Sal Island Full Day Tour: Salt Crater, Sharks & Viewpoints

Float in a volcanic salt crater, then wade into waters where lemon sharks patrol the shallows.

A full-day guided tour of Sal Island covering six to eight hours, departing from Santa Maria with stops at the Pedra de Lume Salt Crater, Shark Bay, Espargos viewpoint, Terra Boa, Palmeira port and Santa Maria salt flats. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French, and the tour includes government fees and air-conditioned transport. Lunch is your choice of a restaurant stop in Espargos or Palmeira, or you arrange your own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Sal Island highlights

• Visit Santa Maria Salt Flats
• Explore small fishing village
• See Miragem or Fata Morgana de Terra Boa
• Experience Buracona or Olho Azul cave
• Visit Port of Palmeira and optional lunch
• Stop at Espargos viewpoint or radar
• Optional lunch in Espargos city
• Float in Pedra de Lume Salt Crater
• Visit Shark Bay to see lemon sharks

The experience

You start in Santa Maria and travel by air-conditioned van across Sal Island's main sights. The route hits the salt flats where Santa Maria was founded in 1830 to ship salt (up to 30,000 tons a year), then moves north through Terra Boa, a flat, open landscape about 4 km from Espargos where the horizon stretches in all directions. The guide handles the route and the stops. You ride and walk.

The Pedra de Lume Salt Crater sits in an ancient volcanic crater by the sea, where saltwater seeps in and evaporates, leaving salt dense enough to hold you afloat. You wade in and float without effort. Shark Bay, known locally as Baia de Parda, is where small lemon sharks hunt in shallow water. You can wade in with shoes (rent them for 3 euros or bring your own) and watch them hunt. The Espargos viewpoint sits at the highest point of the island's capital and shows most of Sal if visibility allows. Palmeira is the island's only active port, where fishing boats work and you can see daily village life by the water.

Lunch stops at a restaurant in either Espargos or Palmeira, depending on your preference. The guide will ask. Government fees and transport are included. You pay for food and any rentals like shoes at Shark Bay. The tour runs six to eight hours and suits mixed fitness levels. Pickup from your Santa Maria location is included.

What’s included

• Government fees and air-conditioned van transport are included.
• the live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Portuguese or French.
• and pickup from your Santa Maria location.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 12)

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 14 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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 15.90

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Logan Tours

Is this one for you?Join other travelers to hit all four landmarks in one afternoon, with a set schedule that packs the full island tour into a single day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

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 why can you float in it?

Pedra de Lume is a salt crater formed in an ancient volcano where seawater seeps in, evaporates and leaves behind salt so dense that the high salt concentration prevents your body from sinking, letting you float without any effort.

Will I see sharks at Shark Bay and how close do they get?

Shark Bay hosts small lemon sharks that hunt in the shallows. You wade in with shoes to see them up close in their natural hunting ground, though they are not aggressive toward swimmers.

Does the tour include lunch and where do we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but the guide stops at a restaurant in either Espargos or Palmeira so you can order and pay for your own meal by the sea or in the city.

Is this tour accessible for people with mobility challenges?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and the van has wheelchair-accessible transportation. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller or sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available.