In this post, I share my experience of Sal Island in Cape Verde
In this blog post, you can read about my experience of the Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde. I will go over all the highlights on Sal Island. And I also share about eco-friendly activities and sustainable travel things to do in Santa Maria during your holiday on Sal Island. Being a female solo traveler and supporter of sustainable tourism, I chose to do a full-day island trip to all tourist attractions on Sal Island with a local company in Cape Verde. Later in this post, I will explain why this is important, but also how it contributes to your experience of the Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde.
Video of my day trip to the highlights on Sal Island in Cape Verde
I will go over each of the highlights and tourist attractions on Sal Island. But before I do so, you might like to see my video about the Sal Island tour in Cape Verde. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more female solo travel and scuba diving! There’s also a shorter version of this Sal day trip video in the shorts feed of the Splashpacker YouTube channel.
Table of contents for my Sal travel information blog post
I’ve created a table of contents for this travel blog post of Sal Island, so you can also instantly click through to the section you are looking for:
Highlights of the Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde & things to do in Santa Maria
Some of the highlights of the Sal Island full-day excursion in Cape Verde include Palmeira, Blue Eye, Aspergos, Lemon Shark Bay, and the Salinas de Pedra de Lume. The historical mining site with a therapeutic salt bath at Pedra de Lume was absolutely my favorite tourist spot of this day trip in Cape Verde.
Other activities and things to do in Santa Maria on Sal Island I’ll touch upon include watersports, spotting marine wildlife, and visiting the Pachamama eco-park & botanical garden. In a bit more detail, I will share about scuba diving on Sal Island with Eco Dive School. Not sure if you followed me before, but I’m a former scuba dive instructor. I love healthy vegetarian food, and prefer to maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling. So I’ll also share my favorite vegetarian lunch bar, a high-vibe conscious eatery, in Santa Maria on Sal Island. You can read more about me here.
A short introduction to Sal Island in Cape Verde
Let’s first start with a little introduction to Sal Island in Cape Verde. When I first traveled to Cape Verde, I had no idea what to expect from this country. Having worked, lived, and traveled all over the world, I was very curious about what to expect from a trip to the Cape Verde Islands. Living in the Canary Islands, my flight to the island of Sal in Cape Verde was only 2,5 hours. And honestly, I was positively surprised by Cape Verde! After my first 1-week vacation to Sal Island, I returned to Cape Verde to travel around and island-hop to other Cape Verdean Islands. And I returned to Sal Island twice more.
What to expect from the islands in Cape Verde
The landscapes of the Cape Verdean islands are sometimes similar to those of the Canary Islands. The culture reminded me of my time working in the Caribbean, while also relating it to Africa and imagining myself in Brazil at times. But Cape Verde is really a country on its own. With an amazing culture (music, food, arts, and vibe). And lovely, friendly, and service-oriented people, who all speak many languages by the way! When I went island hopping in Cape Verde, I traveled to four different islands. Click here for the playlist of all my Cape Verde content on my YouTube channel!
How much time do you need to see the highlights on Sal Island?
Sal Island in Cape Verde is not a very big island; you can visit most highlights on Sal Island in one full-day island tour or a day excursion. In one week, you can also do most of the activities and other things to do in Santa Maria and on Sal Island. But some people return to Sal or stay for a longer time. Those travelers are usually watersport practitioners, such as surfing and scuba diving. Or they might be beach lovers who have fallen in love with the relaxed Cape Verdean island vibes.
Sal Island is not very big; most sights can be seen on a full-day island tour
The island of Sal is about 30 km, or 18,5 miles, long and 12 km, or 7,5 miles, wide. The Cape Verdean island covers a total area of about 220 km² (or 85 mi²). Sal Island is also the flattest island in the Cape Verde archipelago, which makes most highlights and tourist sights on Sal pretty easily accessible in one day. Not all roads are well-maintained, and for certain highlights on Sal Island, you have to go off-road. This might be good to know if you plan to rent a car (ad) during your holiday to Sal. But if you join an island tour in the form of a guided excursion to explore Sal Island (ad), you can see the most popular tourist attractions of this Cape Verdean island in one day.
An overview of the highlights & sights on the Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde
So let’s get to those highlights and things to do on Sal Island in Cape Verde. Here is a little overview of all the tourist attractions and sights we got to see during the adventure of road tripping on Sal Island in the form of a guided full-day excursion in Cape Verde:
- Santa Maria on Sal Island: Guided Tour & Shell Cemetery Beach
- Murdeira: Photo Stop
- Palmeira: Local Fishing Village
- Buracona Bay & Blue Eye Cave
- Espargos: Lunch in the Capital of Sal Island
- Lemon Shark Bay
- Pedra de Lume: Old Salt Mining Site & Salt Water Bath
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Santa Maria on Sal Island in Cape Verde
Santa Maria is the main tourist town on Sal Island, and most travelers stay in the town of Santa Maria during a vacation on Sal. It has an almost 8 km, or 5 miles, long white sandy beach. Santa Maria has a nice vibe. You can find local drum sessions and other live music at night. And there are many bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, and art & crafts stores. It takes about 20 minutes for an airport transfer from Amílcar Cabral International Airport (ad) on Sal Island to get to Santa Maria. Things to do in Santa Maria include common watersports such as surfing, boat trips, and scuba diving. I will include more info about Santa Maria and scuba diving on Sal Island towards the end of this blog post.
Where to stay during a holiday in Santa Maria on Sal Island?
I absolutely recommend staying in a hotel close to, or in the centre of, Santa Maria. This will contribute to your feeling of a Cape Verdean experience compared to staying in one of the big resorts. Most of these all-inclusive resorts on Sal Island are located further away from Santa Maria. Santa Maria has a much nicer local vibe than you’ll find in a big resort. There are many smaller hotels, apartments, and other holiday accommodations in Santa Maria (ad) itself. Make sure to check the distance to Santa Maria town center in the accommodation listed in the link.
Shell Cemetery Beach in Santa Maria was our first stop on the Sal Island Tour
We first stopped at Shell Cemetery Beach, which is a beach full of big, beautiful shells. Shell Beach is located just outside Santa Maria, at the eastern end. It’s a nice first stop for taking some photos. When we left the shell cemetery beach, our guide started sharing more information about Santa Maria, Sal Island, and Cape Verde in general. He got us all laughing from the start with his uplifting vibe and funny jokes during our road trip, which was part of the Sal Island tour in Cape Verde.
Staying in Murdeira Village & Beirona on Sal Island in Cape Verde
Although I personally had a nice stay in Santa Maria, some travelers choose to stay in the area of Beirona. And particularly in Murdeira Village. This area on Sal Island can give you a quieter and more isolated experience in Cape Verde. Murdeira Village offers a more residential vibe close to the coast. And there are accommodations such as holiday apartments and even a resort in Murdeira (ad to Booking). The coast is more rocky and cannot be compared to the long white beach in Santa Maria. But the marine life on this part of the island can be pretty impressive. You can also check out the best place to stay in Sal Island on TripAdvisor (ad) or find Sal accommodation deals on trip.com (ad).
A visit to Murdeira Bay during the Sal Island day tour
During our Sal Island day tour, we stopped at Murdeira Bay, or Baía de Murdeira, rather than Murdeira Village. Murdeira Bay is a nature reserve forming a half-moon-shaped bay with 150 meters, or almost 500 feet, of coastline. It’s one of the places in Cape Verde where loggerhead turtles come to lay eggs on the beaches from July to September. There’s an eco tour to watch this event in the evenings from June to the end of October (ad). I learned more about the protection of sea turtles on the island of Boa Vista, so stay tuned because more Cape Verde is coming. You can subscribe to Splashpacker YouTube Channel, and/or sign up for the mailing list here:
Besides the turtles, other marine species & wild life in Murdeira Bay in Cape Verde
Besides the sea turtles laying their eggs, there is other wildlife and marine life to spot in Murdeira Bay on Sal in Cape Verde. The Murdeira Bay in the Beirona area includes the Rabo de Junco Islet. And it is one of the largest breeding places for seabirds in Cabo Verde, should you be interested in birds. It is also possible to see other marine species, including dolphins and humpback whales, during winter. This is more my cup of tea as a former dive instructor! More about scuba diving and marine life to spot in Sal, including a video of scuba diving on Sal, is coming towards the end of this post. But let’s continue with our Sal island tour now.
Next stop on the Sal Island tour in Cape Verde: the local village of Palmeira
Our next stop was at the sleepy, local village called Palmeira. The fishing village is also home to the island’s main port for ferries to take to other islands. We could see the local fishermen bringing in a freshly caught fish. I didn’t like to hang out as a tourist there too much. Because those people were just doing their daily job. And besides, I don’t like seeing dead fish. But there was some impressive street art on the buildings, like you can see everywhere in Cape Verde. And we got to taste some local Cape Verdean products.
You can taste & buy locally produced Cape Verdean products during the stop in Palmeira
We went to a little store where we got to taste some locally produced products from Cape Verde. Some of the Cape Verde-produced drinks include coffee, wine, and Grogue, a sugarcane rum. I personally enjoyed the red Chã wine, which is produced on the island of Fogo in Cape Verde. In general, most wine and coffee are produced on Fogo Island. While the island of Santo Antão is famous for its high-quality Grogue in Cape Verde. Later on, I’ve also traveled to the islands of São Vicente, Boa Vista, and Santo Antão, where I visited an authentic grogue distillery.
We continued the Sal Island tour to the Blue Eye Cave, one of Sal’s highlights
The Blue Eye Cave is named after the effect created by an underwater tunnel, through which the sunlight reflects in the shape of an eye. The cave is about 25 metres, or 80 feet, deep. My visit to the Blue Cave at Buracona Bay was in June. In June, the best time to see the Blue Eye effect is around midday. In general, they say that it’s best to go between 11.00 hrs and 13.00 hrs, or 11 AM and 1 PM. In Portuguese, the Blue Eye is called ‘Olho Azul’. And the entrance fee for Blue Eye & Buracona Bay is €3 (updated 2026). You can visit this attraction on Sal Island every day, but our tour guide told us that Sunday might be the least busiest day. And the Blue Eye isn’t the only interesting thing at Buracona Bay!
Bring shoes with a grip to the Blue Eye Cave in Cape Verde
The protected landscape of Buracona-Ragona covers the coast between Palmeira and Ponta Preta, northwest of Sal Island. I’m referring to the Ponta Preta coastal area, not to the Ponta Preta Beach near Santa Maria. The whole bay where the Blue Eye Cave is located is pretty cool. If the ocean conditions are safe and there’s no red flag, you can swim there too. Besides swimwear, it’s recommended to bring or wear shoes or hiking sandals with a grip (ad) on this Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde. At Buracona Bay, where the Blue Eye Cave is located, the rocks can get a bit slippery. So it’s not a good idea to go on flip-flops.
Blue Eye is not the only sight at Buracona Bay on Sal Island
Besides the famous Blue Eye Cave, there is also a shop with arts and crafts that supports the local school in Palmeira. Apparently, there is also a ‘Secret Lover’s Cave’, but I missed that one. But you can just ask around if you’d like to see it. There is also that building further down on the cliff. It has a viewpoint at the top and a little museum with a marine life exhibition inside. You might miss this if you spent too much time around the Blue Eye Cave, or swimming in the natural pool at the Buracona lagoon.
Don’t miss the viewpoint & little ocean museum at Buracona Bay
After passing the entrance unit with the little shop, bar, and toilets, you usually turn right towards the direction of the Blue Eye Cave. But if you turn left behind this entrance, you can first see the so-called ‘Island Gardens’. All the Cape Verdean islands are created as maps on the earth with stones here. If you continue to walk this path, you can see a little lookout point built on the cliff. Inside this building is a tiny exhibition area that serves as a natural history museum. There is lots of information about marine life too. The viewpoint at the top is great for taking photos. Because it gives you a really nice view of the area, too.
The funny photo effect during our road trip from Buracona Bay to Espargos on Sal Island
On the way from the Blue Eye Cave at Buracona Bay to Espargos, we stopped in the desert-like landscape. It was time to take some funny photos. Which you often see on leaflets of the Sal Island day tour. I was traveling alone, so I couldn’t create the funny effect. But couples took the chance of taking photos by standing a little distance away from each other. In the photo, the person further away looks much smaller. This is how you can create the photo effect of holding the other person in your hands, for example. Our guide was happy to take photos of us at any sight during the Sal island trip. One more reason to choose a guided tour with a local company (ad) in Cape Verde!
Our tour guide drove us through the slums of Espargos on Sal Island
When arriving in Espargos, Sal Island’s capital, our tour guide drove us through the slums. Obviously, he didn’t do this as ‘poverty porn’. But to create awareness among us as tourists. Many people may not be aware of the poverty in the Cape Verde Islands. And it’s a serious thing to take into account. Roughly 4000 people, about 10% of Sal’s population, live in conditions without water or electricity. I show you this in the Sal Island day tour video.
Sustainable tourism should positively impact the economy and help with poverty in Cape Verde
Our tour guide said that part of the tourist tax is used to build social buildings for these people (as shown in the video). The high poverty rate in Cape Verde is also a reason why it’s important to book your day tour with local companies while traveling. The same thing counts for where you sleep, eat, and buy souvenirs; always pick Cape Verdean-owned if possible.
We had a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in Espargos, the Sal Islands’ capital
We stopped for lunch in Espargos, the capital of Sal Island. In contrast to touristy Santa Maria, here you get a more real Cape Verdean feeling. And the lunch was delicious! In fact, I enjoyed my meal so much that I forgot to take a photo. It was a very clean place too, and, if I remember it correctly, I paid less than €7 for a hot meal, including a soft drink and a coffee afterwards.
You have to try Cachupa whilst traveling in Cape Verde!
Speaking about food! When you’re in Cape Verde, you have to try the local Cape Verdean dish Cachupa! Cachupa is a slow-cooked stew usually made from corn or beans, often with meat or fish. But as a vegetarian myself, I have also found vegetarian options with vegetables such as sweet potato, squash, or served with salad. I love cachupa, it is delicious, and I could eat it every day. But only if I found a vegetarian one daily. More about my favorite veggie place in Santa Maria later!
After lunch, we continued the Sal Island Day Tour to Lemon Shark Bay
Honestly, as a former dive instructor and marine life lover, in my humble personal opinion, we shouldn’t feed marine life. The stop at Lemon Shark Bay was part of our Sal Island day tour, and I wasn’t aware of the feeding practices till we got to the tourist attraction. On the other hand, I’m well aware of the poverty issues in Cape Verde. I understand that local people are less concerned about ocean conservation when they might wonder if they can eat that day. So I’m not here to judge and leave it up to each traveler what to do with it. By the way, it’s not the tour company that feeds the sharks. There are people in the bay who walk you in the water. They also rent out the water shoes there.
Pedra de Lume was my highlight of the Sal Island Tour in Cape Verde!!
Pedra de Lume is a historic salt mining site inside a volcanic crater, where you can bathe in salt pans. This was my favourite highlight during the Sal Island tour in Cape Verde! The extinct volcano is located 6 km, or roughly 3,7 miles, away from Espargos. The historic salt mining site is situated about 40 metres, or 130 feet, above sea level. Not only did I enjoy floating in a therapeutic salt bath. The history of the Salinas de Pedra de Lume is impressive too! By the way, this is where Sal Island got its name from. Pedra de Lume was the first village on Sal Island, and was founded around the 1800’s.
The impressive history of the Salinas de Pedra de Lume salt mining site in Cape Verde
Said to have been founded between 1796 and 1804, Pedra de Lume was Sal’s island’s first settlement. In its peak years, 30.000 tons of salt were exported here yearly. The tunnel that allows access to the salt flats was built in 1804. Much later, in the year 1921, a cable car was installed. The 1100-meter, or 3600-feet, cable car system could transport up to 25 tons of salt per hour. Passing the tunnel at Pedra de Lume salt flats, you arrive at a ‘Jurassic Park’ looking landscape. This is where you float in the salt pans. You can also hike in the area. And the walk around the crater is roughly 4-5 km, or about 2,5 miles.
At Pedra de Lume Salt Crater, you can float in the salt baths of an extinct volcano!
The salt baths at Pedra de Lume have a salt concentration of aproximately 30%. This is more than 25 times saltier than average ocean water. This is why you can float in the salt pans, as you can in the Dead Sea! The Pedra de Lume salt lake contains mineral-rich water that is said to have therapeutic benefits. The historic salt mine site is open every day, and the entrance fee is €6 (updated in 2026).
Sal’s therapeutic salt baths: don’t let the salt water get into your eyes
You can also have a shower for one or two euros, but I chose to let the salt sit on my skin. This was the last stop on our Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde. And they say that the salt is good for your skin. For sure, it was a nice natural scrub. Just make sure the salt water doesn’t get into your eyes. I felt very relaxed afterwards. There is also a little shop, a café, and toilets with changing rooms at the Salinas de Pedra de Lume in Sal.
As a female solo traveler in Cape Verde, I joined a guided group tour for the Sal Island day trip
As a female solo traveler, I chose to join a group tour with a local guide for my day trip on Sal Island in Cape Verde. We went in a small group of about seven people. This was a nice way to get to know other people as a solo traveler. The Cape Verdean guide provided us with lots of information about both Sal Island and Cape Verde in general. He was a very energetic, talkative guide who instantly raised the energy of a small group of people who were being put together on a day trip. He was willing to take photos at each sight of Sal Island, and made us constantly laugh during the excursion.
How to book this Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde?
I booked this Sal Island day tour with Get Your Guide. And you can book the same excursion by clicking on this link (ad). The cool thing is that you can book now and pay later. You can even cancel up to 24 hours before and receive a full refund. Just make sure to check the booking conditions as they might change over time. Get your Guide also provides a 24/7 customer service and a best price guarantee. Obviously, you can also pick another tour. Some travelers choose to split the Sal Island tour into two half-day trips. Use the search widget on Get Your Guide to find a Sal Island tour that suits you.
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Why should you book a day tour or excursion in Cape Verde with a local company?
Supporting the local population while traveling anywhere in the world is a key aspect of sustainable tourism. But it’s even more important in countries with a higher poverty rate, such as Cape Verde. Big international tour operators and hotel chain companies might provide jobs for local people. But the best way to help them while traveling is to buy directly from the locals. And even better is supporting the smaller, local businesses. But all Cape Verdean companies need the support from travelers more than the big international companies.
Most Cape Verdeans speak many languages and happily share about their country with you
Going on an island tour with a local guide in Cape Verde also contributes to your own experience. Because local guides are the best experts for sharing information. You are traveling in their home country. Local people know more about the place you’re travelling in than anyone else. And besides this, don’t you want to connect with local people while traveling? Most Cape Verdean people speak excellent English and Portuguese. And many also speak other languages such as Spanish and French, in addition to their own Creole language. They are proud of their history and country, and are happy to talk about almost anything you would like to know.
Beyond the Sal island tour: other experiences & activities you can do on Sal in Cape Verde
Now I’ve been over all the highlights you can experience during a full-day island tour in Sal Island in Cape Verde, let’s get over to other things you can do on Sal Island. Many people travel for a 1-week holiday to Sal Island in Cape Verde. And there are many things you can do on Sal Island, and there are a few experiences worth sticking around for. Especially if you enjoy nature and the oceans!
Things to do in Santa Maria on Sal Island in Cape Verde
There are many other activities and things to do during a holiday in Santa Maria on Sal Island in Cape Verde. Think of hiking, horse riding on the beach and through villages (ad), bird watching, boat tours such as catamaran sailing or sunset sailing (ad), buggy tours, and the turtle tour in the right season (ad). Make sure to do the activity of watching turtles in the evening with an environmentally conscious excursion company!
Also, you’ve got the ‘famous’ zipline experience on Sal Island (ad). See the banner below (ad) for more inspiration on things to do on Sal Island in Cape Verde, or have a look at Tripadvisor (ad). But one thing I truly enjoyed was a morning visit to the Viveiro Botanical Garden & Pachamama Eco Park. So I will explain a little bit more about this eco-conscious park before I share more information about watersports, including scuba diving, on Sal Island.
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Viveiro Botanical Garden & Pachamama Eco Park on Sal Island
Viveiro Botanical Garden & Pachamama Eco Park on Sal island is not a zoo but an animal rescue center. Almost every animal has a story related to why it was rescued and sheltered by them. The 15-hectare oasis on a desert island like Sal is truly wonderful. And the botanical garden is home to 150 plant species! It’s located at only 4 km, or 2,5 miles, from Santa Maria. The easiest way to get there is by taking a taxi for about €5 or 500 CVE (Cape Verdean Escudo). It’s also a nice place to visit with children. The place is pretty educational, and some animals are walking freely around.
Viveiro Botanical Gardens & Pachamama Eco Park: an eco-conscious tourist attraction on Sal Island
Viveiro Botanical Gardens on Sal Island are open every day from 10.00 hrs till 18.00 hrs, or 10 PM till 6 PM. The entrance fee is €5,- or 500 CVE. Animals to see include goats, donkeys, many birds, monkeys, turtles, peacocks, and much more. The whole place is very eco-friendly. Many things are created from recycled material. And the ecopark is self-sustainable by using recycled water and solar energy. No plastic is single-use in the onsite bar; my fruit juice contained a reusable straw. There’s also a laboratory for medicine and food for the flora and fauna. Where, for example, worms are created.
Video of the Pachamama Eco Park & Viveiro Botanical Garden
Because I like to focus on sustainable tourism and am a big nature lover, I got really enthusiastic about this eco-friendly & conscious animal shelter & garden park. Here is the video of the Viveiro Botanical Garden & Eco Park on Sal Island in Cape Verde:
When to practice which watersport in Santa Maria on Sal Island?
If you like watersports, you will not get bored on Sal Island. And if you’re a surfer or scuba diver, you are at the right place in Santa Maria, too! From November to April, there are excellent conditions for surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing, due to the trade winds and the swells. On the other hand, from April to October is the best time to go snorkeling, scuba diving, and supping (stand-up paddle) due to much calmer waters.
When to spot which marine life, such as turtles, in the waters of Sal Island in Cape Verde?
Although you have a bigger chance of spotting humpback whales from Boa Vista Island, it’s also possible to spot the whales from Sal while they migrate in March and April. And the biggest chance for spotting turtles while scuba diving or snorkeling is between April and October. So let’s finally talk about scuba diving in Sal Island in Cape Verde!
Scuba diving on Sal Island in Cape Verde
Sal Island in Cape Verde is a great place to go scuba diving. With water temperatures between 25°C and 27 °C, you can dive in a wetsuit year-round. Expect volcanic underwater landscapes with swim-throughs and overhangs. Marine life that is often seen scuba diving in Sal Island includes turtles, rays, porcupine fish, scorpionfish, morays, trumpetfish, different shark species, and much more. Smaller sea creatures to spot during scuba diving include nudibranch, crabs, lobsters, and octopus. You can both learn to dive in Cape Verde, or just enjoy fun diving as a certified scuba diver. As a former dive instructor, I enjoyed hanging out with the turtles.
Video of scuba diving on Sal Island in Cape Verde
Here’s a video of scuba diving in Sal Island with Eco Dive School Cabo Verde. My turtle moment was the highlight of scuba diving in Santa Maria! Don’t forget to subscribe!
Scuba diving with Eco Dive School on Sal Island in Cape Verde
Eco Dive School in Cape Verde says on its website that they want to make a difference both environmentally and socially. And in my experience, they are an eco-conscious dive center that follows up on what they say. Founded by Neil and Sandra, who is also a marine biologist, they currently spend most of their time behind the scenes. Every other team member in this eco-friendly dive center on Sal Island is Cape Verdean. I had a great time scuba diving with Eco Dive School in Cape Verde, and I hope to be back one day! You can find the eco-friendly dive school on Praia Antonio Sousa at the Eastern end of Santa Maria. They are located right next to Angulo’s restaurant. You can read more about Eco Dive School and the team here.
As promised: an eco-conscious place for veggie food in Santa Maria
As promised before, I share my favourite place for healthy veggie food in Santa Maria. I spotted this little restaurant after my first scuba dive, whilst walking back into the town of Santa Maria. Then I had lunch there almost every day. The high vibe eatery is located in the eastern part of Santa Maria, on Rua 15 de agosto. Besides the usual smoothies, juices, breakfast, and lunch menu, they offer a daily dish. And this meal of the day changes every day. Much of the decoration and furniture is created from recycled material. And the healthy restaurant is full of inspiring, uplifting quotes. The place is called ‘Cape Fruit Natural Bar & Cuisine’ (ad).
Here’s a short video of the Cape Fruit restaurant in Santa Maria:
Other veggie meals & healthy food options for vegetarians in Santa Maria on Sal Island
As mentioned before, the Cape Verdean dish Cachupa can also be a very nice vegetarian meal. But you need to make sure they offer vegetarian options. Because sometimes they pre-cook the Cachupa with meat or fish. Another healthy restaurant with vegetarian options is called ‘Papaya Cafe Cabo Verde‘. I went there several times too for a healthy dinner whilst traveling. This fresh-food restaurant is located on the main pedestrian road, on the other side of Santa Maria from where Cape Fruit is located. They offer many options such as vegan, vegetarian, non-gluten, and non-lactose. And they are also open for dinner.
To conclude this post with everything you need to know for conscious & sustainable traveling to Sal Island in Cape Verde
If you’re not done reading by now, I’m actually done writing. LOL! This complete blog post contains almost everything you need to know for a holiday to Sal Island in Cape Verde. But it might be especially useful to you if you also prefer to travel in a sustainable and more eco-conscious way, or are a scuba diver or vegetarian too. No matter if you go for a few days to Sal whilst island hopping in Cape Verde, or are preparing for a one-week vacation to Sal Island!
Please share if you have additional travel tips regarding eco-friendly or sustainable things to do in Santa Maria or Sal Island
I think this post contains a lot of what you need to know. I started with writing about my Sal Island day tour in Cape Verde, but in my enthusiasm, much more came out. So I hope this travel post has helped you in some way. Please share in the comments if you also traveled to Sal Island in Cape Verde. And if you found additional information on eco-friendly or sustainable travel activities, ocean conservation, or vegetarian eateries in Sal Island. This might help other readers, too.
* As an associate with Get Your Guide, TravelPayouts (i.e. TripAdvisor, Booking.com, HolidayTaxi, Discover Cars, and Omio), and Amazon, I earn from qualifying purchases through the links in this post.
* All prices are subject to change. This blog post was written and updated in 2026.
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