Santa Maria (Sal)

Cape Verde, Cape Verde

A 7km long beach up to 200m wide, with a landmark weigh-house at the old harbour quay surrounded by pastel-coloured houses.

Places in Santa Maria (Sal)

Barracuda Restaurant and Bar Located on the beach east of Santa Maria, offering excellent Mediterranean and Asian cuisine with beautifully presented food.
The Bounty Beach Restaurant International cuisine and Creole hospitality at the Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort.
Santa Maria harbour quay bars Bars near the landmark weigh-house at the old harbour quay, walkable from many beachfront hotels.
Hotel Riu Palace swim-up bars 2 swim-up bars at the 5-star all-inclusive property on the beach.

Best time to visit: November to June (dry season) offers the best weather for both Sal's beaches and Santo Antão's hiking trails.
Getting around: Sal's Santa Maria town is walkable from many beachfront hotels for evening restaurants, bars, and dive centres, while Santo Antão requires a ferry or short flight and is best explored via Ponta do Sol's hiking trailheads.
Currency: Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE)
Language: Portuguese (official); Cape Verdean Creole is spoken daily.
Timezone: CVT (UTC-1)
Current trends: Cape Verde's tourism identity continues to split cleanly between Sal's all-inclusive beach-resort model, anchored by Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria's five restaurants and water park, and Santo Antão's rugged hiking-and-hospitality scene centred on Ponta do Sol, giving the archipelago two distinct travel experiences within the same island nation.

Ponta do Sol (Santo Antão) — One of Santo Antão's most charming towns and the starting point for several of its most famous hiking routes.
Santo Antão interior valleys — Breathtaking valleys, deep gorges, and lush greenery, a paradise for nature lovers and hikers.