Southern Bahia

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The southern part of Bahia is an interesting mixture of modern and traditional influences. You’ll find many of the things that the Bahian coast is famous for: Bahianas in traditional white hoop dresses serving regional foods in the praças of the small villages, 17th century religious architecture from Brazil’s colonial period, beautiful sandy beaches lined with palm trees, and various islands and offshore reefs in which to swim and snorkel (or scuba dive). The people here in Southern Bahia are laid-back and relaxed. The rest of Brazil pokes fun at the slow-moving Bahianos, swinging in their hammocks and waiting for the sun to pass overhead. But everybody wants a little part of it. Who wouldn’t?

But Southern Bahia has a more modern side too–particularly in the city of Porto Seguro. There, you’ll find a very urban atmosphere with a festive beach experience unlike any other in the world. The main attractions are the three huge structures on the beaches of the northern coastline. The structures, called super barracas, are enormous two- or three-story beach bars, each with three or four outdoor stages presenting non-stop, continuous music and dance. For sure, the sand and surf in Porto Seguro is secondary to the festivities at the super barracas.

South of Porto Seguro, the climate changes at the villages of Arraial d’Ajuda and Trancoso. There, you find a smaller, more charming atmosphere with small roads leading past the many quaint pousadas, shops and restaurants. The beaches, too, are quainter, due to their smaller and more personalized beach kiosks. Naturally, you pay a bit more for the charm and quality of options that these towns have to offer, but most international visitors prefer the village atmosphere.

Finally, in the more distant south are small fishing villages and experiences that bring you closer to the marine world. The more elaborate excursions possible in these areas will give you something to remember for a lifetime–tropical islands, deserted beaches, whales splashing in the ocean, and miles of palm trees lining the coast.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

First of all, try not to visit this area on the weekend. Everything here is designed for weekday visits–especially the nightlife options. The beaches along the entire southern coast fill with thousands of locals on the weekends and some become almost unbearable in terms of crowds and noisy masses of people who have no business wearing those little bathing suits anyway. Weekdays in the months just before and after the peak season (as always, mid-December through mid-February) are the best times to visit. If you happen to be in town over the weekend, use these days to take the more extended (and more expensive) excursions to the remote areas of Southern Bahia. You won’t be missing anything in town. During the week is another story altogether and you’ll find semi-deserted conditions just a kilometer or two away from the principal areas.

For reasons detailed in the Porto Seguro section, I suggest you spend no more than a day and a night in Porto Seguro. That’s enough time to get a glimpse of the amazing super-barracas and hit the Passarelo de Alcool in the evening. Since most daytime excursions that visit the outlying beaches leave from Porto Seguro, you can either remain in your Porto Seguro accommodations and spend the next couple of days on day trips or else move your base of operation down to Arraial d’Ajuda for the next few days. This latter option is the best, as it lets you spend your nights in the charming village of Arraial d’Ajuda. Whatever excursions you cannot arrange right there in Arraial, you can arrange back in Porto Seguro, only 20-minutes away by bus and ferryboat. I guarantee, you’ll prefer the quaint atmosphere of Arraial d’Ajuda over that of Porto Seguro.

Here’s a better idea: Don’t even stay in Porto Seguro, but go directly to Arraial d’Ajuda. You can take the ferryboat over to Porto Seguro for a day, if you’re curious about the super-barracas and night scene there. Now, instead of taking planned excursions to the outlying beaches, why not rent a car or buggy and drive down the coast to Trancoso, Jacumã, Caraíva and even as far as Caravelas? If you have more time (and are here between July and November) arrange a diving and whale watching excursion from Caravelas to the Abrolhos Islands–the kind that lets you stay overnight on the boat. It’s something you’ll never forget.

HISTORY

Alveres Cabral was probably off course when he “discovered” the land that is now known as Brazil. But his discovery was recorded and christened The Land of Vera Cruz and claimed for the Portuguese Crown. Cabral had arrived with a fleet of 13 ships and set his foot upon Brazilian soil in the place that is known today as Porto Seguro, the safe port. Today the entire south coast of Bahia is called the Discovery Coast due to the many early voyages made here. Ironically it was Amerigo Vespucci’s discovery of the Bay of All Saints up near present-day Salvador that would mark the continent with its current name, America. The Discovery Coast would play a secondary role in the drama that was to come: the colonization and exploitation of Brazil.

Villages and ports sprouted up along the coastline and sugar soon overtook wood and cocoa as the principal export to Europe. The village of Porto Seguro is home to some of the country’s oldest houses, churches, and monuments. They remain standing on the plateau overlooking the ocean, a great vantage point from which to spot the English, French, and Dutch ships that might sail in to threaten Portugal’s hold on the colony. Indeed, the Discovery Coast and the entire Northeastern coast of Brazil was the stage of many skirmishes and all-out battles for control of the new land. Add to this the precarious relationships with the natives (often attacking from the other side) and you have an idea of the free-for-all that was the discovery and occupation of South America. And it all happened right here in Southern Bahia.