Full Day Sal Island Tour: Santa Maria to Shark Bay

You walk into the sea at Shark Bay and lemon sharks glide between your legs.

A full-day island tour of Sal covers Santa Maria's fishing pier and market, the village of Murdeira, a natural salt mine where you can float, and Shark Bay where you wade in to see lemon sharks. Your guide is local and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three other languages, so the commentary reaches whoever is on the tour. Public transportation is included. Lunch is available separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Sal Island highlights

• Visit Santa Maria pier and fish market
• Drive through local streets and vegetable market
• Relax at kite beach
• Visit Murdeira village
• Visit a school and see fishermen at work
• Shop for souvenirs
• See the Blue Eye and lookout point
• Lunch in Espargos capital
• Visit Pedra de Luma salt mine
• Float in salt springs or hike nearby
• Visit Sharkbay and see lemon sharks

The experience

You start at the pier in Santa Maria where fishing boats unload their catch each morning. The fish are cleaned and sold right there. It's the working heart of the island, not a staged stop. From there you drive through the local streets to the vegetable market, then out to Kite Beach. The sequence moves from the busiest part of the island to the quieter edges, so you see how the place actually works before you reach the scenic overlooks.

The middle of the day takes you inland. You visit the small village of Murdeira, stop at a school where there's time to shop for souvenirs, and see fishermen at work. Then comes the Blue Eye: a natural formation at Buracona with a lookout point where the sea opens up below you. After that you drive to Espargos, the capital, for lunch (available for €12). The salt mine at Pedra de Luma comes next: you can float in the salt springs or hike the mountains around it, depending on what you want to do that afternoon.

Shark Bay is the final stop. You walk into the shallow water and lemon sharks swim past you, between your legs: close enough to see clearly but in their own space. It's the kind of moment that doesn't happen on most island tours. The whole day runs about seven hours and moves by public transportation, so you're not paying extra for a private vehicle or a guide's fuel.

What’s included

• Public transportation throughout the day.
• a local guide fluent in multiple languages.
• stops at Santa Maria's fishing pier and market, Murdeira village, a school with souvenir shopping, the Blue Eye lookout at Buracona, Espargos capital, Pedra de Luma salt mine where you can float or hike, and Shark Bay for wading among lemon sharks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 26 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$ 9.09

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Elvin Tours Cabo Verde Sal

Is this one for you?If you speak a language other than English, book this tour for a guide who can explain what you're seeing in your own words. The commentary is what turns a list of stops into a real understanding of how the island works. The local guide also means you're not following a script written for tourists. You're getting the actual ins and outs from someone who lives here.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6).

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 happens at the fishing pier in Santa Maria?

The pier is where fishing boats arrive in the morning and unload their catch. You watch the fish being cleaned and sold, then drive through the local streets to the vegetable market and on to Kite Beach.

Can you actually swim with the sharks at Shark Bay?

You walk into the shallow water at Shark Bay and see lemon sharks swimming around you. It's a wading experience, not a swimming one. You're in the water but in a controlled way, and the sharks are in their natural habitat.

What's included in the tour price?

Public transportation is included. Lunch is available for €12 extra. Entry fees to Buracona (€3) and the salt mine at Pedra de Luma (€5) are separate.

How long does the full day tour take?

The tour runs about seven hours and covers seven stops across the island, from Santa Maria to Shark Bay.

Is the tour accessible for people with mobility needs?

The tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available. Service animals are allowed.