Santa Maria beach in Sal Cape Verde.
THERE’S no two ways about it: the perfect weather is probably the main reason that people come to Sal, one of 10 islands that make up Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa.
That and the snow-white beaches of course. Add to this year-round temperatures that rarely dip below 25C, its laughably low rainfall, and it’s a no-brainer why Sal is slowly becoming a hot destination.
Here’s what to do once you get here.
1. Hit the beach
Sal is home to some of the best beaches in Cape Verde, and Santa Maria is where you’ll find clean white sands stretching off to the horizon in either direction.
Despite its increasing popularity with holiday-makers, the beach remains relatively unspoilt, with minimal development.
That said, there are plenty of restaurants in which to sample some Portuguese-influenced local fare (try Chez Pastis on Rue Amilcar Gabral for the delicious lobster).
What’s not to love? Picture: Morgan Nedelec
2. Have a peek underwater at the ‘Blue Eye’
Sal island has some fantastic underwater caves to explore, as well as unbelievably clear reefs. About five kilometres to the north of Palmeira port is Olho Azul, a water inlet that you can peer into and witness an iridescent ‘Blue Eye’ of seawater gazing back at you.
But the best views are from below, and Scuba Team Cabo Verde offers diving trips into the cave that forms the Eye, as well as excursions to various dive sites and even into an old shipwreck.
The Blue Eye. Picture: A TripAdvisor traveller
3. Go surfing
The trade winds blow steadily from November to June, making Sal an ideal destination for surfing of all kinds. In particular, you’ll find the place crawling with windsurfers and kiteboarders in January and February, all keen to make the most of the winter breeze.
The aptly-named Kite Beach, east of Santa Maria, is where to head to see expert kitesurfers cartwheeling over the waves.
4. Go bathing in the salt sea
The town of Pedra Lume’s main claim to fame is a volcanic crater filled with what’s known as the ‘salt sea’. Sal means ‘salt’ in Portuguese, and the island was an important source of this precious mineral during colonial times.
Nowadays, the salt sea is the perfect spot for a relaxing float — the warm pools are saltier than the Dead Sea, so it’s practically impossible to sink. Entrance is around five euros, and showers are provided.
Petre Lume. Picture: Danylele2
5. Go island hopping
Cape Verde is made up of ten islands of varying size, and they differ remarkably in terms of size and geography, so it’s worth saving a day for island-hopping.
Whereas Sal is largely flat, Fogo has a volcanic peak rising to more than 2800 metres, and the spectacular island of Santo Antão is strewn with beautiful canyons and tropical plants.
Fogo. Picture: Moises.on
Meanwhile, the beautiful Bay of Faja D’Agua on nearby Brava island provides a green contrast to the red sands of Sal.
The easiest way to travel between the islands is by air — flights with airline TACV can be booked through local travel agents. But if you want to travel to remote Santo Antão in the far west, you’ll need to take a ferry from neighbouring São Vicente.
Santo Antao. Picture: Richard Leeming
6. Stay at the Morabeza, Sal’s first hotel
The four-star Hotel Morabeza in Santa Maria was the first hotel on Sal and remains one of the best. It was founded by an ageing Belgian industrialist and his wife, who were looking for somewhere reliably warm to settle in the 60s.
Business has expanded ever since and there’s now an oceanside beach club attached, but you’ll still find it full of family-run touches, including friendly staff only too pleased to give you tips for the restaurants and bars down the road.
7. Ride quad bikes across the surface of Mars
At 35 kilometres long by 12km wide, it’s easy to explore Sal by bike or car, and the dusty interior is out of this world.
The parched desert that covers much of the island has been compared to the planet Mars, and there are plenty of options for bumping across it on guided 4x4 tours. Up for a solo adventure? You could always hire a quad bike and go it alone.
Rock pools at Murdeira. Picture: Sarah Tz
8. Visit the botanical gardens
Given that the interior of Sal is mostly desert, it’s quite a surprise to run across the oasis of green that is the Viveiro Botanical Garden. A pleasant stroll among the palms makes for a very different experience from careening across the desert on a quad bike — and they’ve even got a tiny zoo complete with donkeys, goats, rabbits, ducks and peacocks.
Just wow. Picture: IDS photos
This story originally appeared on Skyscanner.com.au. Make sure to consult SmarTraveller.gov.au for travel advice before planning a trip to Africa.
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