Fishing docks on the Sado Estuary, near Comporta, Portugal (© Francesco Carovillano/Tandem Stills + Motion)

【November 2 2015】The Sado River is the only major river in Portugal to flow north. As it reaches the Atlantic coast in the Setúbal District, the Sado becomes an estuary that remains as important to the local economy as it is to the health of the broader ecosystem of the region. Larger fishing villages in the region, such as Alcácer do Sal and especially Comporta, have begun to reposition themselves as holiday resorts where tourists can take in the local scenery and view wildlife. There’s a lot to draw visitors – the Sado River Estuary is a bird-watcher’s haven. Here we see the hamlet called Carrasqueira, adjacent to Comporta, where the rustic docks and stilt houses called “palafitos” can make visitors feel as if they’ve traveled back to a simpler time.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..