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Salinas de Pedra de Lume - Sal Island

Salinas de Pedra de Lume - location

Salinas de Pedra de Lume is a group of salt pans on the island of Sal, located in the crater of an extinct volcano, 1100 meters from the sea. The highest point, the rim, is 39 meters above sea level, while the lowest, the base of the crater, is below sea level. Salinas occupies a total area of approximately 40 hectares.

Elevated to the category of National Heritage and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Cape Verde, Salinas de Pedra de Lume is a must for anyone visiting the island of Sal.

 

Salinas de Pedra de Lume - history

In the past, the northern side of the crater was in contact with the sea through natural channels. Seawater seeped into the crater and, after evaporating, left a deposit of rock salt estimated at more than fifty million tons (IPC).

The salt mining industry, which gives the island its name, is said to have begun at the end of the 17th century and played a crucial role in the occupation and development of the island. At the peak of the salt industry, the island exported more than 30,000 tons a year.

At the end of the 19th century, the salt industry suffered a sharp decline, largely due to the restrictive import measures imposed by Brazil, Cape Verde's main salt importer.

The 1920s marked the rise of the salt industry on the island, with the installation of the French company Salins du Cap Vert. This would change the history and landscape of Pedra de Lume forever with the installation of an 1100-meter cable car from the salt pans to the shipping areas.

With a capacity to transport up to 25 tons of salt per hour, the cable car replaced the transportation of salt previously done by animals and boosted the exploitation of salt on the island. In addition, a tunnel was opened in the volcano wall, providing better access to the salt pans. Cape Verde's main salt import markets became the French and Belgian colonies in Africa.

In the second half of the 20th century, a new global context of market (un)availability would greatly change the history of the national salt industry. Of particular note were the changes in trade policies in one of the main importers of national salt at the time, the Democratic Republic of Congo, after that country's independence in the early 1960s.

With the increase in the exploitation and availability of salt in other countries, the exploitation of this element on the island of Sal has fallen sharply. There is currently a small salt farm on the island, which is mainly used to make cosmetic and therapeutic products.

At the end of the 20th century, the island of Sal emerged once again on the world scene, now as a tourist destination. Pedra de Lume, then rehabilitated, became one of the island's main tourist attractions.

 

What to do in Salinas de Pedra de Lume?

1. Hiking

Salinas de Pedra de Lume is a must for anyone visiting the island of Sal. The beauty of the landscape is unparalleled in the archipelago and deserves a little attention.

Before entering the salt flats, you can walk around the crater.

At the entrance to the crater, a cave leads to a series of multicolored salt beds, through which you can stroll and appreciate the polychromatic mosaics of the salt pans.

You can also follow the cable car route down to the fishing village of Pedra de Lume, where there are still ruins and monuments from the industrial era.

2. Therapeutic baths

Along the salt flats are shallow lakes, less than a meter deep, with a saline concentration 27 times that of seawater. The high salt concentration makes it possible to float easily in the water.

In addition, the minerals in the salt water have a relaxing effect on the body and an exfoliating effect on the skin, which leads many people to seek out the place for therapeutic purposes.

Salinas de Pedra de Lume is an authentic open-air spa. Remember to bring your bathing suit and make the most of the experience.

 

How to get to the Salinas de Pedra de Lume?

Salinas de Pedra de Lume is located in the northeast of the island of Sal, approximately 6 kilometers from the city center of Espargos, the island's capital, and about 25 kilometers from Santa Maria.

From Espargos, the more adventurous can choose to walk to the salt pans; the journey takes about an hour and a half. Alternatively, you can go by quad bike, cab or your own transportation. 

The transportation options from Santa Maria are the same. If you choose to take a cab or hired transport, it is best to agree on the price and waiting time before taking the transport back to the city.

How much does entry to the Pedra de Lume salt flats cost?

Entry to the Pedra de Lume salt pans is free for nationals and around 5 euros for foreigners. The price includes access to swim in the salt ponds.

 

Tips on the Pedra de Lume salt flats

  • Avoid getting salt water in your eyes. The high concentration of salts in the water can be abrasive to the conjunctiva of the eye.
  • The opening hours of Salinas de Pedra de Lume are generally 09:00 - 17:45 daily.
  • The best time to visit the salt flats is usually at the beginning or end of the day, when the sun is less intense and the influx of people is smaller. However, try to go when the weather is still sunny, which is when the colors of the salt flats stand out the most.
  • If possible, avoid times around midday when the sun is very intense and the number of visitors tends to be higher.
  • There are freshwater showers on site where you can "wash off the salt" after soaking in the salt flats before leaving.
  • There is a small restaurant in the salt pans where you can buy snacks and drinks.

 

Curiosities about the Pedra de Lume salt pans

  • In order to preserve the nature and historical cultural value of the site, Salinas de Pedra de Lume was classified as a protected nature reserve by Decree-Law 3/2003, of February 24.
  • Salinas de Pedra de Lume was also classified as a National Natural, Historical and Cultural Heritage Site by Resolution No. 21/2012 of April 24.
  • In December 2013, Salinas de Pedra de Lume was named one of the 7 Wonders of Cape Verde in the "Bays, coves, inlets and wetlands of any size" category.
  • Salinas de Pedra de Lume is part of the Cape Verde's indicative list for UNESCOand therefore aspires to be recognized as a world heritage site.

 

Sources:

Salinas de Pedra Lume: National Heritage and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Cape Verde. Available at Cape Verde's Cultural Agenda

Monuments and Sites: Salinas de Pedra de Lume, National Heritage. Available at Cultural Heritage Institute