Pedra de Lume
A salt crater inside an extinct volcano, flooded and dense enough to float in. The industrial ruins around it explain what the island was for before tourism.
Gateway island
Sal
The sources checked here verify no public bus network on Sal, and no scheduled airport line. Movement between the airport, Espargos and Santa Maria is by taxi and aluguer, arranged locally and paid in cash. The ferry to Boa Vista is the one published transport link the island has.
By bus
Getting to Sal
The sources checked here verify no public bus network on Sal, and no scheduled airport line. Movement between the airport, Espargos and Santa Maria is by taxi and aluguer, arranged locally and paid in cash. The ferry to Boa Vista is the one published transport link the island has.
- No verified scheduled bus service anywhere on the island.
- Aluguers and taxis run the Espargos–Santa Maria axis; agree the fare before setting off.
- Ferry to Boa Vista: 3 hours 5 minutes, 1,700 CVE national and 2,500 CVE non-national.
Source: ASA — Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea: National airports authority · Governo de Cabo Verde: National transport services portal · CV InterIlhas: Passenger tariff (national and non-national) ()
Open the national airports authorityBefore you go
Times change. Take them with you.
Published departures shift with the season. Cape Verde Bus keeps the current timetable in your pocket.
Worth your time
What Sal does best
Most visitors to Cape Verde land on Sal, and many never leave it: Santa Maria’s eight kilometres of white sand and reliable wind have made it a package and kitesurf destination for British, German, Benelux and Polish visitors. The island itself is a flat salt pan with a town at each end — Espargos by the airport, Santa Maria at the point — and no verified public bus network joining them.
Santa Maria pier
The fish auction on the jetty each afternoon is the most authentic hour in a town otherwise built for visitors — and the departure point for the reef boats.
Wind and water
The trade winds that made Sal a kitesurf destination blow hardest from November to March, exactly when the ferries are least reliable.
Good to know
- Flying is the sensible way to reach Santiago or São Vicente from here; the circular ferry takes most of a day.
- Cash escudos matter away from the resort strip, even though euros circulate in Santa Maria.
- Airport transfers are arranged privately — there is no scheduled bus to meet a flight.
Optional experiences
Pairs well with the bus
Curated for this destination. The full list lives on the experiences page.
Island tour Sal · Santa Maria
Sal island experience with a local guide
A guided circuit of Sal covering Espargos, the salt pans at Pedra de Lume and the fishing village of Palmeira.
Getting there: Sal has no verified public bus network, so a guided circuit is the practical way to see the island without hiring a car.
Check availability Snorkelling Sal · Santa Maria
Santa Maria reef snorkelling
A guided snorkelling trip off Santa Maria over the Bolama wreck and the Farol reef, with rays and turtles on a good day.
Getting there: Boats leave from Santa Maria pier, walkable from the town — no transfer arrangement needed.
Check availabilityBooking through these links supports this free guide at no extra cost to you.
Keep exploring
More places the buses reach
Music island São Vicente Mindelo: the country’s cultural capital, its liveliest port, and its least documented bus network. Plan the ride 
Hiking island Santo Antão No airport, no bus network — a ferry, a mountain road, and the best walking in the Atlantic. Plan the ride 
Dune island Boa Vista Sahara dunes, nesting turtles and sand roads — three hours from Sal by sea and nothing scheduled on land. Plan the ride