Untouched virgin nature, azure blue, crystal clear ocean, endless golden beaches, guaranteed beautiful weather and a relaxing atmosphere. That is the island of Sal. One of the ten islands of the Cape Verde Islands, which are literally paradise on earth. You can get to Cape Verde from the Czech Republic in just 7 hours.
The desolate, sometimes lunar-like landscape of some parts of the island of Sal provides a truly extraordinary and quintessentially African travel experience.
No Stress! That's SAL!
A little about the island
You probably still remember the time when Sal was created. It was sometime 50 million years ago. Plus minus. It is geologically the oldest island of Cape Verde and was formed during the eruption of a volcano, which is now inactive. It is said that the human foot first set foot on it in the 12th century, it was discovered on December 3, on a bright sunny day in 1460. It was named after the salt mines that were found here.
Sal is less than 30 km long and almost 12 km wide at its widest point. The whole island is relatively flat, the highest, or rather a hill, reaches a height of 408 meters. You can speak English here, the official language is Portuguese and Creole. You can pay here in Euros or Escudos.
When you first see Sal in all its glory from the plane, it will seem more like Mars. At first glance inhospitable arid landscape, which is made up of sandy plains, at a second glance you will see the crystal clear Atlantic Ocean, which washes endless wide golden beaches.
The island has an average 350 sunny days in the year, only a few days are cloudy and they rarely bring rain. And when it does rain, it will be sometime from July to mid-October. But don't worry, even during these months you can fly here without any worries and enjoy your paradise on earth.
A few decades ago, there were only a few simple houses on the Cape Verde Islands, including Sal. Now the island is crossed by a perfect asphalt road and one luxury hotel resort after another is appearing here. Today, Sal is said to be completely sold out to foreign investors, who will surely build more hotels soon. Whether this is a good thing is a question to ponder.
When to go to Sal and how
Traveling to Sal is worth it with a travel guide. Unexpectedly. But don't choose from the standard offer. If you don't want to pay a fortune, then follow last minute offers. Ideally, choose a date in September/October and start monitoring Czech travel agencies and their price developments at the end of August (I used Fischer and Blue Style). I always bought last minute, discounted by more than 50 % and always with all inclusive, at most a week before departure.
I stayed in a 5* hotel for the first time in 2018. Sol Dunas with all inclusive for 12,000 CZK, second time in 2022 in 4* Voi Vila Do Farol Resort, also with all inclusive for 17,000 CZK. And it's worth it.
Apart from the fact that with a travel voucher you don't have to worry about anything anymore. You have transport from the airport to the hotel and back, you have a delegate on hand and you don't have to spend anything on food or drinks for the whole week. The only thing you have to count on is tourist tax approx. 31 Eur Cape Verde, which you can pay at the airport or in advance on the website https://www.ease.gov.cv/ (filled out no later than 5 days before departure), or directly through the travel agency, but that is more expensive. Another fee is the tourist tax, which is paid at the hotel and is I think 2 Euros/night.
What can you see and experience at Sala?
Whatever you want. Whether you feel like lounging by the hotel pool with a drink, or on the beach, or enjoying an active holiday, here is your unique opportunity. All this in peace and quiet in the spirit of the motto No stress. Sal offers unprecedented natural beauty, but also many tourist attractions.
I personally choose relaxation here. Sal is an island where you are sure to enjoy peace and quiet and at the same time you don't have to worry about the weather. You get away from people (you just have to survive those 7 hours on a plane full of other excited Czechs), from civilization and you don't have to think about anything at all. Just enjoy the beach, the ocean, the sun, or the hotel pool with all-inclusive drinks. And if you want to go on a trip and get to know the island? One day is enough to see everything the island has to offer..
If you are an adventurer, you can travel it on your own. Rent a car or take a trip on a quad bike. Or you don't have to worry about anything, just get in the back of a car and let the locals show you around the island. The ultimate version is an air-conditioned bus offered by a tour company, but that's not such an experience.
Don't miss the salt crater near the village of Pedra de Lume, Buracona Bay with its famous magical blue eye, Shark Bay, the port town of Palmeira, the capital Espargos with its slums, where you will feel the true African atmosphere. Don't forget to taste the local specialties, which are, believe it or not, fish.
Beaches on Sal
There is a restaurant on Salu one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
You will simply be captivated here. An almost 3 km long golden beach in the south of the island in the town of Santa Maria, neighboring Ponta Preta, which got its name from the black-colored rocks that were previously located here.
If you are interested in kitesurfing, then definitely go to Kite beach on the east side of the island. You will also find a kitesurfing school here.
Buracona, Blue eye
Among the most famous locations on the island is Buracona Bay, which was formed by the activity of the sea in a lava field.
For three euros you can look into a hole in the rock, where a beautiful blue eye will appear to you. It is an underwater lava cave with a hole in the ceiling, and the blue eye is nothing more than the refraction of sunlight.
You have a few seconds to look, then the guides will push you to get a look at the others. The eye can only be seen between about 11am and 1pm.
You can also swim in the lava pools here (unless you're here at a time when the waves are very high) or take a walk in the botanical garden.
You can also have a meal at a local restaurant or buy souvenirs at a small shop.
Or just stop, sit in the gazebo for a while and watch the huge waves crashing against the sharp rocks.
Shark Bay
Shark Bay is located on the east coast of the island. The shallow water of the rocky shore attracts lemon sharks, to bask in the sun here.
Rent some water shoes (or bring your own, they're free), walk about 50 meters and suddenly the sharks are touching your feet and swimming all around you.
And don't worry, Lemon sharks are said not to attack humans, so you come back with all your toes and fingers. It's a great experience.
Pedra de Lume Salt Mines
In the large crater, volcanoes are still active, approximately 13 meters below ocean level you can swim in the salt lake, where the water is about 26x saltier than the surrounding ocean. You won't drown here, but if a drop of water gets in your eye, you're almost dead. It really stings.
So, lie down on the surface and enjoy the water floating around you. When you put your feet down, you will feel hot water rising from the bottom to the surface, heated by the volcano. Thanks to the volcano's activity, it is even a few degrees warmer here than "outside". As if that was exactly what was needed here.
Water is said to be rejuvenating and has beneficial effects for your health and skin, so lie in it for a long time. Thanks to its healing effects, it is often referred to as the Dead Sea of Cape Verde. Then you can shower for a Euro, or keep the salt crystals on you. Just don't wear a T-shirt anymore... it stings, it scratches, it's a strange feeling.
Monte Leão
Just a view of two hills that look like lying lion. All around is a desolate landscape.
Asparagus
In the very heart of the island lies the city Asparagus, which is capital city of the entire island. There is an international airport here, and on the top of Monte Curral there is a military radar. From here you can observe the beautiful panorama of the whole city. In the city you can eat, buy souvenirs, it is said that it is quite lively here at night. What is also worth mentioning are the local slums, where the poorest part of the population lives. The shacks built literally from everything that can be found on the island are also worth a visit. Or rather, a drive through in a car, but I would not park it here, nor get out of it. I would also rather not go for a walk here. They say there is a lot of theft here.
Palmeira
In the port town of Palmeira, on you breathes peace and tranquility locals. You can walk through the streets, where here and there you will come across a bistro, a souvenir shop or local women with woven baskets on their heads, who will also offer you various souvenirs, mainly magnets and bracelets. You will meet street vendors mainly near the port.
The local area is also worth a visit bar, which is right across from the church. You can buy coffee or local flavored schnapps here. They will definitely let you taste them.
Santa Maria
Santa Maria is a tourist destination the busiest town on the island. It also has the largest concentration of hotels and resorts in all of Cape Verde.
The locals mainly make a living from tourism, so don't be surprised if you leave your hotel and a native immediately approaches you, trying to greet you in all possible languages, including Czech. Hey!.
He will want to drag you into his back alley shop to sell you something. Mostly various carved statues, magnets, etc.
If you want these souvenirs, go to the Vietnamese. There are three shops on the main shopping street, they have the same goods and believe it or not, each one has different prices.
The cheapest one is at the very end. So wait, don't buy anything and go straight there. It's a good place to buy coffee, tuna, and magnets.
In addition to the beautiful beach, it is also worth visiting Busy pier with fish market. It is held here every day. And every day there are a lot of people. The best time to visit is early in the morning.
The island of Sal is definitely worth a visit. You will enjoy the sun, the warm ocean, beautiful beaches and, most importantly, peace and quiet. Simply everything in the spirit of No stress. If you are also interested in the neighboring island – Boa Vista, read my travelogue from this island on the page https://florinacestach.cz/boa_vista/.
Practical Information about Salu
- Capital: Espargos
- Official language: Portuguese and Creole, but you can also speak English
- Currency: Cape Verdean escudo, but they accept and usually return Euros everywhere
- Time zone: GMT -1
- Electrical voltage: 220 V, two-prong sockets (no adapter needed)
- Roaming: 3. roaming zone, so be careful when connecting to the internet with a Czech operator.
- You can either turn off data on your phone or buy a data eSIM through the app Airalo. Just download it, enter your details, select a country, data package, pay with a card and install the eSIM on your phone according to the instructions. Then you will have a Czech SIM for receiving calls and SMS messages, and data will run via the eSIM.
- If you use my code when you place your first order on Airal – STANIS0407, you save 3 dollars (and you're giving them to me too – thanks).
- I wrote detailed instructions on the page https://florinacestach.cz/zahranici_data_airalo/
