Itacaré is home to the most beautiful beaches of Bahia and has become a center for surfers. Due to the vicinity of a mountain range and dense Atlantic rainforest, rafting (class III and IV) and trekkings have became popular sports.
Itacaré started its existence as a small Indian village, inhabited by the Pataxós tribe. In the 18th century a Jesuit priest set feet in the village and slowly the village transformed into an important harbor throughout the colonial period. Gold, diamonds and other valuable metals and minerals passed found through Itacaré on their way to Europe. Due to its remote location and the vicinity of impenetrable mangroves, the city was highly popular among smugglers.
The introduction of cacao at the beginning of the 19th century brought a brief period of prosperity to Itacaré, however it declined rapidly when the plantations were wiped out by a plague.
Little has changed since then Till late in the seventies Itacaré was an isolated village almost secluded from the rest of Brazil due to the absence of a paved road. Its long isolation has preserved its beaches, many of which are almost deserted, and its surrounding mangroves and Atlantic rainforest. Itacaré feels like a place lost in time!

Praia do Forte, formerly a tranquil fisherman's village, has transformed itself into a popular beach resort. Situated on the beautiful Coconut-lined coast with white sandy beaches, just 60 km north of Salvador. Praia do Forte took its name from the Fortress build by captain Garcia D'Ávila, who obtained an enormous stretch of land from the Portuguese crown in order to stimulate colonization of the Portuguese colony.
Praia do Forte has a strong emphasis on preservation of the local flora and fauna and is protected by a private foundation against exploitation by mass tourism and other threats to the environment. The forests inland from the village are part of the Sapiranga Rain Forest reserve. This delicate ecosystem is a beautiful place for horseback riding and trekking.

A definitively "must-see" is the sea turtle research project (projeto Tamar), where turtles are hatched before bringing them safely to sea. Near the village is a small swamp that is home to a large number of birds, caimans and other animals.
You won't find any high buildings in this village; pousadas and hotels are scattered among the coconut trees. Praia do Forte has many bars, restaurants and boutiques and has recently become one of the most sought after destinations in Brazil. Despite these developments it has maintained its tranquil charm.

Porto Seguro is the oldest Brazilian city and was the place where the first Portuguese pioneers came ashore. On April 22nd 1500 Pedro Álvares Cabral and his men were looking for a safe port, which they found 16 kilometers north of today's Porto Seguro (safe port). These pioneers just stayed for 10 days before heading home, but three years later another Portuguese expedition arrived in Porto Seguro and planted a marker; the starting point for the colonization of Brazil.
Today, nearly 500 years later, the surroundings of Porto Seguro remain largely untouched, the city itself, however, has turned into one of the most popular Brazilian tourist destinations. This once sleepy town now has well over a hundred hotels and pousadas, countless restaurants, bars and nightclubs. With 90 km of coastline and semi deserted beaches, intensive nightlife, an historical center on top of a hill with wonderful panoramic views, Porto Seguro has everything the international traveler can wish for. The famous Bahian hospitality makes the picture complete.
The city offers hotels and pousadas for every taste, purse and age. The warm water and coconut palms, lagoons, rivers, and sea cliffs produce 'postcard' settings year round!

Trancoso is famous throughout Brazil for its beautiful and deserted beaches. White sand, crystal blue waters, coconut palms, and thick green Atlantic vegetation as far as the eye can see. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle, this is the place!
This charming village on Bahia´s south coast is one of Brazil´s oldest villages, founded in 1586 by the Jesuits, who where the first Europeans in this remote part of Brazil to have contact with the indigenous population. Originally it was named São João Batista dos Índios and for centuries it was nothing more than a couple of houses around an open square with a church on one side and the blue ocean on the other. Until the early 1960s the locals traded through barter, most of them cultivating cassava, while also hunting and fishing. Hippies discovered the natural beauty of the village and its surroundings, and in their trail, artists, Brazilian celebrities and foreigners came to this green, natural enclave.
Despite the flow of (international) tourists, Trancoso has maintained its charm and typical laid-back ambiance. It is situated 25 km (15.5 miles) south from Porto Seguro and only 15 km (9 miles) from Arraial D´Ajuda.

The little vilage of Morro de São Paulo (St. Paul's Mount), is dominated by the lighthouse and the ruins of a colonial fort, built in 1630 as a defense by the Portuguese against other European raiders. From the lighthouse, a path leads to a ruined lookout with beautiful panoramic views of the 3 big beaches and the lush green vegetation of the island.

Due to its isolated location, Morro de São Paulo only recently made its fame by tourist form Brazil and abroad. With great beaches, diving in its cristal clear waters, swimming, horseback riding, bathing in salt water pools, fresh water springs or clay and trekkings through dense tropical rainforest it has everything one could wish from a tropical island, and even a little more. The atmosphere is relaxed and nature abundant. Sunsets from the old fort are spectacular!

The first impression upon arrival is that of a postcard: the mooring bridge of the maritime terminal, the "Portalo"- the ancient portal - the ruins of the ancient fortress, the Mother Church and the lighthouse compose a landscape framed by the native forest and by the dazzling blue of the sky and of the sea.

The beaches don't have names and are identified by numbers. On the first beach there are many boarding houses and summer houses, being this beach suitable for surfing. At low tide, the second beach is being transformed into an aquarium, a paradise for snorkling, checking out the richness of the aquatic fauna. From the third beach we distinguish the "Caita" island, a small formation, decorated by a single coconut palm. There are also many coral pools on this beach. The rest of the coast is called fourth beach, until the "Boipeba" island, an extension of 20 km of unspoiled nature on the Southern side of the Tinharé Island.

The Boipeba Island is surrounded on one side by the ocean and on the other by the Rio do Inferno estuary, a with tropical rainforests and mangroves covered wetland area. The island stands out by its rare natural beauty and large diversity of ecosystems, with remains of Atlantic rain forest, extensive mangrove swamp areas and spectacular, deserted beaches. Life rhythm is calm and everything reminds of the primitivism of a community that a little more than 10 years ago was living isolated without at least having access to electric power. Since the site is hard to reach, Boipeba is well preserved from anthropic actions, which increasingly perpetuates its natural beauty.
From Morro de São Paulo there is a daily boatservice to Boipeba.

Morro de São Paulo can be reached from Salvador as well as from Valença, a little colonial town on the other side of the small, natural channel seperating the Tinharé Island from the mainland. Boats from Salvador take about two hours to Morro de São Paulo. It is also possible to fly to- and from Salvador directly into Morro de São Paulo.