The white ponds
Squares among brown hills.
Dandell7 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daniel Åhs Karlsson — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ladislav Luppa — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ingo Wölbern — Public domain · Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0
The salt pans of Pedra de Lume are evaporation ponds inside the crater of an extinct volcano, on the east coast of Sal. Their white squares among brown hills look very strange, and they are among the best-known sights of Sal. Geologists say the water rises from deep in the earth rather than from the sea. The village was founded by Manuel António Martins, who began working the ponds in 1796, cut a tunnel to them in 1804 and built a port in 1805. Salt flourished until 1887, when Brazil, the main buyer, banned imports. A French company revived it, installing a 1,100-metre aerial tramway in 1921. Output today is small, mainly for beauty products and thalassotherapy. You enter the crater through the tunnel or by road and see white squares and shining water, ringed by dry hills. Along the way are old wooden towers, remains of the tramway and crumbling timber buildings. Some visitors float in the very salty ponds. With Mount Cagarral, the area forms a protected landscape of 8.02 square km. The pans are 4.4 km in a straight line north-east of Espargos. Sun is strong and the ground white, so bring sunglasses, a hat and water. Salt stings cuts and eyes, so do not put your head under, and rinse afterwards. Do not climb the old wooden towers, which are falling apart. The island is windy and UK advice warns of theft, so watch your belongings.
Squares among brown hills.
Wooden towers from 1921.
Cut in 1804.
Pedra de Lume village, eastern Sal island
Some visitors do, so ask at the entrance about fees and spots.
It is on the same island, north-east of Espargos.