Praia do Porto da Barra

Praia do Porto da Barra The best beaches of Bahia State are not in Salvador, but it doesn´t mean you can´t have a deserved sea bath after some hours strolling through the city. In this case, take the chance if you are in Barra neighbourhood, or if you are visiting the three fortress, to stop by Porto da Barra beach.  Boys diving at Porto da Barra beach, in Salvador. It seems one of the favorite sports practised by young people at this coastal city of Brazil As it lays inside the All Saint´s Bay, its waters are calm enough for stand up paddle practitioners, kayaking, diving into the sea from the remnants of a stone pier of the stronghold, and other sports.....or simply laying at the beach drinking a beer or a caipirinha.  Some tents rent chairs and beach umbrellas, and sell the drinks you need, so you don´t have to carry anything with you, unless beachwear, to enjoy the sunset by the Porto da Barra beach.

Cannons at the Santa Maria Fortress, with the Porto da Barra beach, to the left, and Forte São Diogo, atop. The Porto da Barra beach is the most visited by the LGBT community, where, by night, some bars welcomes gay-friendly visitors.

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Getting inside the Bahia de Todos os Santos, west to the Farol da Barra, is the Forte Santa Maria, the second stronghold protecting All Saint´s Bay. 

Cannons and a small museum welcome visitors. Nice pics can be taken of the Farol da Barra and the Forte São Diogo, the third fortress in line. 

Farol da Barra, view from Santa Maria Fortress

Just 650m separate Farol da Barra from Santa Maria Fortress. 

Forte São Diogo

Forte São Diogo

Forte São Diogo, at Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

The Forte São Diogo, is the third fortress on the entrance of All Saint´s Bay, just some meters from Forte Santa Maria. 

The two strongholds are separated by the Porto da Barra beach (see next post). 

The fortress is still kept by the Brazillian Army, and has a nice view from atop, for those willing to climb it. 

Built between 1626 and 1635, after the dutch invasion of Salvador (1624-1625), it granted the defense of Salvador in 1638, when a new atempt of foreign invasion was expelled. 

Also, a permanent art exposition of the argentinian artist Hector Julio Paride Bernabó, also known as Carybé, is held inside the fortification and can be visited under payment of 20 reais (about 6 US dollars). 

Carybé fell in love with Salvador, and made good friendship with Jorge Amado, Bahia´s most famos writer. Both are dead, but the Jorge Amado´s house in Pelourinho works as a museum which tells the history of the writer (see future post). Carybé died in Salvador, where some of its artwork can be found, as in this small museum inside Forte São Diogo.

Mercado Modelo de Salvador

Mercado Modelo de Salvador

(Salvador´s Central Market)

The Mercado Modelo in located at Cidade Baixa (Down City), accesible from Cidade Alta (High City) through Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda´s lift, see previous post). 

The lift works as a regular public transportation, and its tariff is less than 50 cents of real, really cheap. Unfortunatelly, at Cidade Baixa there´s no much to see besides the Mercado Modelo, as basically the Cidade Baixa helds the seaport, the customs and trade companies. 

The Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda´s lift, to the left) and the Mercado Modelo, at the Cidade Baixa (center)
 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

The Mercado, however, is pretty much focused on tourists, where you can buy local stuff, food, and craftsmenship. 

It closes by 7 pm, but one hour before there´s a nice sunset view on the 2nd floor, at the bar facing the sea. A good place to take your favorite brazillian juice, soft dringk, beer or caipirinha, as the sun goes down.

Between the Mercado and the sea, there is the touristic harbour, from where boats departing to Morro de São Paulo (see previous post) and other touristic attractions can be taken. 

Farol da Barra - Salvador´s most remarkable landmark

Farol da Barra - Salvador´s most remarkable landmark

Farol da Barra (Barra´s Lighthouse) has now a very beautiful night lighting. During the day, inside its fortress, it is possible to visit a navy museum. In fact, the other next two fortress, going west towards the Bahia de Todos os Santos ("All Saints Bay"), have received night lighting and a urban refurbishment of its sidewalks, rendering a very good spot for a stroll, day or night.

As capital of Brazil during colonial times, all the fortress served as the city´s protection against pirates and foreing forces. 

At night, the sidewalk is full with restaurants and bars, ranging from simple options to sophisticated ones. 

See next posts about the other fortress at Barra. 

Salvador - getting ready for more tourists

A recent trip to Salvador made me notice the city is getting great improvements on its urban infraestructure, espeacially compared to a decade ago.

Metro is being built to reach the ariport (SSA), scheduled to the end of 2017, so hopefully it will be posible for tourists to use it to new year´s eve and 2018 carnival. Few cities in Brazil have the metro or subway reaching the airport, so it will be a great advantage for tourists in Salvador, though regular taxis, uber and 99taxis are also available at the airport. 

Plus, many touristic places at Barra and Rio Vermelho, and espeacially the streets, squares and gardens by the sea were improved by the Municipality, making of it a great place for strolling while feeling the seabreeze. 

The city is becoming far more welcoming to tourists, though the downside is theft/pickpocketing, so I recommend to be very carefull with smartphones, cameras and wallets. Also, there´s still plenty of people trying to insistently sell local stuff; if you´re not interested, just say no (also insistently) and get away. Leave your valuable things at your hotel´s room safe box, and enjoy this formidable historic city, a result of mixed cultures of Brazil. 

A peculiar restaurant in Boipeba

A peculiar restaurant in Boipeba

Guido´s Restaurant at Boipeba island: shrimp and farofa, a mix made of manioc flour and other ingredients.

A very famous restaurant amongst brazillian tourists is Guido´s restaurant or kiosk, at one of the beaches at Boipeba Island. 

Lobster, fish and shrimp, done in the bahianian way, are very good. The farofa, a mix of manioc flour (or wheat or rice flour), combined with bacon or sausage, is almost always present at the northeastern dishes in Brazil. 

Palmtrees at Boipeba Island, close to Guido´s restaurant

The simplicity of the place, surrounded by gorgeous palmtrees at one side, and by the sea, at the other, makes the shack where Guido makes his cousine a very pleasant place. 

Palmtrees at Boipeba Island, close to Guido´s restaurant

Just the peace of this magic place makes company to food lovers, who flock after a morning bath or ride to Guido´s restaurant looking for a good food. 

Palmtrees at Boipeba Island, close to Guido´s restaurant

Palmtrees at Boipeba Island, close to Guido´s restaurant

Guido´s Restaurant at Boipeba island

Guido´s Restaurant at Boipeba island, is recognized by the 4 roads magazine

Boipeba

Boipeba

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

The Boipeba island is located between Morro de São Paulo and the Maraú Peninsula, however closer to Morro de São Paulo. In fact, a river separates both islands. 

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

Boipeba is harder to get than Morro, as it is further south; from Maraú, it is possible to get there by the speedboat, but it is not a quick, neither cheap trip. 

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

The community has a web site, not only in portuguese but also in some other languages. Here is the link for the english version: 

http://www.ilhaboipeba.org.br/en/boipeba.html

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

They even explain all the options on how to arrive there:

http://www.ilhaboipeba.org.br/en/comochegar.html

Boipeba is a very beautiful spot where humpback whales come in the search for warmer waters during the months of july to november. Some tour operators offer the ride to viewing the whales. 

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

Natural swimming pools are also available in the middle of the ocean, formed by the coral reefs, common in the area. The watercolours is also amazing and rare in Brazil, as it is more similar to the caribbean sea. 

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

Boipeba beaches and island, at Bahia, Brazil

The stone with a hole

The stone with a hole - Maraú Peninsula

A very curious formation in one of the islands close to the Maraú Peninsula, is this stone with a hole. The islands nearby can be good spots for swimming and chilling out, but this one is doubtlessly, the most interesting. 

The stone with a hole - Maraú Peninsula

 Travelling by boat alongside the Maraú Peninsula´s coastline is quite an experience with very beautiful views and small islands with white sand beaches.

The beautiful scenary at the Maraú Peninsula, Bahia, Brazil

The beautiful scenary at the Maraú Peninsula, Bahia, Brazil

The beautiful scenary at the Maraú Peninsula, Bahia, Brazil

To get to Barra Grande and the Maraú Peninsula, see our previous post>

http://brazilguide.blogspot.com.br/2015/09/peninsula-do-marau.html

Cachoeira do Tremembé

Cachoeira do Tremembé 

Tremembé Waterfall

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil

A nice spot close to Barra Grande beach, at the Maraú Peninsula, is the Cachoeira do Tremembé - tremembé waterfall.

At the pier of Barra Grande, tourists can take boats or speedboats to the place, which is located somewhere between the continent and the peninsula.

During the boat trip, some stops at small islands in the way, as well in a restaurant for a very good seafood lunch are possible. 

In the way, the city of Barra Grande, the only one in the Peninsula, can be seen in the shores of the Rio da Serra, or River da Serra. 

The city of Barra Grande, a the Maraú Peninsula, Bahia, Brazil

The waterfall is located in the middle of the mangrove, and boats stop at a small pier from where a small track must be done to get to the top of the waterfall. 

Mangroves close to the Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil

It is not a very high waterfall, so you don´t have to climb much, but the track is not very easy. Nevertheless, the spot is very good for a refreshing dive and for taking nice pictures.

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil
(view from the top)

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil
(view from the top)

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil
(view from the track)

The Cachoeira do Tremembé, in the Maraú Peninsula area, at Bahia, northeast of Brazil

To get to Barra Grande and the Maraú Peninsula, see our previous post>
http://brazilguide.blogspot.com.br/2015/09/peninsula-do-marau.html

Taipus de Fora

Taipus de Fora, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

At the other side of the Peninsula do Maraú, there´s the Taipus de Fora beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean. 

Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

With stronger waves and a bit colder water, this open-sea beach attracts young people, some surfers and hosts some expensive inns.

Seawater temperature in Bahia is perfect: it is not cold, nor hot, making it very pleasant both for refreshing in hot days and to do not feel cold.   

Going to Taipus de Fora requires taking a jeep service, which departs about half an hour from Barra Grande beach, where most of the inns, b&b´s, hostels and hotels are. This small trip takes about 20 minutes away over the sand roads that cross the Peninsula. 

The road to Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

The place to stay stay there is the Buda bar, with a big golden Buda statue wellcoming visitors. In the middle of this rustic place, the bar has a nice infraestructure, with comfortable sofas, beds, chairs and tables.

The Buda bar at Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

The Buda bar at Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahi

The food, as in every part of the Peninsula, is wonderful; main dishes are shrimps, fish, squid and octoptus, as well all sorts of sea food. But brazillian northeast and bahiana cuisine is allways present, with a variety of snacks and drinks. 

The Buda bar at Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahi

Beware jeeps may not return after sunset to Barra Grande, as the service is not provided by night. But a day at Taipus de Fora is simply magic. 

Lying down a palm tree at Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

The road to Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

The road to Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

The road to Taipus de Fora beach, Maraú Peninsula, Bahia

To get to Barra Grande and the Maraú Peninsula, see our previous post>

http://brazilguide.blogspot.com.br/2015/09/peninsula-do-marau.html