We actually went here in Jan 2019, but given that EasyJet are now flying to Sal, this could be about to really take off in popularity so I thought it might be worth putting something here.

Sal

As I’ve previously mentioned we sometimes go to the Canaries in February, but on this occasion, we wanted to do something in January to fit in with my daughter’s break from university. Cape Verde is just off the coast of Senegal so the weather is more dependable even in January where it averages 25C. It rises to around 30C around July to October which is also the main rainy season. The journey time is around 6 hours from Gatwick so a good bit further on. There are several islands in the archipelago, but the main ones for tourists are Sal and Boa Vista.

We chose to go to Sal as we felt there was a bit more to do there (my in laws had been to Boa Vista and thought it was very barren). The Airport is in the centre of the Island near to the Capital of Espargos. The main resort is Santa Maria which has around a 20-minute transfer time. You will need a Visa to visit, but as we travelled with TUI they organised this for us.

We stayed at the Hotel Morabeza. This has a bit of history to it as it was originally a house built by a Belgian Industrialist in the sixties before it turned into the first Hotel here.  It is located right next to the small fishing pier and the main town centre. Hotels have spread out to the East and West of the Town with many of the big hotel names having a place here. Many of these are all inclusive hotels, some with small accommodation blocks with swim up pools.

There is a long Sandy beach running from the town centre to the West which carries on round the Western shore line. There is a paved promenade/access road behind the beach but it’s a bit hit and miss as to how well maintained it is. Most hotels facing directly onto the front have set up their own sun loungers on the beach, and quite a few of them have beach side restaurants. If you are a fish lover then you will be in heaven. The fresh fish of the day are listed on a board, which will be cooked on a grill for you with vegetable sides for you to help yourself to. There are of course some alternatives if that’s not your thing. The bars are also a great place to sit at sunset and watch the sun go down.

There is of course the obligatory Irish bar, The Dubliner near the pier and a more informal Beach bar which amongst other odds and ends, was using old Cable reels for tables. If you feel like treating yourself there is the LobStar restaurant specialising in – would you believe, lobster. We indulged ourselves and I would recommend sitting upstairs to enjoy the view.

There are water sport schools near the pier and further along near to the Hilton hotel. Its generally quite windy, so it makes the waves a bit strong so be careful when swimming. My daughter went in wearing a face mask but the water was too churned up to see anything and it managed to take her mask off never to be seen again! If you go to the town side of the pier it’s a bit more protected there.

There are quite a few cafes and restaurants in the town if you are on half board. You can have a wander around the town but bear in mind this is not a wealthy place so you will be harangued a bit to go to the market as their mum, auntie, cousin has a stall there. As with all these places they will attempt to sell you everything, at ridiculous prices but it is all very negotiable. There are also the usual tourist shops. We try to buy a little something to help support the local community. The kids were trying to sell shells they had collected, but the hotel advised not to buy them as they were having problems with them not attending school in order to do this. There was an organised charity you could donate to at reception if you wanted to help out that way instead.

Wander onto the pier either earlyish morning or late afternoon to have a look at what the fishermen have landed. There are some very brightly coloured fish in these waters and you may see some different things each day. We even saw a Nurse shark being offered for sale, though it was quite a small one.

Further afield

One of the reasons this town is so popular is its proximity to Kite Beach. Even if you don’t do kite surfing it’s fascinating to watch. You can pick up a taxi from the main road behind the beach to take you there. There is a restaurant next to the kite surf school where you can have a drink or some food. There are usually taxis turning up to drop people off so you should be able to get one back, but if you are concerned book a return pick up when you get dropped off.

Its possible to go on an excursion to Shark Bay and see the Lemon Sharks. You can do this with a marine biologist who will tell you about them and walk you in with them. You do need to keep a respectful distance, not because they are dangerous but to protect them. The rocks round here are razor sharp so you will need to bring some good rubber soled waterproof shoes or just hire the Crocs that they offer.

One of the best things to do is the whole of Island tour. Its not a big place and this way you get a great insight into the island. Sal means salt, and you will be shown the salt pans just outside of Santa Maria. The land is so flat its very easy to do. This also gives its own issues as there is limited fresh water and they have to get a lot of it from desalination plants which makes it expensive for the locals.

The trip will include a visit to Murdeira bay, Palmeira fishing village and the capital of Espargos. You will also head to the coastline to see the Buracona Blue Eye Cave, so called because when the sun is in the right direction it causes a blue reflection on the cave wall (if you’re lucky). One of the best parts of the trip is the Pedra Lume Salt Caldera which is an extinct volcano filled with very salty water almost the same as the dead sea, so you can float without any effort. In fact, the hard part is getting back up again. You will also call in at Shark Bay on this trip, and although you can go in the water with a local guide it won’t include a marine biologist. Lunch is usually included.

Things to consider

One of the important things to bear in mind is the limited resources of this location. There is a hospital on the island but for serious conditions you would be flown to the main island of Santiago. It might be advisable to consider if you need any vaccinations. There are lots of dogs wandering about, but I didn’t see any being aggressive however it might be best to avoid them. Fortunately, the island is rabies free as far as dogs go. Beware if you decide to give food to any of them as you will quickly find yourself surrounded.

There now seems to be a lot of boat excursions available, but I have seen reviews where there has been trouble with the engines. There is no RNLI equivalent here so pick carefully. You can do sand buggy trips and they do look like fun but make sure you have good medical insurance, just in case. Lots of people will offer you the round the island trip as you walk around the town and beach. Check whether entrances fees are included. These are just enterprising individuals so it might be worth seeing if you can see any reviews about them before you book.

Hopefully the increase in tourism will help this country to improve its welfare, and overall standards will be brought up to a high level.