The Island Sal in Cabo Verde
The island of Sal was discovered in 1460 and was first called “Liana”, which means flat. With a length of 30 kilometers and a width of 12 kilometers, Sal is the flattest island of Cabo Verde. Only later the name was changed to “Sal”, which means ” salt” and is due to the salt production in Pedra de Lume and Santa Maria. The landscape consists of brown rock slabs and desert sand, which comes from the Sahara with the wind from the mainland. The capital of Sal is Espargos and the most famous seaside resort is Santa Maria. Despite an international airport, and white sandy beaches with azure blue waters, there is no mass tourism here yet. Sal is an ideal destination for surfing, diving, and sunbathing, but also an ideal destination to relax and as a starting point to discover other islands of Cabo Verde.
The History of Sal
Life on Sal has always been marginal and based on the demand for the four specialties: sun, sand, wind and salt. Today, for the first time in its history, it is thriving thanks to three of these commodities. Sand and sun are in demand by beach-loving tourists. And the wind now catches the sails of avid windsurfers and kitesurfers who have discovered one of the best places in the world for their sport.
The Weather in Sal
Sal how to get there?
Things can be chaotic at Amilcar Cabral International Airport, with a long line at passport control, but in reality, there is almost no hustle and bustle as you would find at airports in mainland Africa. There are two ATMs and the Caixa has Western Union facilities. There is also a money exchange kiosk that is open until 02:00 and is useful for getting rid of excess money upon departure. The airport has a café/restaurant, CV telecom, Unitel outlets, a car rental agency, and several souvenir stores.
Flights to Sal
International flights Sal
There are many direct flights from various European cities, but note that the schedule may change throughout the seasons. You will see that some connections are only available in the winter months.
- The UK - London Gatwick LGW | Bristol BRS | Manchester MAN | Bermingham BHX
- Germany - Düsseldorf DUS | Hannover HAJ |Stuttgart STR | Munich MUC | Frankfurt FRA
- The Netherlands - Shiphol Amsterdam AMS | Eindhoven EIN
- Italy - Flumicino FCO | Verona VRN | Bergamo BGY | Malpensa MXP
- Belgium - Brussels BRU
- Luxemburg LUX
- France - Paris Orly ORY
- Gran Canaria - Las Palmas LPA
- Portugal - Lisbon LIS
- Switzerland - Zürich ZRH
- Morocco - Marrakech RAK
Domestic flights to São Vicente
There are flights from Sal to Santiago, São Vicente, Boa Vista, and São Nicolau several times a week. If you want to fly to Maio and Fogo, you must first change planes in Santiago. Be warned, domestic flights can get booked up quickly. It is always best to book your internal connections online or through your tour operator or travel agent.
- Boa Vista - Rabil BVC
- Santiago - Praia RAI
- São Vicente VXE
- São Nicolau SNE
Transportation by sea to Sal
Take a ferry to Sal
Ferries connect Sal with some of the other islands, but they are not recommended if you are on a tight schedule. They are neither reliable nor comfortable, and some people question their safety. There are two ticket agencies in Espargos where you can buy tickets to São Vicente (4,000$, 16 hours), Santiago (4,000$, 12 hours), and Boavista (2,500$, 4 hours).
Take a yacht to Sal
Sal is the most upwind of the islands of Cabo Verde. There is a very good anchorage in the western port of Palmeira. Because of the international airport, this is a useful place for a crew change. Yachts usually have to refuel with jerry cans. There is a small shipyard where welding work can be done. If this is your first visit to the island, a cab will take you to the airport to get an entry stamp – a simple process. Other anchorages are in the wide Baía da Murdeira to the west, south of the promontory of Monte Leão, and in the southern bay of Santa Maria, which is a good anchorage except in southerly winds.
Getting around in Sal
Taxi
Most large all-inclusive hotels pick up their guests with their buses. Santa Maria can be reached from the airport in 15 minutes, Murdeira in less than 10 minutes, and Espargos in only 5 minutes. There are always plenty of cabs from the airport to Espargos ($300, or $400 at night) or Santa Maria ($1,200, or 1,500ù at night).
Festivals at Sal
Like every island in Cabo Verde, Sal has its own festivals every year. Locals and tourists come together to enjoy the festivities.