In short
Sal is the flattest and most arid island in Cape Verde: no relief, no vegetation, no river. It also carries the international airport and most of the hotel capacity.
The constant trade wind has made it one of the world's kitesurfing and windsurfing destinations, particularly on Santa Maria bay.
What it really costs
Cape Verde is dearer than the African mainland: everything is imported, and the escudo is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate, which removes exchange risk.
The archipelago is covered by domestic flight or ferry. Santo Antão and Fogo, mountainous and green, are the opposite of Sal and need several days.
What nobody tells you
Anyone coming for a green tropical island has the wrong island: Sal is a desert. Cape Verde's vegetation is on Santo Antão, a flight and a ferry away.
The entry levy is paid online before arrival and its absence stops you at the desk. It is modest but compulsory.
Saharan dust haze — the calima — veils the sky several days a year, mostly from December to February.