The best way to discover the island of Sal

Disclosure: We love how our audience helps us grow. This post may contain affiliate links. Please check our disclosure policy for more information.

Hiring an electric bike from the main street in Santa Maria to explore the island of Sal, is one of the best adventures we had on this stunning island. They kept catching our attention as we meandered around the village until one morning, we just decided to do it! And wow, are we glad we did.

This adventure is perfect for some Water Wellness. Outdoor fitness. Blue Space. Sea air. Exploring. Discovering. Learning. Taking in the moments.

In fact, it’s so good, we add it to our Water Wellness to Sal Guide!

We were lucky that two bikes were available, so it is worth reserving ahead of time. Please don’t be disappointed as you won’t forget this experience – we promise.

Hire for a half or full day. We hired half a day which was plenty of time to explore the southern part of the island. As and when we go back, we’ll hire for a full day so we can explore more northern parts that are just waiting to be discovered.

And the best bit is, these electric bike hires in Sal are great value for money. In 2023, they are only €15 for a half day/4 hours per bike or just €25 for a full day/10 hours per bike. They also have non-electric bikes for about half the price.

You are given a handy little map with routes to take and useful points of interest highlighted:

Make your own island adventure

We worked our way backwards to the suggested route on the map! Having never ridden an electric bike before, the lack of effort it took to hit the sand was incredible! We headed towards the southeasterly part of the island and took to the sand dunes. To be fair, they didn’t quite make it over soft, deep sand, but we had fun trying! They are quite heavy bikes so be prepared to do some heaving out of the sand, but they are really easy to operate.

After loving the Turtle Hatchery and learning about this incredibly important biodiversity project, we pointed towards Ponta Preta, one of the best beaches on the island and let the electric do the rest! We got quite far up this path, almost to Black Point, but did a 180-degree turn around to come back as it got quite rocky. The bike was loving it (due to their soft, wide tyres that just eat the jagged terrain), but for us, our own questionable stability meant it was going to hurt if one of us came off!

Cutting across the island across the Nature reserve and to Kite Beach was the perfect time to see what these bikes were capable of. The roads, or paths really, are wide, smooth and flat – perfect for getting that blast of fresh sea air. Heading towards Kite Beach, the views of the giant sails in the sky make you want to get there even faster! It’s an impressive sight.

Riding through the salt flats

Meander back through the salt flats (what Sal is famous for!) and twist and turn along the different paths. Discover how locals live in their makeshift houses amongst the salt beds. Take some jagged chunks of salt home, with a small donation offered for their time to present them beautifully.

Ride through the back streets of Santa Maria to give your eyes a treat with colourful buildings from one end to another. Witness their culture, how residents live and wonder in awe of such a simple way of living.

Explore the many beaches that lead back to Santa Maria and really appreciate the natural beauty of the island. There isn’t much traffic along the roads so it’s safe enough to travel along – just be aware of junctions. Locals are used to seeing sightseers out on these bikes, so they will stop and let you go if you look a little unsure!

For half a day, or 4 hours, we only used half the battery available. To be completely honest, we didn’t pedal a huge amount during our adventure. Most of the power was used going up towards Black Point as it was quite offroad, and when sprinting along the Nature Reserve. Being a largely flat island, there are plenty of times to put some pedal power behind it and get a bit of an outdoor workout! But there’s also plenty of opportunity to let the bike do all the work for you! If you are worried about running out of battery life, you can hire an additional one for the day.

Take a guided electric bike hire tour

If planning your own adventure isn’t what you want, head out on a guided electric bike hire tour. Not only will you learn more about the history and culture of the island, but you’ll also be in safe hands with a tour guide. Groups can be about 10+ or more, so you can get to experience with others on this unforgettable discovery.

Expect to follow a similar route to the map illustrated above. Plenty of time for a dip in the sea. Lots of photo opportunities. Many ocean views.

Discovering Sal at a slower pace allows you to take in all its natural beauty. Zoom around in a car; you miss it. Go on foot and you may not see it all within your holiday. This electric bike hire in Sal is fun and brings a smile to anyone face. They are super easy to operate and well worth hiring to explore for a few hours.

Highly recommended! Enjoy.