Sal is the main tourist hub in Cabo Verde. It has a wide offering of activities: beach club, kitesurfing, sailboats. You can see new buildings and hotels around. However, it is mostly designed for foreigners. Souvenirs, pubs, and vacation holiday agencies. It is great for enjoying the sun and the beach.
At a glance:
White sand beaches
Sun
Turquoise ocean
Resorts
Deserted
Fishing
How do I get to Sal?
I have to honestly say that we struggled a little bit to get to Sal... we were at Sao Vicente and planned to take the ferry there but the schedules are limited, there were only two options to get to Sal: Monday or Thursday. It was an entire day trip, stopping at Boavista for 2 hours, and we decided not to spend an entire day traveling from island to island. So we went for the flight, also limited schedules, with a stop in Santiago, for 130 euros per person one way. Which is expensive in my opinion, based on the short distance. Overall, my reco would be to plan all your flights in advance so you can accommodate the schedules and optimize your budget.
What to do in Sal?
Sal seems to be an island tailored made for tourists. The main things we noticed: Espargos town, Santa María town, big resorts such as Hilton and Melia (and soon, Barcelo), and a lot of empty space.
We decided to stay at Santa María, the main town. It is a small town, with lots of constructions. Santa María has a main pedestrian street where you will find restaurants and bars. Don't imagine tons of them, there are a few options, but hey! it makes it easier to choose 😊. There are also some side streets trying to catch up and it's worth it to visit them, you will find a couple of hipster restaurants and shops, plus it's nice for an afternoon walk.
Our favorite restaurants:
Meky's Burger Bar - $$ - since we always search for the best burgers in town, in Sal I can tell you this is THE place. European prices though, but they are worth it.
Cape Fruit - $-$$ - all-natural ingredients, great breakfast package for 6 euros. But the best part, the atmosphere is really boho and colorful. It makes you feel good.
Something to mention is that it is a little more difficult to grab the real Cabo Verdean spirit in Sal. I guess it's related to the fact that not a lot of people live here and the ones that do are more focused on tourism.
To summarize, we felt Sal as a place for relaxation, kitesurf, and beautiful beach.
I guess it all depends on your preferences and the objectives of your travel if your looking for relaxation this is a good island to visit.
So tell me, what other places in the world do you know that are tourist hubs in development like Sal Island? What's your opinion on it?
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