Praia De Santa Maria

Located on the southern end of the island of Sal, Praia de Santa Maria – also called Santa Maria Beach, Santa Maria Cape Verde Beach, and Santa Maria Cabo Verde Beach – is a popular and beautiful curve-shaped two-kilometers-long beach with light brown sand and a few rocks in Cabo Verde.  This beach is located near the city center of the city of Santa Maria.

TripAdvisor listed this beach as one of the best beaches in Africa in 2020 as a part of its annual Travellers’ Choice awards and had also earlier listed this beach as one the top 10 beaches in the world in 2016.  Praia de Santa Maria is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Praia de Santa Maria sometimes has lifeguards in some portions.  In addition to lifeguards, the beach and the area near it offer many other amenities including a walkway, rental facilities for sun loungers, watersports equipment, beach chairs, a pier, and benches.  In addition, there are beach bars here that offer access to restrooms to their customers. 

Santa Maria Beach Sal Island offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, swimming, picnicking, paddleboarding, boating, surfing, boogie boarding, bodysurfing, snorkeling, horse riding, flyboarding, scuba diving, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and wildlife watching.  

 This beach is ideal for less-experienced swimmers because the clear water here usually has gentle waves.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, or paddle board at Praia de Santa Maria Cabo Verde, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves.  If you like taking pictures with amazing views, Praia de Santa Maria offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Atlantic Ocean and the southern Sal shoreline, especially at sunset.  If you like shopping, there are many interesting shopping stores near this beach.

Praia de Santa Maria Cape Verde does not offer wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities, so please plan accordingly.

Getting to Praia de Santa Maria is easy – this beach is easily accessible from the city center of Santa Maria.  In addition, you can easily access it from the other parts of Sal by taking a major local road.  As you get closer, there are multiple free nearby street parking spaces.

This beach hosts a fun music festival every mid-September called Festival da Praia de Santa Maria.  In addition, the city of Santa Maria also hosts an annual festival named the Santa Maria Festival/Municipality Day.

There are many attractions near Praia de Santa Maria.   The Pier of Santa Maria – Pontao de Santa Maria – is a wooden pier that offers amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean and the southern Sal shoreline.  Casino Royal  is a casino that offers many fun games including slot machines, electronic roulette, and card games.  Pachamama Eco Park – Viveiro Botanical Garden is a nature park and botanical garden that has many native and non native plants and it is also home to many animal species including monkeys, goats, turtles, peacocks, and ducks. In addition, it also has a nine-hole golf course and a snack bar.  Shell Cemetery Beach is a beach that is known for having a lot of beautiful seashells – this beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, wildlife watching, kayaking, canoeing, and surf-skiing.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Dune of Sal Beach is a beach with a large sand dune that visitors can explore.  This beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, and swimming.  

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Praia de Santa Maria.  The Dubliner - Irish Bar is an Irish-inspired restaurant and bar that offers a variety of excellent British-inspired dishes including sandwiches, roast chicken, curries, and beef pies.  The Bounty Beach Restaurant is a restaurant that offers a variety of outstanding locally and internationally-inspired gourmet dishes and also offers musical performances.  Ocean Cafe Santa Maria has a vibrant decor and a hip ambiance – it also offers a variety of dishes including pasta, burgers, grilled seafood, steaks, and lasagna and it hosts live music performances.  Sal Beach Club offers a variety of delicious dishes including barbecued meats, burgers, salads, and chicken curry – it also offers refreshing cocktails.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near the beach, Cafe Criolo offers a variety of excellent local dishes including cachupa, fish stews, steaks, and grilled chicken. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Praia de Santa Maria, there are many great nearby options.  The 5-Star Hotel Riu Funana offers many amenities including a nightclub, a spa, a fitness center, multiple bars and restaurants, multiple pools, a sun terrace, a boutique, a kids’ club, and a playground.  Another great hotel is the 4.5-Star Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort that offers many amenities including a casino, a kids’ club, a gym, a pool, a spa, a convenience store, and multiple restaurants and bars.  Another great upscale hotel is the 4-Star Odjo d’Agua that offers many amenities including a pool, a sundeck, a spa, a bar, and multiple restaurants.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Porto Antigo Residence Apartments that offers many amenities including a sundeck, a pool, a private beach area, a garden, a restaurant, a bar, a wellness center, and a souvenir store.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel Praia Maria Cabo Verde, the 3-Star Pontao Hotel offers many amenities including a terrace with a jacuzzi, sunloungers, a gym, and table tennis, along with a pool, a bar, and a restaurant.