Transport
In the morning, the guide took us mainly to tourist shops, and we didn’t spend more than about 10 minutes in any one location, which didn’t allow enough time to properly explore. Communication was also difficult, as the guide’s English was very poor. Lunch was acceptable, but our orders were completely wrong. The afternoon visit to the salt baths was extremely disappointing — we were even asked to pay extra to use the shower. To finish, the cocktail provided at the end was genuinely awful.
For a small island, Sal boasts a wealth of sights. This tour covers nearly every inch of it, taking in Kite Beach, Murdeira Bay, Buracona lagoon, Pedra de Lume salt flats and the towns of Palmeira and Espargos. Maria, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘The salt pans at Pedra de Lume are the result of a natural accident. The evaporation ponds occupy the crater of an extinct volcano that's always had a supply of seawater because the base of the crater sits below sea level.'
Kick off with a trip to the world-renowned Kite Beach, named because it's a firm favourite with kite surfers who fill the horizon with their colourful sails. Then it's down the coast to Murdeira Bay, where a village has sprung up around the cove at the heart of the rocky coastal nature reserve. The palm-lined streets and bright mural walls of the village of Palmeira await next, before we head north to the ‘blue eye' of Buracona lagoon and the mirage plains of Terra Boa.
After stopping at a family-run restaurant for a lunch made from locally sourced ingredients, we'll explore the island capital, Espargos. Here, you'll see vibrant street art all over town, expressing aspects of the local culture and society. From here, you'll head east to Pedra de Lume salt flats for a float – Cape Verde's answer to the Dead Sea. Before wrapping up the day, you'll visit serene Viveiros Botanical Gardens and have a cocktail at Ponta Preta beach club. A great excursion that combines scenery, flora and fauna, villages and gastronomy.
