Porto Seguro: Santo Antonio and the Extreme North

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Way past the popular beaches of Porto Seguro to north are two areas known as Santo Antônio and Santo André. Together, these two areas provide a completely different experience of the southern coast of Bahia. First, there are wonderful beaches with excellent conditions for swimming and simple but inviting kiosks. In particular the Praia do Santo André, Praia das Tartarugas, and Praia Santo Antônio are excellent choices. The atmosphere here is more relaxed and laid back than the party-till-you-puke energy of Porto Seguro. The food is excellent and the beers are ice-cold. The area surrounding the beaches is green and full of coconut trees.

A major highlight of the area is the sandy island of Coroa Alta, which brings boatloads of people from Porto Seguro every day. You can swim and snorkel in the shallow waters of the island. In the Cabrália area just a short distance to the south, you’ll find a long coastline of sandy beaches, some of them nearly deserted and others with just a small kiosk or two. Check out the Praia dos Lenções for a good example. Here you’ll also find the Fazenda Mãe Tereza, a private sanctuary that opens its gates to the public. Inside you can hike around the fazenda with or without a guide pointing out the flora and fauna of the area. You can also take a canoe trip up the river to a fresh-water swimming hole, check out the various crab habitats, or learn about the harvesting and processing of Palm oil, a principal ingredient in Bahian Cuisine. Your entrance fee of R$30 includes lunch at the fazenda.

A final option in the extreme north of Porto Seguro is a trip out to the Indian Reservation of Jaqueira. Here, the native groups have created their own attraction for visitors, offering a look into their culture and native lands. The first 30 minutes of your visit will be a presentation by the Indian guides that is only given in Portuguese. Afterward, you will hike along trails into the reservation, where you’ll see one of their rituals and get the opportunity to taste some of their cuisine. Be aware that this experience is very produced and does not exactly look like a visit to an authentic Indian village. Still, it does provide a look at the culture from one point of view.