Cape Verde 5 Things To Do

Jasmine-Jaed
Oct 18, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Nov 16, 2024

Sal is one of ten beautiful islands in Cape Verde and is best known for its tourism. Last summer I visited Boa Vista Island, but this year I got to fall in love with Cape Verde all over again.

Sal Island has a lot to offer; excursions, nightlife, beaches, restaurants and a variety of accommodations in comparison to Boa Vista Island, which is 10 years behind in their tourism industry. Top attractions included the Santa Maria, Salt Lake, the Blue Eye, Cabo Verde zipline and boat excursions.

Santa Maria is a popular city in Sal, it was a 5-minute taxi journey or 30-minute walk away from my hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria. Make sure to visit Rua 1 De Juhno street… aka “Taxi Ranky”, which is the heart and center of Santa Maria. The streets are full of artwork, colorful buildings, restaurants, bars and shops.

There is a beautiful beach with a pier along the coast of Santa Maria and plenty of beachfront hotels and restaurants which serve fresh fish for all you seafood lovers. Make sure to visit the SAB Bar Restaurant, the interior inside was stunning, and the staff were super friendly and genuine.

The "Blue Eye" is in Buracona, it’s a popular tourist attraction in Sal and entry only costs 3 euros. The Blue Eye is known for its beautiful underwater cave which transforms when the sunlight directly hits the pool, creating the shape of a blue and turquoise eye. The giftshop at Buracona offers food, handmade jewellery and souvenirs. You can also book guided tours to the Blue Eye, but if you’re feeling brave, you can hire a car and drive over there by yourself.

The Salt Lake was one of my FAVOURITE highlights of my trip! If you are in Sal you need to experience floating in the pink salt pans inside an ancient volcano, it’s known for its medical healing powers. It said that after you swim in the natural volcanic waters, you come out looking "20 years younger"... my skin felt very smooth, but beware, the salt levels are so potent, if it gets in your eyes they will sting. I'd recommend you bring a bottle of water to keep hydrated and to wash your face after you come out of the lake.

The zip line over Santa Maria is for the adrenaline junkies, you get driven part way up the mountains and then you hike the rest of the trail. This is not for the faint hearted, the hike is not mobility friendly and has a very steep incline. If you have underlining medical problems or mobility issues, then you might want to reconsider if this is the most appropriate excursion for you. Once you get to the top, you have a magnificent overlook of the island while soaking in the ocean view.

I saved the BEST for last, the catamaran boat tour was hands down the most fun and enjoyable part of the whole trip. I had the pleasure of boarding with the Sodade crew, upon arrival we were given a glass of prosecco and embarked on our trip. We spent the afternoon lounging in the sun, jumping off the boat and snorkelling in the middle of the west African oceans. We were given a light lunch and snacks throughout the day and by the end of the trip, everyone on the boat was shouting and cheering me on to the dance floor to start off the Cape Verdean vibes. The crew started banging on their handmade African drums, immediately captivating all of us in their traditional music and dance. I was amongst the first to join in and encourage anyone I could to dance with me. Click here to see the videos from the boat tour on my TikTok.

A big shoutout to Dez and Mary, a beautiful Scottish couple my aunt and I were fortunate enough to meet. Dez was literally my BIGGEST HYPE MAN, he was so funny and was telling everyone who would listen, to follow me on TikTok and subscribe to my blog. Dez and Mary were such genuine, sweet, kind souls and I'd love to stay in contact with them. If this is Dez or Mary reading this, please drop me a message on here, TikTok or my Instagram.

For those of you who know their history, Cape Verde was colonized by the Portuguese and fought for their independence. As a people they are genetically mixed with African and European, making them quite an attractive race. Cape Verde will remain one of my favourite places to visit. The land of "No Stress" is reflected in the warm welcoming greeting you receive from all Cape Verdean people, who are known for their friendly hospitality.