Sal is flat, dry and built around the beach, but there is more to do than its reputation suggests: a natural pool that glows blue at midday, a salt crater you float in, a bay full of young lemon sharks and some of the most consistent wind in the Atlantic. This guide lists the things worth your time, how long each takes, when to go, and which ones you can do without booking a tour.
Things to do on Sal at a glance
| Activity | Time needed | Best timing | Tour needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Eye (Buracona) | 1–2 hours | 11:00–13:00, sunny days | No |
| Pedra de Lume salt crater | 1–1.5 hours | Any time | No |
| Shark Bay | Short stop | Low tide | Recommended |
| Island tour | About 6 hours | Year-round | Yes |
| Quad or buggy tour | 2–7.5 hours | Year-round | Yes |
| Catamaran trip | About 3 hours | Calm days | Yes |
| Kitesurfing | Lessons over several days | November–March | School |
| Diving | Half day | Year-round | Dive centre |
| Turtle watching | Evening | June–October | Yes, licensed only |
| Zipline | About 2 hours | Year-round | Yes |
Times are approximate and depend on the operator. For prices, opening hours and entry fees, see the individual guides linked in the table.
Four things not to miss
If you only leave the beach once, make it for these four. Three of them sit on or near an island tour route, so they are easy to combine in one day.
1. Watch the Blue Eye light up at Buracona
On the rocky northwest coast, sunlight enters an underwater cave and turns a small pool an intense blue. The effect only happens when the sun is high, roughly 11:00 to 13:00, and it is weaker on cloudy days. Outside that window it is just a rock pool, so time your visit. Next to it is a large natural rock pool where you can swim when the sea is calm and the attendants allow it; allow one to two hours for the visit. See our Blue Eye guide for timing and practical details.
2. Float in the salt crater at Pedra de Lume
Inside an old volcanic crater on the east coast, the salt pans of Pedra de Lume are so salty that you float without effort, a bit like the Dead Sea. Rinse off afterwards and keep the water away from your eyes and any cuts.
3. Wade among lemon sharks at Shark Bay
At Shark Bay on the east coast you stand in knee- to thigh-deep water while young lemon sharks pass around your legs. They are juveniles and harmless. Go at low tide, wear water shoes, and choose an operator that does not feed the sharks. You wade and watch; this is not a snorkelling spot.
4. Spend an afternoon at Santa Maria beach and the pier
The sheltered bay at Santa Maria is the island's best all-round swimming beach and shelves gently, which makes it good for children. Walk out on the pier, where local fishermen land and clean their catch, and stay for the sunset over the bay.
On and in the water
5. Take a catamaran trip
Catamarans leave from Santa Maria for trips of around three hours along the west coast, usually with a swimming and snorkelling stop. Sunset sailings are popular. Most include drinks; check what is included before you book. See our boat trips guide.
6. Learn to kitesurf or windsurf
Sal is the main kitesurfing hub of Cape Verde, with the steadiest wind from November to March. Schools around Santa Maria teach complete beginners; Kite Beach and Ponta Preta are the best-known spots for experienced riders. Those beaches are for wind sports, not swimming. Read our Sal kitesurfing guide.
7. Go diving
Around 18 dive sites surround the island, from shallow reefs and wrecks for beginners to caves and walls for experienced divers. Dive centres in Santa Maria run try-dives as well as certification courses. Details in our guide to diving on Sal.
8. Snorkel from the shore
On calm days the clear water around Santa Maria and the sheltered bays on the west coast are good for snorkelling, with reef fish and sometimes turtles. Conditions change with the wind, so ask locally where it is calm that day. See snorkelling in Cape Verde.
9. Watch nesting turtles (June to October)
Loggerhead turtles nest on Sal's beaches in summer, with the busiest period from July to September. Night tours with licensed guides let you watch a female lay her eggs or, later in the season, hatchlings head for the sea. Never go on the beach at night with a torch on your own. Our turtle watching guide compares Sal, Boa Vista and Maio.
On land
10. Join an island tour
A full-day island tour, about six hours with hotel pick-up, is the easiest way to see the Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume and Palmeira in one go. Choose one that reaches Buracona around midday. Some tours add Shark Bay.
11. Ride a quad or buggy across the interior
Quad and buggy tours range from two hours to most of a day and head for the dunes, the east coast and empty beaches you would struggle to reach by car. Be honest with yourself: the scenery is bare desert, and the ride is the attraction. See our quad and buggy tours guide.
12. Fly along the coast on the zipline
The zipline at Santa Maria runs above the coast, and an outing takes about two hours including transfers. It suits older children and adults who want something different from the beach.
13. Have lunch in Palmeira
Palmeira is Sal's working harbour on the west coast, with fishing boats, a small seafront and simple restaurants serving the day's catch. It is a relaxed contrast to the resort strip and an easy stop on the way to Buracona.
14. See everyday island life in Espargos
Espargos is the capital and the island's working town, next to the airport. It is not a sightseeing destination, but its market and local restaurants show a side of Sal that most resort guests never see.
15. Swim in the calm water of Murdeira Bay
Between the airport and Santa Maria, Murdeira has a sheltered bay with calmer water than much of the west coast. It is quiet, with villas rather than nightlife.
How to plan your days on Sal
Most visitors spend a week on Sal and want a mix of beach days and outings. Here is how we would use them.
- One day out: a full-day island tour that reaches the Blue Eye around midday and includes Pedra de Lume and Palmeira. If your tour skips Shark Bay, check the tide and add it by taxi.
- Two or three days out: the island tour, plus a catamaran trip and either a quad tour or a dive, with beach days in between.
- With children: Santa Maria beach, Pedra de Lume, a catamaran trip and Shark Bay for confident children. Our Cape Verde with kids guide has more ideas.
- Without a tour: the Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume, Palmeira and Espargos are all reachable by taxi or hire car. Many roads are unpaved, so a 4x4 helps if you drive yourself.
- In the evening: Santa Maria has the island's restaurants and bars; see nightlife in Cape Verde.
What we would skip
Do not go to the Blue Eye in the afternoon expecting the glow; it will not be there. Do not plan a swim at the kitesurf beaches on the west coast, where wind and waves make it unpleasant and sometimes unsafe; our Sal beaches guide says where to swim instead. And if you want mountains and green valleys, Sal is the wrong island: combine it with Santo Antão or read Sal or Boa Vista first.
Want to see more of Cape Verde? Our national things to do in Cape Verde guide covers every island.
Book activities on Sal
Prices, times and availability are shown on GetYourGuide. Many tours offer free cancellation.
Sal island tour with a local guide
- About 6 hours, hotel pick-up
- Buracona Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume salt crater, Palmeira
- Private option available
Quad and buggy tours on Sal
- Off-road to the wild side of the island
- Small groups with a local guide
- Pick-up in Santa Maria
Catamaran trip from Santa Maria
- Sail along Sal's west coast
- Swim and snorkelling stop
- Pick-up available
Zipline over the coast at Santa Maria
- Official zipline from Santa Maria
- About 2 hours, pick-up available
- Views along the coast
More tours: Turtle watching (June–October) ↗ · Santa Maria city tour & tapas ↗ · Lemon sharks at Shark Bay ↗ · All Sal tours ↗
Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do on Sal besides the beach?
Plenty for a week: the Blue Eye at Buracona, floating in the salt crater at Pedra de Lume, wading with lemon sharks at Shark Bay, catamaran trips, quad tours, diving, kitesurfing and, from June to October, turtle watching. Palmeira and Espargos show everyday island life.
How many days do you need to see Sal?
Two or three days out cover the main sights; most visitors combine them with beach days over a week. A single full-day island tour takes in the Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume and Palmeira.
Can you explore Sal without a tour?
Yes. The Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume, Palmeira and Espargos are reachable by taxi or hire car; many roads are unpaved, so a 4x4 helps if you drive yourself. Quad routes, boat trips, diving and turtle watching need an operator.
When is the best time to see the Blue Eye on Sal?
Around midday, roughly 11:00 to 13:00, when the sun is high enough to light the underwater cave. The glow is strongest on clear days and disappears in the afternoon.
What is the best time of year for activities on Sal?
Most activities run all year. Kitesurfing is best from November to March, when the wind is strongest, and turtle watching runs from June to October.