Welcome to Saly Portudal, The Beautiful Coast!

Commonly called Saly, the city of Saly Portudal takes its name from the old Portuguese counter that it was and which was nicknamed “Porto De Ale”, the port of beer. From “Sali Portugal”, the name quickly became Saly Portudal.
With around twenty hotels, around 40 private residences and more than a hundred second homes for seasonal rentals, Saly has between 15,000 and 20,000 beds, which makes it unquestionably the leading seaside resort in Senegal if the add to this its beautiful beaches and many restaurants and nightclubs.

Come spend a weekend or a dream vacation in SALY PORTUDAL!

A little bit of history, geography and administrative to begin…

SALY’S STORY

According to serious historical sources, the old name Saly-Portudal was “Ndèmane Ngoudhie”. Legend attributes the foundation of the village of Saly-Portudal, in the 4th century, to Lat Gandal, whose name means “one who knows many things”. Lat Gandal also happens to be the little brother of the founding father of the city of Mbour.
Saly Portudal is one of the oldest villages in Senegal. According to oral tradition, Saly was first occupied by the Socés. Subsequently, the Serers arrived from the Senegal River valley, fleeing the Islamization of northern Senegal. The alliance of the languages of these two Serer and Socé ethnic groups gave birth to the traditional Salois language, namely Koulang-Koulang, a language which, moreover, has not been spoken for a long time.
The Wolofs (or Wolofs) will appear later at about the same time as the Lebous from the Cape Verde peninsula and Mauritania.
Saly was discovered by Denis Diaz, a Portuguese navigator, in 1444 at the same time as the coasts of the Cape Verde peninsula. Saly will then become a Portuguese counter on the sea route to India. Legend has it that when the Portuguese arrived on Saly beach, they asked a fisherman for the name of the village. The latter would have answered “saly”, a word designating a way of slicing the fish to prepare the bait in Wolof, which he was doing precisely. On the basis of this response, the Portuguese then baptized the village in the name of “Saly-Portugal”, a name deformed into Saly-Portudal thereafter.
Saly quickly became a wealthy trading post and an exchange of commodities for guns and fabrics.

GEOGRAPHY OF SALY
Saly is located about 90 km south of Dakar and only about 20 minutes from the AIBD – Blaise Diagne International Airport – on the coastal part called the “small coast” in opposition to the large coast in the north going from Dakar to Saint Louis.
The seaside resort is bordered by the communes of Ngaparou, Somone, Malicounda and Gandigal, and of course Mbour on its southern flank.
Saly has suffered the brunt of problems related to coastal erosion which has caused a lot of damage over the past 10 years, particularly in hotels and villas located by the sea.
This problem led to major dyke construction and beach rehabilitation work, which was completed in 2021, restoring the seaside to its former glory.

Population: The inhabitants of Saly are called “Salois”. The number of inhabitants is difficult to grasp by census because of the large number of non-permanent residents of the city. The latest estimates give around 31,000 inhabitants at the end of 2021.
Saly is also marked by the presence of a strong foreign community, more particularly of French and Belgian origin.

ADMINISTRATION & ECONOMY
The SAPCO (Société d’Aménagement de la Petite Côte) has always had a leading role in the administration of the area and still holds more than 600 hectares of land there that it can allocate in complete autonomy.
Administratively, the municipality of Saly depends on the Department of Mbour attached to the Region of Thiès.
The commune is made up of the following 15 districts: Saly Koulang; Saly Tapé; Saly Golf; South Saly (Darou Salam); Saly Joseph; Saly Station; Saly Velingara; Saly Diaksao; Saly Crossroads; Saly Darou Extension; Saly Darou; Saly Niakhniakhal Extension; Saly Niakhniakhal; Saly Bambara; Carrefour Malicounda Extension.

Economy

Economically, most of the town’s resources come from tourism and fishing. Indeed, the many hotel complexes present on the site as well as the nightclubs and restaurants, etc., are the basis of a dynamic local economy and support most of the permanent residents of the municipality.

Life in Saly

Many activities and leisure activities (nautical activities, golf, horse riding, sport fishing, etc.) make Saly a popular attraction for travelers and in fact, one of the first seaside resorts in West Africa.
Major retail chains have set up shop over the past ten years and there are supermarkets such as Casino, Super U, Auchan, Holiday Inn, etc.

WHERE TO GO OUT IN SALY?
Saly is one of the liveliest places in Senegal. You want to vibrate to the nocturnal rhythm of Saly, you will not be disappointed. Saly is indeed “The place to be” because with its 100 restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the atmosphere is guaranteed without a shadow of a doubt…
Find the best addresses for restaurants and bars or nightclubs in Saly;

If you are more of a family or friends activity, no worries, there is everything you need. Indeed, countless leisure activities are available to you and your family in Saly and its region:
Quad biking, water activities (Jet skiing, water skiing, boat or canoe rides, windsurfing, flyboarding, towed buoys, etc.), visit to Bandia, excursion to Accro-Baobabs, buggy rentals, etc.

Find our best providers below

Rather want a moment of relaxation and well-being in peace? Then opt for a spa or massage session. Several types of massage will be offered to you, from the tonic massage to the relaxing one, even passing through the chocolate massage!

Find below our selection of best providers of this month for you.

WHAT TO VISIT IN THE SALY REGION?

The Petite-Côte, beyond the beauty of the seaside resort of Saly, remains a very pleasant region in terms of resort activities. Indeed, many new places to visit making the Petite-Côte remains the most visited tourist region of Senegal.

The Somone Lagoon
Constituted as a nature reserve, the Lagoon of Somone extends over nearly 700 hectares with breathtaking mangrove vegetation. Every year, the Lagoon is the receptacle of dozens of species of migratory birds. Several nautical activities are proposed there as well as excursions in quads. The magnificent landscapes offered by the baobab forest and the endless mangroves will take your breath away.

The Exotic Park of Nguerigne Bambara
Founded by a Frenchman passionate about exotic birds, the park is located in the Nguerigne Bambara district. It will make you discover beautiful species of birds that you would never have imagined. Take advantage of a guided tour by highly pedagogical professionals who will teach you all the details about these birds. Beyond the birds, a magnificent floral park will amaze your eyes! Allow 10,000 CFA per person for this pleasant half-day visit. A welcome cocktail will be served upon your arrival.

Craft village of Saly
If you want to bring back original souvenirs from your stay in Saly, then don’t miss the unmissable Craft Village in the heart of the city. You will be delighted by the dresses in African colors, the statues carved in wood or stone, the paintings of art and many other handicrafts.

Golf of Saly
Fancy a round of golf or an initiation course, discover the beautiful course at the exit of Saly in the direction of Ngaparou. A pleasant 18-hole green course meeting international standards, the Golf de Saly will offer you an unforgettable moment of relaxation.

The Bandia Reserve
For an unforgettable experience in terms of excursion with family or friends, Bandia remains one of the essential tourist attractions in Senegal. A real safari awaits you. To live a unique experience by going on a real safari, the Bandia reserve is the attraction not to be missed, about 10 minutes from Saly. Spread over more than 3500 hectares, the Bandia Park will make you discover animals that you had almost forgotten. Indeed, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, monkeys, oryx or crocodiles, not to mention giant tortoises and several bird species.