The main town on the island of Boa Vista, Sal Rei is home to around 9,000 inhabitants. Its name derives from the salt (Sal) extracted from its salt pans, which were said to be of royal quality (Rei). Salt production, for which the town was famous, ceased for good in 1979. Bars, restaurants and small souvenir shops abound in this village, which remains typical and authentic despite the development of tourism. Sal Rei bears witness to the island's past splendor, with its colonial buildings, 13th-century saltworks ruins, chapel and Jewish cemetery. In 1872, a Jewish colony from North Africa settled in Boa Vista. A family by the name of Benoliel built a cemetery, the remains of which can still be seen near the Marine Club. The descendants of this family still own much of the island's land. This is also the site of the ruins of Fort Duque de Bragança, built to withstand the constant attacks of pirates and privateers who plundered the town in 1818. Today, it's hard to imagine that the town once lived in terror of pirates, given its tranquil appearance and the pace of its inhabitants. Sal Rei's economic activity remains very limited: fishing and services linked to tourism, which is still developing. At the entrance to the town, with its calm waters, Estoril beach is a little corner of paradise for those who want to try their hand at water sports or simply relax on the warm sand.

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Cathédrale de Sal Rei Abdesslam Benzitouni
Glacier de Sal Rei. Julien HARDY - Author's Image
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