sal

As you fly into Sal's international airport your first impression will be of an arid, flat land, but as the plane descends you'll catch a glint of the emerald sea and the dazzling white sandy shores, a hint of many things to enjoy on Sal.

Santa Maria is the main resort on the Cape Verde archipelago with just the right amount of hotels, restaurants, bars and activities to keep you entertained. During the day, whilst everyone is on the beach or off windsurfing, fishing or exploring the salt flats, it may seem pretty quiet but when the sun goes down and the caiprinias are poured Santa Maria comes to life.

things to do:

• dancing and clubbing - if you're not a night owl you won't be disturbed but if you want to go out dancing, the Pirate (Pirata) and Birimbau nightclubs offer the chance to salsa all night long.
• eating and drinking - you may prefer to linger in one of the restaurants, drinking the local wine from neighbouring Fogo or feasting on Sal's speciality of lobster. Sal is renowned for its many fine restaurants such as the restaurant at the Hotel Ojo D'agua for great lobster and Luciano where you can dine alfresco in the charming surroundings of the old square. Leonardos offers a wonderful Italian evening experience whilst Tam Tam and Café Relax are ideal for a more casual night out.

during the day -

• salt mines - a visit to Sal wouldn't be complete without experiencing the salt pans - which gave the island its name - by the inactive volcano. The former salt mine is now a tourist attraction offering the fabulous experience of floating in the shallow salt water, a real treat for the skin.
• watersports - surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding are popular too; ideal sea and wind conditions have put Sal on the map for surf professionals from around the world but a range of classes from windsurfing to body boarding make it easy for beginners to have a go. More gentle pursuits include fishing trips organised by local hotels - if you're lucky you may even catch a rare blue marlin. Or try sailing (yachts and dinghies available) and see Sal's impressive coastline from the sea. You might even catch a glimpse of some whales, dolphins, sharks or flying fish if you're lucky. Sal is also renowned for scuba diving, the island has a few excellent dive centre with fully qualified instructors and there are plenty of wrecks and caves to discover.
• quad biking - for the more adventurous, the sand dunes near Santa Maria can be explored on a a quad bike, this way you'll be able to get to parts of the island that are impossible to reach by car or foot. 
• relaxation - if you just want a bit of relaxation and pampering the Alma Spa is the place to go.  

when to visit:

With the constant climate being one of Sal's selling points, any time is a good time to visit. As with all the islands, the summer months from June to September are busy with activities such as September's Santa Maria Music Festival, a large-scale festival that attracts people from all over Cape Verde as well as abroad.

how to get there:

Sal hosts the main international airport on Cape Verde and is easy to get to. Thomson fly direct from the UK (from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham) and TAP and TACV fly into Sal from various other locations around Europe and the rest of the world.

climate:

Temperatures average at a very comfortable 26C throughout the year but summer is hot and can even bring a little rain, whilst the evenings can be a bit chilly between December and February.

where noscasa began:

Don't forget to visit Noscasa's head office opposite the entrance to the Morabeza Hotel and see the wonderful display of local contemporary art on display.

Contact nôscasa now or register your details online