Sal Island Full-Day Tour: Salt Crater, Sharks & Kite Beach

Float in salt water under a moon-like crater, then swim where sharks glide through the shallows.

A full-day tour of Sal island covering four natural sites and a fishing village, with hotel pickup, a local guide in your language, and time to swim and float in the salt crater. The day moves between Kite Beach, Lemon Sharks Bay, the Pedra de Lume Salt Crater with its medicinal waters, the desert landscape of Miragem, Palmeira Village, and the Blue Eye cave. Bring cash for lunch and site entries. Children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Sal Island highlights

• Visit Kite Beach for kite surfing
• See lemon sharks at Lemon Sharks Bay
• Take photos at Miragem desert
• Relax at the salt mines and float
• Explore Palmeira Village and taste fish
• Visit Buracona Blue Eye cave

The experience

Pedra de Lume Salt Crater is the centerpiece: an old volcanic crater where seawater has turned into salt, leaving white and bright pink salt pans that rise against the blue sky. You float in the mineral-rich water (the salt content keeps you buoyant), and can add scrub and mud treatments if you want them. The crater sits in a landscape so stark it looks lunar, and the contrast between the salt mountains and the sky is the reason photographers book this stop.

The route also takes you to Lemon Sharks Bay, where you can watch the sharks' grey bodies glide through shallow water with their fins cutting the surface, or wade in to see them closer. Miragem is a flat desert expanse with brown mountains on the horizon: the kind of place where the air and sand blur into an illusion. Kite Beach draws world championships for kite surfing from October through April. Palmeira Village is where the fishermen live in colorful traditional houses. The main port sits here, and the restaurants serve fresh fish caught that morning. The Blue Eye is a 24-meter cave connected to the ocean. When the sun is high, it lights the sandy bottom and creates a reflection that gives the cave its name. A natural swimming pool sits beside it.

The tour runs six hours total with hotel pickup and drop-off included. Your guide speaks English, Portuguese, French or German. Transportation and liability insurance are covered. Bring cash for lunch and the entrance fees at each site.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transportation between all five sites.
• a local guide in English, Portuguese, French or German.
• liability insurance and first aid equipment.
• access to float in the salt crater's medicinal waters.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8 · max 7 per booking

Live guideEnglish, French, German and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 28 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 26

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Kapverden Tours

Is this one for you?The tour covers six hours with time spent in water at three stops, so swimmers and those comfortable wading should plan accordingly. The pace moves between sites rather than lingering at one, which keeps the day varied but means you're traveling most of the morning and afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Pedra de Lume Salt Crater and can I really float in it?

Pedra de Lume is an old volcanic crater where seawater has crystallized into salt, creating white and bright pink salt pans. The mineral content of the water is high enough that you float naturally, and you can also add mud and scrub treatments while you're in the water.

Will I see lemon sharks at Lemon Sharks Bay?

Lemon sharks swim in the shallower waters of the bay, and you'll see their grey bodies and fins moving through the water. You can watch from the shore or wade into the water to see them closer.

What is the Blue Eye and how do I get there?

The Blue Eye is a cave 24 meters deep connected to the ocean. When the sun reaches its highest point, the light illuminates the sandy bottom and creates a blue reflection that gives the cave its name. A natural swimming pool sits adjacent to it, and the tour includes a visit during the day.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included, but the tour stops at Palmeira Village, a fishing community with traditional restaurants serving fresh fish. Bring cash to order and pay for your meal there.