Arraial d’Ajuda: Southern Beaches

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The main beach in Arraial is Praia do Mucugé, at the bottom of the Estrada do Mucugé just below the village. Due to its proximity to the village, it is by far the most popular and crowded of the beaches here. There are plenty of beach bars with plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas to keep the sun off. Some trees line the area around the Estrada and give the whole place a nice, relaxing feel. This is a great place to spend the afternoon after walking along the northern or southern coastline for several kilometers. A cold beer and a shady tree are just what you’ll be looking for. To the south (right) of Mucugé is the Praia Parracho, which is a bit more extensive than Mucugé, with its beach bars more spread apart. However, there are some large beach bars here, in the tradition of Porto Seguro and they can get rowdy during peak season. You can easily walk between these two beaches. The water here is not as warm or as clear as in other parts of the country, but on a sunny day in the summer months, it can turn a beautiful blue-green.

It’s easy to walk from Mucugé all the way to Praia Pitinga, about 1.5 kilometers (30 minutes) away. You’ll cross a small stream that empties into the ocean and several beach bars. Pitinga is the location of the town’s most charming and luxurious beachfront pousadas, and the beach bars along the way are also slightly higher end. Check out the Paraíso Restaurant with its wooden chairs and large sitting area. Also the São Tropez Praia Hotel has a large area with restaurants and bars. You can enter from the beach or from behind on land. The Cabana Grande is the largest beach bar in the area, a younger cousin to those in Porto Seguro. This one also gets rip roaring during peak season and is mercifully silent during the off season. The best place to stop for a drink is on the deck at the Pitinga Praia Pousada, marking the far end of Pitinga.

A much farther trek (about seven kilometers) is the stroll to Praia Taipe and the Lagoa Azul. The lagoa itself is dry, but the sandy cliffs, called falesias, make for a striking scene. The beach here is one of the most deserted in the area and is well worth a visit, as it’s also one of the prettiest. This is about the final point to which most people care to walk along the southern coast of Arraial. However, a few daring folks make the 14 kilometer haul all the way down to Trancoso. You’ll have to cross a few small rivers that empty into the ocean, but otherwise, it’s quite possible to accomplish in about five hours with a canteen of water, a hat and plenty of sunscreen. There are kiosks along the way for filling up and resting your feet and you’ll pass the large Club Med establishment about halfway down. You can catch a bus or taxi back from Trancoso.

NOTE: If you like the idea of walking along the beach at night, be sure to bring a flashlight, as there are no lights to guide you (but for the beckoning moon), as the beach bars are all shut down for the evening. It’s perfectly safe to walk along these beaches at night, although you should be aware the some stretches will have plenty of water splashing in at high tide. At night, the walk along the northern coast is probably a bit more straightforward than on the south coast.