SANTA MARIA DEL SAL – CAPE VERDE

Ok…from 12-15 Celsius degrees in Bucharest at the departure, at the destination was present a beautiful sun, plus 30 degrees ready for tanning. The guide was waiting at the airport, he was to ensure the transfer to the pile of buildings reserved in Ponto Antigo, and to assure a small visit to Santa Maria ( a fisherman’s town chosen as a refuge for the next two weeks). Although there are all inclusive, 4 star resorts, in the area there are many hotel-apartments, the self catering concept being very developed. Now, honestly, if you go there to lay in the sun it is preferable to take the all inclusive offers, if you go to do water sports, to visit, it is recommended a hotel-apartment, in which you aren’t kept by the food schedule.

Santa Maria

The booking for an hotel-apartment has been made in the country and it cost 500 pounds for 2 weeks. Conditions? Well, it wasn’t Atlantis Dubai, but it was clean, with everything that it takes, on the beach, and the first thing that you could see in the morning were the sleepy palm tree leaves, over the roof and the blue ocean.
The flat was for two, the resort complex was very restful, with a pool, bar, private beach, and a little bay arrangement.
This destination is recommended for the November-March season for the kitesurf and windsurf lovers,  because of the wind…in summer time, the place is ideal for surfing.
The area’s “Patients” are divided in two categories: the ones who come to all inclusive and don’t leave the resort and the water sport enthusiasts which are entirely spoiled by the nature.
For kitesurfing enthusiasts there is Kite Beach, for windsurfing Angulo’s spot, and for surfing Shark Bay.

Beach

Santa Maria Del Sal recreational activities

As recreational activities all depends on the personal budget: offshore fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving through aquatic ruins, surf, body board, stand-up pedal, cruise ship, ATV for rental, etc.
To take from home some crosswords magazines, a deck of cards, knitting kit for Sundays, when everything is closed( only some restaurants are staying “alive”, where you can always find a coffee). Except some kite/windsurfing areas, where you can rent a surfing board or a body board, there is not much to do in holy Sunday.
For those who are bored of kite/windsurf and other “mermaidian” stories, here are some details about the location itself:
Sal is a volcanic island whose “capital” is Espargos, the name comes from Portuguese, from the word “salt”, there is an impressive salt work arrangement.

Turtle Bay

The touristic destination in full ascension is Santa Maria, and a tour of the whole island it costs about 30 euro per person. There is a small bay where turtles come in September,  to lay eggs (“Turtle Bay”), there is also Shark Bay- sharks headquarters, there was none there, the salt works and the former salt mines, arranged for tourists, where you can bathe in a lake molded over salt deposits and another one with hot water and mud. To keep in mind: when getting out of the salty water, the shower costs 1 per minut.
Another place to visit for tourists is the so called “The Blue Eye” – an inner lagoon, caught in a rocky formation, with volcanic origins, 50 meters deep, in which the sun reflects in a spectacular way through an opening on the upper part. The access for tourists is made through a tunnel, the lagoon being open for diving. Near the inner lagoon there is a natural pool bordered by the rocks submerged in the ocean. Miles of beach, of barren land, resorts being built and a true bay network along the shore.

Blue Eye

The inhabitants speak a Portuguese dialect, are relaxed and friendly, although  insistent when it comes to trading. In Santa Maria there are plenty of Senegalese that own souvenir stores, and if you enter one of them,  it is impossible to leave without buying anything.
Prices are generally pretty expensive, because most of the products that are in the stores are imported and had been subject to import taxes, which are quite high. In general, the stores are “specialized”, the concept of supermarket in now developing. On the island you find in general about all kinds of product categories, but there is a complete lack of variety ( you find the same product in every store that you enter).
Temperatures were pretty high: about 30 Celsius degrees at daytime and around 22-23 degrees at night.