Sal is an island in Cape Verde. It belongs to the northern group of islands, called Barlavento. The island has six towns, Santa Maria being the tourism center with the most beautiful beaches. The main focal points here are the pier and the town square, the new residential district is at the eastern end of town which also has a small beach and is the focus of a lot of surfing and windsurfing activity.
The most picturesque place on the island is PEDRA DO LUME, the name given to a crater of the now extinct volcano. Entry to the crater was made possible by means of a artificial tunnel built in 1804. The crater is at sea-level, and even though the sea is 1 km away the water manages to filter in. The salt pits of Santa Maria, although not in use anymore, are well worth a visit and lie about 1 km from the town. VILA DE ESPARGOS, which got its name from the vegetation growing there, is also interesting to visit.
Things to see and do
* Beaches
* Volcanic Crater Pedra Do Lume
* Ponta do Sino lighthouse
* Sea sports
* Salt pits of Santa Maria
General Information
Cruise Season - Oct - May
Currency - Cape Verdeam escidp (CVE)
Language - Portugeuse
Population - 32,000 approx
Land Area - 216 km²
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT minus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - +238
Travel Links - Sal is home to AmÃlcar Cabral International Airport, the main airport of Cape Verde.