arraial d-ajuda
When the beach bars close for the evening at around sundown, the village road begins to light up. People hit the village shopping for a restaurant or bar or just walking around to take-in the charm of the place. Things really get moving at around 10pm and it’s a good idea to already have chosen your spot by then, as the best seats in the best restaurants go fast.
You might notice an unusual amount of world-beat and drum-and-bass music in Arraial d’Ajuda. It seems that all the bars and beach kiosks are playing some kind of electronic groove music. It has become something of a tradition in town. It serves as another reminder that you’re in a more hip part of Southern Bahia.
Cool Cafés and Bars
There are bars all along the village roads and praças. A couple of cool places to hang out for coffee or drinks include the Hokaffé coffee bar on the village road, just before the descent to the beach. This place has great outdoor seating and various coffee drinks or cocktails. You have to make sure you sit at the tables that are marked by their candle on the table. Other tables belong to the restaurants next door. Also, be sure to walk into the Beco das Cores area, which is basically a small, dead-end road that crosses the main village road (Estrada do Mucugé). Cars are not allowed on this road and entrance is marked by an archway. Inside are several great bars and restaurants, including a sushi bar and some live music.
Every afternoon starting at around 2pm the Cactus Club has live rock and blues music in on their patio that overlooks the ocean. The atmosphere here is young, casual and very cool. It’s a great place to end the afternoon or begin the evening. They make a great Capeta cocktail. A personal favorite is the Girasol, bar located down a small galeria of shops on the corner of Rua Amendoeiras and the Estrada do Mucugé. There is a large, new restaurant in front and shops lining the other side of a pathway. At the end of the pathway is the Girasol bar. Don’t confuse this with the Gerasol restaurant, which is farther down the Estrada do Mucugé and not at the end of a pathway.
Also, on the road behind the church in the old town square (Rua Bela Vista), there is a small jazz bar called the Blue Bar. It opens only during peak season, but it offers a different kind of atmosphere. Nights only. Down the road, at the end of Rua Bela Vista is a Cachaça bar called Nos de Bahia. Get there in the late afternoon when they are just opening for the evening to get a shot of their incredible view along with their Cachaça.
Music and Dance
During peak season, the two large beach bars offer late night music and dancing in the Porto Seguro style. These are located on Praia Parracho and at the beginning of Pitinga. The offerings are generally Bahian Axé music and dance (see Porto Seguro) or electronic music. If you’re really interested in Brazilian music and dance, then a trip up to Porto Seguro would be in order for the evening. Remember that the ferryboat back and forth operates 24-hours a day, so fique a vontage!
However, Arraial has some pretty rockin’ options of its own–a bit more sophisticated than those of its neighbor and probably appealing more to foreign tastes. There’s nothing that goes on in town that is not known to anyone interested. People will pass you fliers and billets as you stroll the streets–especially if you look like the profile of their place. The principal location for late-night groovin’ is the Plato Espaco Bahia located on the descent to Praia Mucugé. They often have techno or other music that starts at about midnight and goes until sunup. There is often regional music going in the outdoor stage at the Shopping d’Ajuda in front of the Gandaya burger joint. You can catch some authentic samba music and Capoeira demonstrations in front of the Sky Lanches diner at the end of the Estrada do Mucugé near the Praça Hippie. Everything else will be revealed as you walk around town.
arraial d-ajuda, excursions
Excursions available in Arraial d’Ajuda are pretty much the same ones available in Porto Seguro. Whether you book your excursion in Porto Seguro or Arraial is just a matter of comparing prices and options. Some agencies in Arraial are just re-selling an excursion that leaves from Porto Seguro anyway, so be sure to ask about the details and see the Porto Seguro section for more details. There are tour agencies all along the main village road.
The one thing that is probably better to book in Arraial d’Ajuda is a rental car or dune buggy. Most likely, you’ll be taking the buggy south to Trancoso and beyond, so renting it in Porto Seguro to the north is pointless. One excursion that is specific to Arraial is a horseback ride down the southern coast. Check with local agencies for details.
If you are a diver, you might consider working with Arraial Dive (Estrada do Mucugé 471, arraialdive@bol.com.br), since they are one of the three official groups in the area that have certified dive masters (the other agencies resell their excursions). The other two are in Porto Seguro, but the folks at Arraial Dive are excellent, professional, and speak English and German. They offer a full course in English for R$800 (4-5 days), and a baptism dive for R$100 in the ocean or a swimming pool. Dive excursions generally go from 9am–3pm and take-in two spots (including one of the two shipwrecks in the area) for about R$120, including a simple lunch. Talk to Osmar or any of the dive masters there.
arraial d-ajuda
In my opinion, the best shopping is in the old village, but by all means check out the more upscale offerings all along the Estrada do Mucugé too. An interesting shop in the Praça Brigadeiro E. Gomes is the Casa de Renda, with hand-made and hand-painted fabrics. There is also a well-stocked souvenir store on the far corner of the praça, opposite the church. While you’re hanging around the old town praça, take a look inside the Claudio Macedo, Atelier de Madeira for a look at some interesting wood sculpture.
arraial d-ajuda
Most travelers who come to the south of Bahia remember Arraial d’Ajuda as their favorite place on the coast. It has a kind of rustic charm to it that seduces just about everyone who comes here. It’s difficult to say whether the highlight is the village itself, or the beaches. Thankfully, you don’t have to choose between them. You can spend your days on the many different beaches of the area, and your nights enjoying the pleasures of the village. Highlights on the beach include the fabulous beach kiosks at Mucugé Beach and the stroll you can take from Mucugé to Pitinga to the south. Likewise, a stroll along the northern beaches takes you past some great kiosks, beach bars, and swimming areas that will probably delay you for a while. In town, you’ll see one of the oldest villages in the country, in pristine condition. You’ll find local handicrafts and taste the regional cuisine at restaurants of all kinds. The new part of the village has some of the most quaint and cozy restaurants and hotels in Bahia. Nights are magical here.
If you make Arraial d’Ajuda your base of operation while in Southern Bahia, you’ll be able to schedule excursions from here, or take the 30-minute trip up to Porto Seguro to work with an agent there. One of the best scuba diving schools is right here in Arraial and you can rent dune buggies here for trips down to Trancoso and the distant south. Hotels in the village come in a variety of sizes, styles, and prices and you’ll certainly find something in your budget.
Arraial became a popular beach village over the last 10-15 years. Before that, it was frequented mostly by hippies, surfers, and Argentineans. There is still a very hippie feel to the place, mixed with a lot of international influences too. One of the interesting influences is the World music that you’ll hear all over the village and on the beaches. Another is the incredible variety of restaurants.
arraial d-ajuda, beaches
Walking up along the northern beaches is a must while you’re in Arraial. First, the beaches themselves are long and excellent for swimming–with clear, warm water that is generally shallow and calm. Plus, there are kiosks spread at intervals all along this part of the coast, many associated with some pousada or other (but the kiosks are always open to the public, so make yourself at home or, as the Brazilian’s say, fique a vontage). Some women even go topless on these beaches. The walk all the way to the top, which is marked by the Pousada Aquarela, is about six kilometers (two hours walking). Along the way, you’ll pass the Arraial Ecoparque, which has very little “eco” about it. It’s really just a huge water park with slides and attractions marketed to Brazilians visiting Porto Seguro on vacation packages. If you like the idea of exhilarating water slides, then check it out (you have to enter from the road on the other side). You’ll also pass the Praia do Delegado, which is full of beach barracas, chiefly, the legendary Barraca do Sting, which is an excellent choice for sitting and sipping a cold coconut water or something stronger. The beach in front of his barraca is an excellent choice for swimming, as the water is shallow and calm there. If Sting himself is around, you’ll see why he got his nickname; as he does, indeed, resemble the famous pop star. He serves great fish lunches and organizes boating excursions up the Santa Cruz River.
You can cut in from the beach to the inland road at the Barraca do Sting or any number of other trails along the northern beaches. If you go all the way to the end, you’ll cut-in at the Pousada Aquarela, right at the location of the ferryboat to Porto Seguro.
There is a northern road that parallels the beach from Arraial d’Ajuda to the ferryboat. Along this road are numerous pousadas and a few interesting shops, restaurants, and bars. The best place to come in from the beach and have look around is at the Barraca do Sting. Just inland from Sting’s place is the cozy Santa Fe Hotel, with an excellent restaurant/bar (open to the public, of course). There are also shops and art galleries in the vicinity. A late afternoon walk along the northern beaches is one of the best excursions you can take in Arraial. The wind comes up a little and blows the sand around your feet, as the tide goes way out, revealing the shiny, sandy ocean floor.
arraial d-ajuda, beaches
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 behin
d 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.
arraial d-ajuda
Arraial d’Ajuda means Settlement of Help and the original village center is just that–a kind of small settlement on top of the bluff overlooking the beautiful ocean. (As a side note, the village was not named because of its helpful nature, but was in honor of one of the principal ships that landed here in the discovery, called the Ajuda). There really wasn’t much to it, just a few small houses and a village square. But as time and tourism moved on, the village extended in the direction of the beach. Now the old part and the new part form a kind of L-shape where the old village leads up to and along the top of the plateau and the new village goes back down toward the beaches on the other side. Both parts are full of restaurants and shops, but the old village houses these shops in small, historical buildings while the new village has modern, well-decorated structures made to be charming and attract customers. The restaurants and shops in the old village are, naturally, cheaper than those in the new village. For sure, you’ll want to spend some time walking around both.
As you enter the town of Arraial d’Ajuda, you’ll most likely enter through the old village. The main road up onto the bluff passes under the old Igreja Nossa Sra. d’Ajuda (Our Lady of Help Church) past the Banho da Santa. The Banho is really just an outdoor shower/bath that is used by hippies and poor villagers. However, legend has it that anyone who bathes there will return to Arraial d’Ajuda.
When you finally make it up into the village, you’ll arrive in the old town square, Praça Brigadeiro E. Gomes, which is a grassy area with shade trees and a relaxed atmosphere. One side of the praça is the main bus stop in town, so if you arrive by bus, you’ll likely get off right there. Bordering the praça are numerous colonial buildings; the 16th century type…small, boxy houses with a window and door in front, colorfully painted and facing the praça. Although most of these have been converted into simple boutique shops, you can still see residents of the town sitting at their windowsills, staring onto the praça. On the far end of the praça is the Nossa Sra. d’Ajuda Church, which is open for visitation from 8am - 5pm daily, closed for lunch. More impressive than the church is the view from behind the church. From there you can see the entire northern coastline of Arraial. If you turn right on the road behind the church (rightly named, Rua Bela Vista) you will come to a couple of very nice and simple pousadas and a couple of bars with incredible views.
Another highlight of the old village is the road that extends from the praça to the new village, called Rua Broduei (that’s phonetic Brazilian for Broadway). This part of the old village is quite popular for restaurants and shops and some economical eateries, such as a bakery and lanchonete on the end near the praça. When you reach the end of Rua Broduei, you’ll come into the Praça São Braz, which is the final part of the old village. Here, you’ll find more quaint colonial buildings, currently in use by the city government, post office, and such. This is also called the Praça Hippie, since it’s usually filled with hippies selling their hand-made jewelry. Since they are not allowed to sell on the streets in town or on the beaches, they took over the praça as a place to set up shop. An unfortunately side affect is that they work aggressively to pull potential customers (can you say gringos?) into the praça from the streets nearby. If you walk near the Praça Hippie, you’ll undoubtedly make one or two new friends there. The hippies and surfers actually discovered Arraial d’Ajuda back in the 1970’s and are now being pushed out by all the upscale progress and evolution in the village.
As you walk from Praça Hippie toward the ocean, you’ll be walking through the new village. Here you’ll find more pousadas, boutique shops and restaurants, but here the offerings are mostly upscale and charming. Thankfully, the atmosphere here maintains its village look and feel and, although the construction is more modern, everything here is quite charming and inviting. It’s worth spending an afternoon walking along the main village road, the Estrada do Mucugé to check out the many shops there. Evenings in this part of the village are buzzing with people choosing restaurants and places to sit for the evening, to watch the movement on the street. The far end of the Estrada do Mucugé bumps into Mucugé Beach, the first and most popular in the area.
arraial d-ajuda
There is no official tourist information office in Arraial d’Ajuda, but you can get information at any of the tour agencies. There are Internet services all around town. On the Estrada do Mucugé, you’ll find CyberPoint, which always has people inside. There are ATMs in the Shopping d’Ajuda and if you run into any trouble, just head back to Porto Seguro to withdraw. The post office is on the far side of the Praça Hippie. For dune buggy rentals, try Buggy Mania (Estrada do Mucugé 250, 73/575-3000).
arraial d-ajuda
You get to Arraial d’Ajuda from Porto Seguro via the ferryboat that operates 24 hours per day. It costs R$5 to get to Arraial and it’s free to get back to Porto Seguro. Once you get to the Arraial side, you can take a taxi to the village for R$20. If your hotel it on the northern coast, then you can probably walk to it. If you have a lot of luggage, the taxi driver will charge you the same R$20 to go one kilometer to your hotel (we don’t need no stinkin’ taxi meter). There are busses from the ferry that leave every 20 minutes to the village and others that go to Trancoso. Finally, you can wait for ten people (not difficult in peak season) and fill up a Kombi (VW bus) that will take the group into the village (or drop you off earlier) for R$3 each.
