santa Maria, depending on what you’re up for, you might want to stop at Shark Bay or Kite Beach (or both). At Shark Bay, innocuous Lemon baby sharks swim in shallow waters very close to the shore. They might even wade through your legs! While the particularly windy Kite Beach is a paradise for kite surfing: learn it, test your skills, or just admire the pros at Mitu & Djo Kite School.
The most bittersweet place of all is Shell Cemetery. Picture a long stretch of shore completely covered by mountains of conch shells. Hear the waves rhythmically crashing against the millions of shell debris. On the surface, this is a wow place. In reality, the shells are not washed here by the sea currents, but discarded by fishermen after they sell conch meat to the local restaurants.
What to do and where to stay in Santa Maria
Santa Maria remains the top spot in Sal, so you’ll definitely want to be based here during your trip. In this town, the otherwise dusty landscape is revived by buildings of all shades: blue churches; peach, violet, hot pink and lime green houses. Besides, it has enough to keep you busy for a few days: a buzzing pier where fresh fish is sold every morning, a lively main street, a market, a museum. And, excursions to fly the Zipline Capo Verde start from here, too.
Santa Maria’s main appeal, however, is its long beach of fine pale sand. It’s a paradise for the lovers of water sports: you can have lessons or rent equipment for kitesurf, windsurf, wing foil, wakeboard, water ski, stand up paddle, surf and more. Among these, wing foil is the trendiest of all, possibly because it’s cheaper and easier to grasp than windsurf or kitesurf.
For the best-value accommodation in Santa Maria, check in at Sobrado Boutique Hotel and then make the most of what other sea-front hotels might offer. For example, you don’t need to be a guest of the Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort to enjoy its Bounty Beach Bar, which is particularly charming at night. Watch the starry sky and hear the sound of the ocean as you sip ponche, the typical Cape Verdean cocktail prepared with grogue liquor.
