The wooden pier divides the beach of Santa Maria in two, but on the pier everyone comes together again: the fishermen who sell their catch of the day, the locals who come to buy fish and the tourists who are gazing at the huge yellowfin tuna’s, swordfish and wahoo’s. You can buy fresh fish here for a very reasonable price, but you can also see how they are caught when you travel with a local fisherman. You leave early in the morning and in the afternoon, you are back with your self-caught fish. A local restaurant will be happy to prepare it for you. In the afternoon when al the fishes are sold, the pier belongs to the local kids. Who can make the craziest jump into the Atlantic? Wanna join them? You’re more than welcome.
The restaurants not only serve delicious fresh fish, shellfish and other local specialties. You can also go to the cafés and restaurants for pizzas, pastas and a hamburger with fries. There are many terraces and restaurants where you can enjoy a stunning caipirinha or mojito with your feet in the white sand. Enjoying the view of spectacular beach volleyball, soccer or watch the local djembe musicians play.
In the evening the center of Santa Maria really starts to bustle, you should definitely experience this during your holiday on Sal. There are regular performances on the square and you can also hear live music in the surrounding cafés and restaurants. Cape Verdeans sure like to party. And the fun fact is, they can’t sit still. Once the music is turned on they start dancing and when the music stops… they will still be dancing.
