Sal is the flattest and most arid island in Cape Verde — a disc of volcanic rock and sand in the middle of the Atlantic with barely a tree in sight. It is also the most visited, thanks almost entirely to its international airport, which deposits European package tourists directly into the resort village of Santa Maria on the south coast.
That sounds unpromising, but Sal has a genuine draw beyond the resort infrastructure. The beaches are excellent, the water is warm and clear year-round, and the consistent trade winds make the island one of the world's better spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing. And scattered around the flat interior are a few things worth seeing: the volcanic salt crater at Pedra de Lume — where you float in water so salty it holds you up without effort — and the eerie rock formation at Buracona on the northwest coast, where light filters through a sea cave to create the famous "Blue Eye."
Espargos, the island's actual capital, sits in the middle near the airport. It's a working town rather than a resort, and a better base than Santa Maria for travellers who want local prices and local food — in particular, the cachupa stew that is Cape Verde's national dish. There are daily inter-island flights from Sal to Praia on Santiago and to Mindelo on São Vicente.