Sal

As Sal’s tourism industry is still developing, the hotels on offer run the gamut from the luxurious elite to American-style motels and all of which are within the budget of most families. Those in search of the very best should consider the Melia Llana Beach Resort & Spa or the Hotel Ria Palace Cabo Verde for incredible service at the same price you would expect to pay for a cheap villa in Orlando or LA. Thrifty travellers and backpackers should be on the lookout for deals as they are quite common on Sal, making it easy to have a fantastic holiday on a budget.

Those visiting Sal will quickly understand that they’re unlikely to find high street brands on the island, and nor would they want to. Sal is one of the few places in the modern world that still profits from independent retailers, so while there aren’t many high-fashion brands to snap up, you can often find a unique souvenir or personal present and buy it directly from its creator. If you’re hoping to do a little more traditional shopping, you can take a boat to Praia, Santiago where you’ll find many more mainstream shops.

As you would expect from its dramatic blend of European, Latin American and African cultures, Sal has lots to offer food lovers. Those looking for the island’s signature dish should keep an eye out for cachapa, a strongly flavoured meat stew, while fish and seafood fans need to try the island’s unique finger-like muscles, percebes. If neither of those dishes appeal to you, there’s also doce de papaya, a sugary fruit jelly, for those with a sweet-tooth.

With over 4 centuries of tradition, the island of Sal has many spectacular events for tourists to enjoy. Here are a few of our favourites to get you started but check ahead of your visit to see what’s on – a Sal party is never to be missed.

Carnival

A series of manic parties from the start of February to mid-March, Carnival is an incredible time to visit Sal. Expect to see top music acts, nightly fireworks and even regular parades around the towns. As the weather rarely drops below 15°C in February on the island, this is a perfect time to visit and soak up some sun and festival atmosphere, while the UK is still stuck in the doldrums of winter.

Sal Music Festival

The biggest music festival in Cape Verde, the Sal Music Festival sees acts from around the world converge on the small island for a gigantic, non-stop, party. Entrance, food and other amenities are much cheaper than that of a European festival and with many top acts performing you should consider this as an alternative to Glastonbury or V Fest.