Nature of Sal Island
Despite its dry landscape, Sal Island hosts unique ecosystems around its salt flats, turtle nesting beaches, and coastal shallows frequented by rays, sharks, and migrating whales.
Turtle Watching on Sal Island: All You Need to Know
Turtle Watching: Sal Island is famed for a rare natural spectacle. Every summer, its beaches host thousands of nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta).
Humpback Whale: The Beautiful Giant in Cape Verde
Humpback whale is among the most recognisable and widely studied of the great whales, known for acrobatic breaches, haunting songs, and long pectoral fins.
The Mirage of Terra Boa: Sal’s Beautiful Desert Illusion
In Terra Boa, you may feel small amid the emptiness. Take a moment to feel the surrounding. It’s just you, the wind, and a mirage that shimmers like a promise.
Land, Wind, and Sea
Sal Island’s landscape is shaped by wind, sun, and salt. It is one of the flattest and driest islands in the archipelago, with an arid, desert-like terrain dominated by plains, dunes, and volcanic rock. Rain is rare, and the vegetation is sparse, primarily consisting of drought-resistant shrubs and grasses. Yet the simplicity of Sal’s landscape is precisely what makes it striking.
Much of the island is defined by its salt flats. The Pedra de Lume crater, once a major centre of salt production, remains one of the island’s most iconic natural sites. Visitors can still float in its dense, mineral-rich waters, while the old tunnel and rail system offer a glimpse into the island’s industrial past. These salt pans have shaped both the economy and environment of Sal for over two centuries.
Along the coast, long stretches of sandy beach define Sal’s shoreline, particularly around Santa Maria. The beaches are wide, clean, and buffeted by steady trade winds from the northeast. These conditions have made Sal a global destination for wind and kitesurfing. Underwater, the surrounding Atlantic hosts rich marine life: sea turtles nest on the southern shores, while rays, nurse sharks, and migrating whales can be seen offshore.
Despite its dry conditions, Sal supports protected areas and wildlife conservation projects. Several species of birds stop here during migration seasons, and turtle nesting sites are monitored and protected. The island’s nature may seem minimal at first glance, but it reveals a delicate balance between wind, sea, salt, and life — one that continues to define the rhythm of the island.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle: The Most Fascinating Guest on Sal
The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a type of sea turtle known for its large size, distinct reddish-brown shell, and powerful jaws. They are among the largest sea turtle species, with adults reaching an average length of around 3.5 feet (1 meter) and weighing between 200 and 400 pounds (90 to 180 kilograms). However, some exceptional individuals can grow even larger.
Dolphins: The Wonderful Marine Mammals of Sal Island
Sal’s sightings often include mixed groups, such as bottlenose dolphins with spotted dolphins, and occasionally with pilot or beaked whales.
Pachamama Eco Park: Beautiful Oasis in the Desert Island
Pachamama Eco Park, also known as Viviero Botanical Garden & Zoo, is a thriving ecosystem that houses over 150 plant species and dozens of rescued animals.
Phoenix Atlantica: The Unique Capeverdean Date Palm
Phoenix atlantica stands as an icon of Cape Verdean natural heritage. It’s a tree that grows wild nowhere else in the entire world.
Salinas Pedra de Lume: All You Need to Know about Salt Mines
Nestled within the crater of a dormant volcano on Sal Island, Cape Verde, the Salinas de Pedra de Lume weave a story of nature, ingenuity and transformation.
Sal’s Endemic Flora: Botanical Survival on a Desert Island
On Sal, evolution has operated under constraints so severe that each surviving endemic species represents a masterclass in adaptation.
Birds of Cabo Verde: The Most Popular Species
Cabo Verde is an ornithologists’ paradise. It is a fantastic place for birdwatching. There are many bird species here, both native only to the islands of the archipelago (and nowhere else) and many typically African and migratory species. Below is a list of over 20 bird species observed on Sal and the other islands. How many of them have you seen?
Salt Flats of Santa Maria: Beautiful Mosaic in Sand
In the south of Sal Island, beyond Santa Maria’s golden beaches and resort hotels, lies a different kind of treasure – a broad, sunbaked expanse of inland salt flats. These salinas stretch out just north of Santa Maria town, their pale crust shimmering under the Saharan breeze. They are often overlooked in favour of Sal’s more famous crater salt lake at Pedra de Lume, but Santa Maria’s salt pans have a story all their own. It was here that the town of Santa Maria was born in 1830, founded expressly to harvest the “white gold” of salt. Today, the salt flats are quiet and mostly dry, visited occasionally by wading birds and curious tourists. However, they remain a poignant landscape – a protected site of ecological interest and a living monument to the island’s history. This article explores how these inland salt flats once fueled Santa Maria’s early growth, what has become of them since the salt trade ebbed, and how the local community regards the salinas in the present day.
Shark Bay: Shallow Coastline Full of Baby Lemon Sharks
A short drive east from Santa Maria leads to Shark Bay, a shallow, rocky coastline where juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) gather — it’s one of Sal’s most fascinating natural curiosities. Tranquil, otherworldly, yet alive with movement, it’s a reminder that Cape Verde’s marine life often thrives just beyond the tourist trails.
Buracona: The Amazing Bay and its Blue Eye Cave
Buracona is a small bay where the dark azure water of the Atlantic crashes on the rocky coast creating spectacular splashes of white, frothy waves. There are a few beautiful caves and a natural pool where you can swim. The gazebo on the cliff has a small natural history museum on the ground floor and a stunning view of the ocean upstairs.
Little Egret: This Amazing White Bird With Long Legs
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In-Depth Look at Lemon Sharks in the Shark Bay
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Garoupa Vermelha: The Beautiful and Tasty Red Grouper Fish
The name “garoupa vermelha” encompasses several species that patrol the underwater territories of Cape Verde.
Monte Leão: The Great Lion Mountain of Sal Island
Rising starkly from the flat desert plains of Sal Island, Monte Leão, also known as Rabo de Junco, asserts a quiet dominance over the surrounding coast. Towering approximately 165 m above sea level at the northern rim of Baía de Murdeira, this distinctive “Lion Mountain” functions both as a geological sentinel and as a cherished destination — a point where geology, ecology, and human aspiration converge.
Flying Fish: Crazy and Beautiful Sea Gliders of the Sky
Flying fish don’t truly fly like birds. Instead, they glide on extended fins. With a swipe of a tail, they launch themselves out of the water at over 60 km/h.
Murdeira Bay: Beautiful Reef and Rock Pools
Murdeira Bay, situated on the southwest coast of Sal, is a nature reserve known for its rich underwater sea life and a small coral reef.
Iago Sparrow: Endemic and Easy to Spot on Sal
These cute little birds you observe on the streets and in the crowns of trees are far cousins of European sparrows and – contrary to popular belief – didn’t migrate to the islands from far away. These little guys are Iago sparrows (Passer iagoensis) and are endemic to Cape Verde. That’s why they are often called Cabo Verde sparrows by professional and hobby ornithologists. Iago sparrows occur on all islands of the archipelago besides of Fogo, and on most of them it is quite common.
Yellow Desert Hyacinth: the Strange and Beautiful Alien
Cistanche phelypaea is a desert plant with stout, flowering stems bearing bright yellow flowers. It can grow up to even 30-50 cm above the ground. Because of its looks, Cistanche phelypaea is commonly called a yellow desert broomrape, but some people call it also a desert hyacinth.