Turquoise water
Colourful fishing boats.
TheSokks — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IDS.photos from Tiverton, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Daniel Åhs Karlsson — CC BY-SA 3.0 · IDS.photos from Tiverton, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Catiaritaferreira — CC BY-SA 4.0
Santa Maria Beach is a long sandy beach on the south coast of Sal, in front of the town of Santa Maria, the best-known tourist area in Cape Verde. It lies about 16 km south of Amílcar Cabral International Airport and about 19 km in a straight line from the Pedra de Lume saltpans. Santa Maria was founded in 1830 to produce salt, and up to 30,000 tons a year were shipped from a pier built for the purpose, mostly to Brazil. The town declined after 1887; salt production resumed in 1920 and continued until 1984. In 1967 the country's first resort hotel opened here, and after 1986 tourism became the island's main industry. The sand is soft and white and the water a clear turquoise, with colourful fishing boats bobbing on it. An old wooden pier runs out into the sea, where fishermen land their catch and you can watch tuna and big fish being cut. Waves break along the shore. The climate is dry most of the year and the sun is strong, so bring sunscreen and drink water. Swim where others do, as currents can be strong on some days.
Colourful fishing boats.
The day's catch landed.
A long, soft beach.
Santa Maria, south Sal, Cape Verde
At the wooden pier when the boats come in.
Swim where others do, as currents can strengthen.