The People are Friendly the Environment was Safe and the water so Clean (turquoise) (plastic and trash free) and there were loads of water Activities on site. Few pubs with Delicious Food and of course some Strela Beer 🍺 to Drink .

Very beautiful beach with awesome colors and very fine sand all beach long. Usually medium to bigger waves, must see if you like them. Lots of water sports around too.

Huge beach , less people toward the west parte. A lot of bars and water activities

Super

(Translated by Google) Very pretty beach with white sand and super blue sea... the water is quite cold, for those who are not great swimmers pay attention to the current. It's quite a touristy place but it's still worth spending a day here. Equip yourself with plenty of protective cream! (Original) Spiaggia molto carina di sabbia bianca e mare super azzurro…l’acqua è abbastanza fredda, per chi non è un grande nuotatore attenzione alla corrente. È un posto abbastanza turistico ma vale comunque la pena di passare qui una giornata. Munitevi di abbondante crema protettiva!

(Translated by Google) Beautiful Cape Verde island with beautiful sites to visit. Beautiful discoveries: cultures of the country, magnificent landscapes, large beach, very lively and typical town center of Santa Maria. The locals are welcoming. (Original) Belle île du cap vert avec de beaux sites à visiter. Belles découvertes : cultures du pays, paysages magnifiques, grande plage, centre ville de Santa Maria très animé et typique. Les habitants sont accueillants.

(Translated by Google) Very nice sandy beach, wonderful in the waves. Just fun. (Original) Sehr schöner Sandstrand, herrlich in den Wellen. Macht einfach Spaß.

(Translated by Google) A beautiful beach, very clean and well-maintained, cleaned regularly during the day, nothing to complain about - maybe only the omnipresent hustlers who are extremely pushy, but apart from that everything is wonderful. There is no problem finding a place on the sun loungers, the umbrellas could be bigger to provide more shade. Wonderful blue water, big waves, clean beach - what more could you want? :) (Original) Przepiękna plaża, bardzo czyta i utrzymana, regularnie sprzątana w ciągu dnia, nie ma w sumie do czego się przyczepić - no może tylko do wszechobecnych nagabywaczy, którzy sa wyjątkowo natrętni ale poza tym wszystko cudownie. Nie ma problemu ze znalezieniem miejsca na leżakach, parasole mogłyby być większe, by dawać więcej cienia. Cudowna, błękitna woda, duże fale, czysta plaża - czego chcieć więcej? :)

Great experience, best attraction on the island. Entry €5 and a 30sec shower for €1. The beach could be better, not enough benches and there’s many sharp stones. Sadly they don’t tell you anything about the history or the salt making process. Drinks and salt are available there to buy.

brilliant experience. the salt water is warm and doesn't feel gritty at all. Once you walk in you and lay on your back, you will float due to all the salt. such an amazing relaxing experience. Afterwards you can pay 1 euro for a shower in fresh water. they have changing rooms too. your skin will feel seriously soft after this experience.. but if you have any cuts you will definitely feel the pain but the salt lake will heal it too.

Amazing nature formation. Only here in the world you can see a salt lake in a crater of a volcano. Definitely recommend to see and take a bath in it. Inside both cold and hot water.

We were very lucky and had the whole place to ourselves for a bit. It's really a fascinating experience just floating around without any effort due to the salt in the water. I would definitely recommend going there if you are on the island. You don't need to spend hours on hours in the water since there are already kind of smoother skin after a short while. I would also recommend not taking a shower afterwards to let your skin soak in - it might be a little uncomfortable at first but I felt this was worth it.

A very good place to visit. It is historic and was very relevant to the island's trade. You can float in its salt pools, feel the geothermal heat from the floor of the pool and enjoy the views. I read up on the place afterwards and wish I'd done so before. It would be complicated going there without a tour mainly because of the quality of roads and lack of public transport.

It was quite fun to swim in the salt lake and floats. It’s a special place as it’s the salt lake in the volcano crater but the entrance fee is quite high and then they charge one euro extra for a shower. So as it was a last stop of our tour and we had a big bottle of water with us, we didn’t have to take a shower there. 😉

Fantastic place, great floating in the salt lake. I've been in the dead sea and I think this is thicker (saltier) and better. There are changing rooms or get changed in and a shower, which they charge €1 for 30 seconds of water, my suggestion is to dry off naturally in the sun, it'll only take 2 minutes and will do your skin better, keeping the salt on longer. Your skin does feel very soft when you wash it off later. Be aware there is a bit of a walk from the car park which is up hill on the way back. A fascinating place as the old wooden frames for carrying the salt from the lakes to the road are still there.

Its inside a Volcano, its €5 Each Euros to enter, yes you do float, and the view is bang on, well worth going.

an incredibly great experience - barren landscape, salt all around and a salt lake! The entrance to the area through the cave had to raise expectations. Bring swimmers, because floating in the salt lake was almost as perfect as in the Dead Sea. Definitely recommend!!

Great attraction, well worth the visit. These are farmed, man made salt lakes. The island of Sal actually grew and developed from the salt mining that took place aka. its name literally meaning 'Salt'. You can enjoy a relaxing swim in the pools which are the second saltiest waters to the dead sea itself which means you literally effortlessly float when swimming. Apparently it's really good for your skin and very detoxifying. You can still evidently see the industrial past and there is no mistaking this site is man made. You do smell the sulphur fumes whilst swimming as this island is volcanic, which can be slightly unpleasant but the floor below your feet are kept nice and warm from this heating effect. There is a bar/restaurant on site. Toilet facilities and showers. The fresh water shower does cost €1 each.

Salinas is a salt mine where water is pumped into a volcano crater, evaporates and the salt is left behind. It looked like there were still operations in the mine as we passed 2 old, rusty and hydraulic fluid leaking machines on the way down to the mine. There is one lake at the bottom of the crater and it’s said that you will get 10 year’s younger if you take a bath. We did and the water smelled awful as pollution has been aggregated for years. I will not do this again. The good thing is that the infrastructure is in place with shower and toilets to get cleaned up.

A dead sea experience 5€ entrance fee. Fresh water shower available to wash the salt off 1€. Sit back and watch your feet rise to the surface. It was worth a visit if only for the experience and the lovely views.

The place itself is remarkable and the dead-sea experience as well, worth to visit but the place is dirty and smells bad. Tourists could definitely be using another area to swim. To take a shower after swimming would cost you one EUR.

A Dead Sea type experience only this one has dessert valley views and the salt stamper comes out of the ground. There is a hike downwards to the salt flats and lakes but a car can get in if you need extra accessibility for your party. As of Oct 2023 the entrance is 5 euro to walk in, I am unaware for cars though. Swimming in the salt lake is interesting as you do float, no matter your position. Be sure to take a shower afterwards to get all those minerals out of you. All in all a recommended experience.

A good experience to swim in a very salty water. Don't let the water touch your eyes. It is really salty. Take some water with you to wash your face in case some salt runs into your eyes.

I enjoyed the experience. Take a few change Euros as you will need a shower afterwards and it's 1 Euros. Also useful to have your own aqua shoes.

Brilliant place to visit. Doesn't take long, but you can take as long as you like. You do need to be there at the right time of day to see the blue eye, but it's worth taking a look. I believe there is a museum there, but we didn't have time to look at it. If you like rocks, it's definitely a place to see.

Nice little spot with a natural swimming pool where you can swim. I just felt that it was a bit crowded for not too much to see at the end of the day. But the location and the road to go there is nice, after that I’d recommend to go to Boa Terra as the ride is quite scenic

It's important to arrive at the right time (12.30 pm approx) to see the eye, which you can do by leaning over a precarious rock edge. It is a beautiful vibrant blue colour within the eye. The entrance fee is EUR 3 and there is a bar and restaurant on-site.

The Island of Sal is blessed with a couple of things, both sunshine and nice beaches. Sadly, not much else, if your idea of great is hanging over a cliff.edge whilst a local grips your waist then this is definitely for you.

In summer, apparently this is quite a spectacle, with a perfect blue 'eye' to observe as the sun lights up the water in a cavern close to the sea. There is also a brilliant natural pool in which to swim when the tide is right. We went in January, but it was still worth it.

Nice place, but make sure you visit on a sunny day to see the blue cave as I should be, i was there a cloudy day so the colours of the water isnt what 7t could be. Bring swim gear so you can jump in the water, there is a shower on top of the hill.

A well designed and interesting visiting place based on natural site located north of Palmeira. The entrance ticket 3EUR worth it's price includes the Blue Eye view, the lagoon (with a guarded swimming area), the museum of a local nature (stones and species) plus a garden of Cabo Verde islands made of sand and broken shells. A pleasant cafeteria and a restaurant with the magnificent view. Many people visiting but not overcrowded (eo January). Truly recommend...

Excellent place to visit has onside bar and food available, a gift shop on site ,stunning views of the ocean. Seeing the blue eye is weather dependent, on our trip it was overcast but when the sun came out it was stunning

One of the few touristic spots on the island. There is an entry fee to pay, and quite a lot of visitors. It is a nice natural place, but it needs some love- fences need a new paint, some trash lying around, some improvised tent looking like from a slum is next to the blue eye..

Certainly a miracle and wonder of nature. At the right angle and time, as your peer into the cave, the stars seem to have nestled in the water 💧 and throw back a dance dazzle. Then you see an eye shaped blue formation! The Blue 👁 Eye. And if you are still lucky, a turtle swims around enjoying the clear waters of the cave.

Fantastic attraction. Naturally formed volcanic water pools. This attraction tells you a little about the islands, their location and other interesting local facts. It also has an exhibit on the geology of the island. It is fully accessible and there are clear defined paths around the area. When the conditions are right you can jump and swim in the pools, this isn't all that often though.

Amazing place, the day was so windy but I think that is nether to see the incredible power of the see.. the bar in the place as all sites like that is for tourists, then so expensive

This is thoroughly unique. The blue eye is a feature you can't find anywhere else. I suggest you see it as a stop on one of the many tours. It is probably more expensive to get there privately

Great attractions. We made in time to see 11:50 to see blue Eye. A little bit cue but it goes fast. And must have jump and swim in natural pool. I would say must visit if in Sal.

Very pretty place, gift shop I found quite reasonably priced as well. Great views well worth a trip if you're on Sal

It is not the eye that makes five stars but the whole experience this amazing place provides. On a windy day a huge amount of water meets cliffs and there are no photographs capable of conveying this power.

This is such a beautiful tranquil place. I really enjoyed being here! It's like an oasis of calmness and peace. Lovely plants, some which are native to other regions of the world 🌎 There is also the 🌵 cactus garden, which leads onto some further interesting places. It's also nice to see some animals, however I did question if it was the best for some of them to be there such as the lone monkey, red parrot (pictured), and some lambs which had gone so long without shearing that their wool had actually turned into locs. Perhaps they would be better housed elsewhere.

Beautiful little botanic garden with many animals, mainly birds but also some turtles, bunnies, goats, donkeys... we went with our 3 year old daughter and she was enjoying it a lot. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

children) as we were staying at a hotel nearby. I had read the reviews and expected to be there for an hour or two. We all had such a wonderful time that we were there for much longer. The gardens are well kept and there is a large variety of plants. The children enjoyed the animals and the the parrot saying “hola”, the donkey foal and the peacock showing it’s feathers were a huge highlight. The gardens also has a cafe that serves small snacks and drinks at reasonable prices. I would definitely recommend a visit and we all agreed it was well worth the 5€ entry fee. Thank you for a lovely visit.

Lovely gardens. Interesting birds. Cafe has drinks only-had a lovely fresh passionfruit juice. Can get an alluger for 50c from Santa Maria. Nice half a day outing

You definitely would not expect such a green place on Sal island. Entrance costs 5 euros and without a doubt, it's so worth it. We were here on a working day morning and i swear, we were the only ones here. You will see a lot of exotic flora and some animals, such as parrots, donkeys, turtle and many more! Don't miss out this place.

Staff do their best . For me sadly animals and birds in poor condition. You not allowed to feed the animals. However i gave food to staff for the animals. The animals I feel are not neglected . Simply a but Grimm. No gardens to really see.

This was the last stopping point on our Postcards of Sal tour and it was our favourite part of the tour. The gardens are small and the animals are limited but it was so lovely and peaceful. After a day of travelling on a minibus, it was a fantastic end to the day. We could have stayed longer but the tour was at an end. I particularly enjoyed the different species of plant and trees.

Love it, spent 2hrs here and we had the best time. From the moment we entered the kind man on the front gate showed us where to purchase our ticket. It is €5pp. Lots of plants and flowers and many rescue animals. There's a swing and plenty of photo opportunities. We saw the donkey's being washed and fed. Everything was clean and all workers friendly. Only 10 minutes walk from the main hotels up the road.

The greenest place on Sal and the work Paula does is super impressive. Not only nursing all the plants and making them thrive but also the sanctuary she provides to all her animals. Well worth a visit!

Went to the botanical gardens on one of the TUI excursions. Lots of rescued animals to see and there’s a cafe/bar to stop and have a drink which was a nice touch. It’s an oasis in the middle of a desert and hidden from the high winds on the island

A serene, shaded escape from crowded hotels. This is a marvelous place that is just lovely. There is a cactus garden with some spectacular specimens as well as other beautiful areas. There are numerous aviaries and other animals. All in all, well worth a visit, please leave an extra donation as entry is only five euros.

Definitely a little oasis within the desert. There are a lot of places to sit and enjoy the environment. There are tons of palm trees and flowers as well as huge cacti garden. Some animals roam around free like peacocks, chickens and some goats, others are kept in cages like the moneys and different kinds of birds. One of the highlights was a baby donkey. In general the park is really nice and a good place to unwind. You should definitely spend some time here while on Sal.

A lovely oasis from the dust and desert. Many plants and flowers, a cactus garden, many tropical birds, a few tortoises, peacocks/hens, monkeys, donkeys, goats and guinea pigs. Many places to sit and relax throughout the park. Was sad to see the tortoises wearing a hole round the edge of their pens trying to get out but that was little to do with their facilities which were full or care and love. €5 entry, paid at the lovely cafe with a ticket to allow you to exit.

Had a lovely visit here and really enjoyed seeing all the animals and gardens. Lots of places to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

A must see whilst on Sal and definitely support this worthy cause. Whilst yes, animals are alone and in cages BUT they are well cared for.and a far cry from their existence before life at Pachamama. Truly is an oasis for these animals and the amazing botanical work gone into this project. Great work and thank you.

Nice botanic garden with a lot of beautiful plants and flowers and home animals (donkeys didn´t look in well condition, but I guess they were old). But I´m not fan of keeping wild animals in cages so to see stressed little monkey strongly holding its toy and bored parrot ara in quite small cage with no possibility to fly, was quite sad for me. But I recommend to visit it - nice place to relax.

I was so sad after we was there, thinking of the poor animals. I will never forget the poor donkey whith his legs full of bloody wounds, surrounded by a million flies eating on it!!! You could see he was desperate, running and shaking inside the small enclosure. He did'nt even had water there😢💔 I neither will ever forget the poor, lonely monkey sitting there in a small cage, with a little doll in his hand as his only asset. No place to climb, no place to run, no place to sleep. Even nothing to drink or eat😢💔 The skinny horses in the end of the park was lined up in the heat, with theire heads locked up in a very short chain, unable to move! I have never seen anything like this and I hope I never will again. However, the cactuses and plantes seemed to be well taken care of... I don't recommand anybody to go there to support this horrible place!!!

The greatest place for party, from 23 till 2.

free sunbeds and cold beer without a crowd of other tourists, pure awesomeness:D

My advice is go here at lunch time only! We went for lunch and the food was great. We saw all the instruments set up for weekend entertainment and asked when the live music was on, they replied with Friday. So we have just arrived back from the Friday evening at funana resteraunt and what a disappointment it was. It's €20 for just food or €30 with selected drinks. We just selected the food, which was okay but probably the worst meal I've had in Santa Maria. The evening entertainment was three men two on guitar and one singing, when they have a full orchestra set up with drums and brass instruments etc. I expected the entertainment to be much better than it was, a real disappointment. It cost us €48 in total, I will not return on a Friday evening, but for lunch only!

Please do not give this man any of your money. He has a history of killing dogs and cats on the island and yesterday he did it again. He killed and ram down a sweet girl who I have know since a puppy. This evil must stop.

Best place to be during the day! Amazing caipirinhas and food. The prices are not very touristic as in the other beach bars and this one has a nice happy hour. The chairs at the beach are for free and staff is very friendly. Also their activities at night are very nice and local. Kintas Lokas are a must! We came here practically everyday and this truly added value to our stay in Sal.

Had the best time ever ! If you don't visit the place on the Cabo Verdian night is like you have never been to Cabo Verde. We booked to celebrate my bday and trust me I have had the BEST NIGHT ever! The food is good , all u can drink included in the price but the vibes , the atmosphere and the dance is priceless. DO NOT GO IF YOU DONT LIKE DANCING ! Mucians , dancers , waiters everyone makes you feel welcome ! The woman who speaks every language but Greek, is adorable 😆 thank you all for making my bday unforgettable .

The finest risto-club in Santa Maria, beautiful sand, great dishes and after dinner entertainment, and the drinks and staff are super nice

Best place on the beach with nice beach beds and amazing caipirinhas!

Not great. Went for an early dinner as we had a 8pm tour booked. Ordered our food at 6.40pm, at 7.30pm I asked the waitress, who we hadn't seen since she took our order, where our order was, it was clear they hadn't started cooking. I suggested we pay for our drinks and leave, but they insisted food would ready very soon. Food arrived at 7.50pm, my family and I had a few bites and then had to leave. Terrible service, food not great either. Visit with caution.

Awesome place to eat and drink. 10/10 quality/price. I recommend SERRA NHA ANTONIA and FRANGO ASSADO A CABO VERDE.

lovely place to visit

Great small church