Sal Island: Shark Bay Shark Watching Experience from Santa Maria
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
A native and professional tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and after an informative transfer trip of approximately 25 minutes you will arrive at the eastern part of the island, on the beach with the natural nursery rife of the lemon sharks, which is a brown shark. clear, sand-colored, in its natural environment. These sharks pose no threat to humans. To enter the water you must wear water shoes or crocs for walking on rocky surfaces.
The Lemon Shark is medium to large in size and its scientific name is Negaprion Brevirostris.
After spending 40 minutes learning all about sharks, you will be taken back to your accommodation or hotel where you were picked up. Water shoes suitable for the surface of the place included for your safety and comfort.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Don't forget to bring: GoPro/Camera, Swimsuits and Towel
Please wear water shoes suitable for rocky surfaces. If you do not have them, they will be provided free of charge on site.
All-inclusive package at no extra cost!
People under the influence of alcohol cannot participate.
It is necessary to be physically fit to walk.
What To Expect
Join this adventurous experience and observe lemon sharks in their natural habitat. Visit the eastern part of the island on a beach that boasts a natural colony of lemon sharks, slightly brown or sand-colored when in its natural environment. Choose to stay on the beach and watch the sharks with binoculars or go into the water to see them up close. The lemon shark is medium to large and is not a threat to people, but it can be a danger to other animals in the ocean. Its scientific name is Negaprion Brevirostris. The average length of a lemon shark is about two and a half to three meters. Some of the largest lemon sharks measure about 3.4 meters. These sharks grow about 50 centimeters a year. After spending 60 minutes swimming with the sharks and learning everything about them, you will be taken back to your hotel or hostel where you were picked up. Learn all about sharks and their habitat with the help of a professional guide.
Options
Portuguese speaking guide
Pickup included
English speaking guide
Pickup included
Spanish speaking guide
Pickup included
French speaking guide
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Water shoes and all equipment included for your safety and to make traveling easier.
Child seat from 0 to 3 years old (on request)
Liability insurance
Transfer from the hotel
Guide
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
107 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Lemon sharks
194garycc,May 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great trip but we had good water clarity might be different if sand churned up conditions. Thoroughly enjoy it.
That they picked up earlier...
Camilla W,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00That they picked up earlier than it said on the ticket was a minus we had to rush. Got a message 10 minutes after we were supposed to meet the bus. Even so, it was cool to experience. Awesome when the sharks swam between their legs. You should have good balance to be able to go out to the sharks because there are rocks and corals on the bottom and long way out until you get to your knees. Recommend seeing sharks in their natural habitat.
Great experience! So...
Becky H,Feb 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience! So amazing to be so close to these incredible creatures in their own environment. Would highly recommend. The shore is very rocky so sensible water shoes is a must and do take care when walking. It was windy when we went so lots of waves. The sharks are just beautiful though - worth it! 💙
Happy half day
Alexander S,Dec 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nice and knowledgeable guide. Unfortunately quite uncomfortable drive to and from the various sights as we sat in the back of a pick-up truck.
LILSNOOP THE BEST GUIDE OF CAPE VERDE 🇨🇻
giuliamM9875TJ,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Frankly I loved the experience, the atmosphere on the bus was great. The tour guide explained us really well we even had a little quiz to do it was rewarding it was LILSNOOP frankly to recommend more answers very well to the question we ask him with a lot of interesting detail 🇨🇻🥹🤪
Baby shark
NathalieR2580,Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Easy to book with TripAdvisor even the day before. Our shark bay tour with Luxair was cancelled the day before....fortunately TripAdvisor was there to save us. 😁
Lots of sharks to see ❤️
Clive P,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience saw lots of sharks swimming between our legs some quite big ones 😳 Loved it and seeing them in their natural environment was awesome we would recommend.
COULD NOT UNDERSTAND GUIDE.
kevinrP6413WJ,Sep 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Boring, only tiny shakes, not as advertised. Guide was not English, hard to understand on a trip that we only booked as it was supposed to be in English. Not worth the money
Lemon sharks in Sal
Quest14275927771,Jul 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We went on our own at 8.30 in the morning so were the first people there. One of the locals approached us, which we had become vary wary of with the amount you get harassed everywhere you go on the island, but he was very friendly and helpful. We paid €5 each and in return he let me use some of the sea shoes they have (basically crocs) which they had many sizes of and were all clean. He then took us out to where the sharks were and used fish bait to entice them over. The sharks were completely harmless and occasionally bumped into our legs. He then told us a bit of information about them and stayed with us for a good half an hour.
Great experience!
Andres FGG,Apr 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience with such nice guides, both to the location and when we met the sharks. Would fully recommend booking a trip with them!
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