Is Sal Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Sal
Safety rating
Women living in Sal consider the safety level to be relatively low, with an overall safety rating of 2.4 out of 5.
Crime rating
Women living in Sal consider the crime rate to be very low, with an overall crime rating of 1 out of 5.
Make friends while traveling solo
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Crime & Safety Statistics
Safety rating: | 2.4/5 | Unsafe |
Safety walking alone after dark: | N/A | Not enough data |
Safety using public transport: | N/A | Not enough data |
Crime rate: | 1/5 | Very Low |
Worries of being sexually harassed: | N/A | Not enough data |
Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped: | N/A | Not enough data |
Worries of being physically attacked: | N/A | Not enough data |
Worries of home broken and things stolen: | N/A | Not enough data |
Worries of being mugged or robbed: | N/A | Not enough data |
Worries of being kidnapped or murdered: | N/A | Not enough data |
How safe is Sal?
Is Sal worth visiting?
Travel rating
based on 4 experiences from female travelers
Paula
Portugal
Solo travel
I am obsessed with Cape Verde! I was only in Santa Maria as I didn’t have much time there but it was amazing. I felt very safe and relaxed. January is amazing time to visit Sal! It’s a very touristic place full of resorts so I can tell that prices were for tourists not for locals, but they were still ok, just do your research and you can find great and cheap places:) And I felt very safe even walking alone at night - there were always a lot of people everywhere so I was never actually alone.
Posted: February 3, 2025Solo travel
Sal took a bit of getting used to as a solo traveller. I usually enjoy very active solo holidays with plenty of hiking but Sal is very much a beach destination. There are things to do but make sure you book online with a tour provider, it’s cheaper plus I found taxis a little expensive and public transport next to non-existent. I did a half day sailing tour (an absolute highlight as I saw humpback whales and turtles) and a visit to shark bay with wonderful marine biologists. The locals are lovely and friendly but you will get a lot of comments from men. Initially I felt really unsafe and harassed especially as I was staying away from the tourist area but eventually I relaxed and realised this is very much part of the culture and not a threat! The men ARE flirtatious though so say hello and then move on. Most locals speak Portuguese and creole so I really recommend finding people to meet up with, joining tours or staying in a hotel (rather than Airbnb) if you don’t speak those languages and feel you want company. In the end I really enjoyed my stay but I’m not sure it makes a great solo destination unless you plan better than I did. Despite always avoiding tourist areas I would actually recommend staying in a hotel here and planning excursions in advance especially if you want to see more of the island. Don’t believe the suggestions of island hopping here, it’s very difficult, unreliable and expensive to get to the other islands unless you have plenty of time and money! Unless you can comfortably sit on a beach for a week on your own (I can’t!) then some thinking ahead will make all the difference but expect beautiful beaches, lovely locals and tonnes of delicious seafood
Posted: April 19, 2024
