ZOCO SURFING ADVENTURES

SURFING HOLIDAYS IN THE RePUBLIC OF CAPE VERDE

Rough guide to the island of sal - CAPE VERDE (CABO VERDE) ISLANDS

Only six hours flying time from the major airports of Europe, Sal in the volcanic Cape Verde archipelago, lies just off the bulge of Africa and is the ideal tropical getaway for Europeans wanting to escape the winter chill.

The island of Sal, in particular, with its long white sandy beaches, has been discovered by European beach buffs and water sports enthusiasts. The main tourist town, Santa Maria, near the international airport, is earning its place on the map as being the world's latest surfing Mecca, also a major draw for kitesurfers and windsurfers, with its steady trade winds and winter swells.

Sal is the liveliest of the Cape Verde Islands and the town of Santa Maria is where the action is. The crystal clear waters, excellent trade winds and consistent swells and a long white sandy beaches, draw surfers, kiteboarders and Surfers from all over the globe. Nearer the international airport is the town of Espargos, where shops, bars and restaurants do good business, the strains of live music usually filling the air. The island's main port, Palmeira, is a working fishing harbour and import station and is currently improving its tourist infrastructure in line with the rest of the island.

Apart from its beaches and watersports, Sal also offers delicious seafood and an interesting blend of African/Portuguese culture. The music of the islands made famous by Cesara Evora, 'the barefoot diva', is part of the pulse of the Cape Verde islands.

In a hectic world Cape Verde reminds us of a time when our actions were governed by the tides and the seasons. life is simple, the people are friendly and laid back and ready to welcome visitors looking for a simple holiday far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

SAL INFORMATION (THE FACTS)

Sal (Portuguese for "salt" from the mines at Pedra de Lume) is an island in the archipelago of Cape Verde, and the municipality of the same name. The island is around 30 km long by 12 km wide. It belongs to the northern group of islands, called Barlavento and is one of the three sandy, plane eastern islands (Sal, Boavista and Maio) of the archipelago, with beautiful white sandy beaches and hardly any elevation. Sal's highest elevation is Monte Grande, at 406 m. Another mountain is Serra Negra with an elevation no higher than 92 m. The island was discovered on December 3, 1460 and was named Llana until salt deposits were found. Sal is the oldest island in Cape Verde, formed 50 million years ago during the eruption of a volcano which is now inactive.

Sal's main town, Vila dos Espargos, is home to one of the nation's international airports and has around 8,000 inhabitants. Its population grew around salt collection and later shifted to fishing, but is now based on tourism (amounting to 50% of the archipelago's tourism) at the beach resort of Santa Maria.

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