Incentive Group / Mice
2 Hours
Monday and Friday
From €25 / Participant
An amazing excursion in which you can see the lemon sharks from close, in their natural environment, and then reach the top of the volcano in Pedra de Lume to enjoy the amazing view of the salt flats into the crater.
Shuttle
Pickup and Drop-off
Local Guide
Friendly and Professional
You will be picked up from you hotel by a professional guide and after an informative transfer of approximately 25 minutes you will arrive at the eastern part of the island, the nursery of the lemon sharks, where you can see the lemon sharks in their natural environment. Once arrived you will be taken into the water to see them from close, because these sharks don't represent a threat to humans. In order to enter the water, you will need proper shoes for walking on rocky surface (It is also possible to rent them on the spot for 2 euro/person).
Please note that even if we have a very high success rate, being nature, we cannot guarantee to see the sharks.
After the tour and before heading back to Santa Maria, as an extra, we will take you to the top of the volcano of Pedra de Lume to see the stunning view of the Salt Flats built into the crater.
Our guide will pick you up in front of the reception of your hotel/accomodation at the scheduled time. You will be taken to the Shark Bay, where you will be able to see the Lemon Sharks swimming in their natural environment. After that, we will make a quick stop on the top of the Volcano of Pedra De Lume, for an amazing panoramic view of the Salt Lake.
In the crater of an old volcano, you can find the second most salty water of the world.
Recommended (Available for rent 2€)
Recommended
We recommend to have swimwear and a towel with you. Considering the rocky underground of Shark Bay, it is useful to wear special water shoes to protect your feet. If you don’t have any you can rent them directly on spot for only €2 per pair.
No, the sharks we visit are in their natural habitat and are not domesticated. Trying to touch the sharks could provoke aggressive behaviour, even with the baby sharks.
No, we walk into shallow water to get a closer look of the sharks but swimming/snorkeling is not allowed as it could be dangerous.
Santa Maria, Ilha do Sal - Cape Verde
The shark bay is a lagoon with the lava rocks at the bottom which make the area a perfect spot for the lemon sharks hunting for food. Because of the shallow water, the tide of the ocean makes the place different every few hours and can make it easier to see the sharks depending on the level of the water.
In order to enter to see the sharks, it’s recommended to wear shoes (any type of shoes except flip flops). If needed, you can rent shoes directly from local on-site vendors which cost on average roughly 2/3€ per person.
If you are not on a guided tour, you can typically give a small tip to one of the vendors and they will come with you into the water to explain a little bit about the sharks.
The village was built in 1796, by Manuel António Martins, and was divided into two parts:
The old crater of Pedra de Lume is famous because of the salt flats that you can find inside. Salt flats that had seen their “golden times” during the 18th century when the salt was mostly exported to Brazil, until 1887 when the Brazilian Government decided to banish the salt importation.
The salt production was revived by a French company named “Salins du Cabo Verde” which was the owner until the end of the 20th century when they closed the production and sold the area to an Italian company who bought it for touristic purposes.
Today the volcano of Pedra de Lume is one of the main attractions of Sal and a must for every tour. You can either enjoy the view from the top of the crater or swim (actually float) in the second most salty water of the world.
In order to enter to the crater you will need to pay an entrance fee of 5€ per person. FREE entry for children under 120cm height and Cape Verdean nationals and immigrants with a valid ID Card.
If you swim in the salty waters and would like to shower afterwards, you will also need to pay an extra 1€ for the shower (highly recommended).