Bahia - Tourism Regions


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Along the Coconut Road, within the municipalities of Lauro de Freitas and Camaçari, tourists can visit several charming small towns that were once fishing villages such as Abrantes, Jauá, Arembepe, Barra do Jacuipe, Guarajuba and Itacimirim, areas that are now prime targets for new investments.

The Green Line, the first roadway in Brazil built to comply with environmental impact studies, begins at the town of Praia do Forte, within one of the state's North Coast Environmental Protection Areas, and connects all the municipalities on the north shore, a total area of more than 1,300 square kilometers: Mata de São João (Praia do Forte and Imbassaí), Entre Rios (Porto Sauípe, Massarandupió and Subaúma), Esplananda (Baixio), Conde (Barra do Itariri, Sítio do Conde, Poças, Siribinha and Barra do Itapicuru) and Jandaíra (Costa Azul and Mangue Seco).

The largest and perhaps the most beautiful bay on the Brazilian coast, All Saints' Bay covers an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers encompassing 56 islands. Many sources of fresh water flow into the bay, the most important of which are the Paraguaçu and the Subaé rivers. Salvador da Bahia, Brazil's first capital and the largest city in the Brazilian Northeast, sits at the mouth of the bay, which is made up of ten different municipalities, known collectively as the Recôncavo. One of the best places for waters sports in the Americas, the largest navigable bay in Brazil offers excellent sailing conditions such as steady trade winds, average annual temperatures of 26°C, calm waters and a wide variety of sailing routes and historic sites, all surrounded by magnificent scenery. Large-scale investments are currently being made in All Saints' Bay to develop the region's tourism and water sports potential.

Wet'n Wild, the internationally renowned water park, recently opened in Salvador. Regarding tourism relating to water sports, the Salvador Bahia Marina is about to open. The first stage of the project will begin operations with the capacity to house 580 watercraft, 390 in slips and 150 in dry dock. The project also includes the construction of a pier, service area, hangar, support facilities, and a shopping area with a leisure center and food court. Another important marine development project is the recently inaugurated Porto do Cais Marina, in Periperi, on the outskirts of Salvador, with room for over 400 watercraft of varying sizes, 270 of which are housed in a covered area. The marina offers basic services such as electric power, drinking water, telecommunications and television hook-ups.

Destinations that meet the needs of demanding international tourists, lush green forests, crystal-clear waters, coral reefs and multicolored fauna, the Dendê Coast is all this and more. The region encompasses the municipalities of Valença, Cairu, Maraú, and Camamu where Brazil's third largest bay is located. The region's most internationally famous destination, Morro de São Paulo, is in reality the most well-known village on Tinharé Island in the municipality of Cairu, that, together with the neighboring municipality of Valença, is home to the main attractions on the Dendê Coast.

Located in southern Bahia, the Cocoa Coast encompasses the municipalities of Itacaré, Ilhéus, Una and Canavieiras all of which preserve veritable ecological sanctuaries. Dozens of kilometers of nearly deserted beaches with dense coconut groves share the coastline with a lush variety of vegetation from native coastal rainforest to vast mangroves and magnificent cacao plantations, some of which have been used as settings for films and soap operas. A hike on the trails and along the coves in Itacaré, a horseback ride along the seashore, a boat trip through the Ilhéus delta or to the place where the Pardo River meets the sea, a mineral-bath at Olivença Mineral Springs, a visit to the Golden Lion Tamarin reserve, or a much needed revitalization in the mineral-rich monazitic sands of Canavieiras, are just a few of the options available in the area.

Tourism along the Cocoa Coast is developing rapidly, with investments by Brazilian and international businesspeople, mostly French and Swiss, spurred on by tax incentives granted by municipal governments to those who invest in this sector. In the last few years, the growth of quality services and infrastructure has kept pace with demand during the high season - between November and February - and the area now has approximately 7,000 beds, with the Comandatuba Island Transamerica Hotel, the largest resort in South America, leading the way.

From the sand bars of the Caí River in the municipality of Prado, through Monte Pascoal National Park, Caraíva, Trancoso, Arraial d'Ajuda and Porto Seguro, to Coroa Vermelho and the mouth of the João de Tiba River in Santa Cruz Cabrália, the Discovery Coast hides surprises that enchant all who visit, renewing in them the desire to explore the wonders that Brazil has to offer. The magical ambiance that bewitches tourists today is the same that enchanted the Portuguese in 1500 when they first set foot on Brazilian soil and came face to face with the native inhabitants, the Pataxó tribe from the Tupi nation. Beaches, coves, bays, cliffs, and numerous rivers and streams dot the landscape, against a backdrop of lush green coconut palms, mangroves and coastal rainforest.

Diving in the warm, crystal-clear waters of the Abrolhos Archipelago in the southernmost part of Bahia is an unforgettable experience in ecological adventure. The array of options is surprising. Visitors can explore sunken vessels and underwater caves on professionally guided tours, gaze in wonder at reef formations with several rare species of coral, such as "brain coral", or simply admire one of the most beautiful marine landscapes on the Brazilian coast, and, depending on the time of year, it may even be possible to witness the spectacular water ballet of humpback whales. There is truly magic and enchantment in the archipelago. Abrolhos is a feast of color and light, both above and below the water. The municipalities of Prado, Alcobaça, Caravelas, Nova Viçosa and Mucuri are all within the Whale Coast region and, besides their own natural attractions, they are the main gateways to the Abrolhos Marine Reserve.

The region's bio-diversity fascinates environmentalists, students and tourists alike. Abrolhos has one of the highest concentrations of fish per square meter on earth, both in quantity and variety. The underwater world is a veritable rainbow of corals with 17 known species that form habitats which are home to countless other marine organisms. Whale-watching is the preferred pastime for the many tourists who visit between July and November when the humpback whales make their yearly migration to Abrolhos.

Experience firsthand the battlefields of the Canudos War, the War of the End of the World as it is sometimes known, or hike the trails of the Republican militia against a backdrop of breathtaking landscapes, just to name a few of the options available to those who visit the cities of Canudos, Monte Santo and Euclides da Cunha, 410, 370 and 320 kilometers from Salvador, respectively. Despite the lack of water and a low level of economic development in the area, the ridges, mountains, unique caatinga vegetation and rare birds bear witness to the natural beauty of this historically important region, whose people have not forgotten their rich folk culture and heritage.

It was here in these hills, with the Sierras of Cocorobó, Poço de Cima and Canabrava on one side and Favela Ridge on the other, overlooking the Vaza-Barris River Valley, that the village of Belo Monte or Beautiful Mountain arose from the desert. Better known as Canudos, the area was the scene of a bloody war where hate, religious intolerance and fear pitted brother against brother in battles that would have a powerful impact not only on the backlands of Bahia, but on the recently proclaimed Republic of Brazil as well. The city where the charismatic and mystical Antônio Conselheiro founded his religious utopia at the end of the 19th century now lies submerged under the waters of the Cocorobó dam, which during the dry season expose the skeletal ruins of the heroic Canudos, which resisted four Republican incursions over a period of many months before being completely destroyed. The views are spectacular, especially in the late afternoon when the sun goes down, the perfect moment to pause for reflection. The Cocorobó Sierra appears to stand guard over the beautiful countryside. This unspoiled region is the perfect place to visit, especially for those who are interested in ecological tourism.

Imagine, right in the heart of the Bahian sertão, a harsh, dry yet beautiful region, to find cities like Cipó and Caldas do Jorro, where hydrothermal springs make them look like oases appearing on the horizon. They look like beautiful gardens in bloom, against the backdrop of arid caatinga vegetation, the perfect place for those looking for a cool shaded place with a good infrastructure for tourism to get away from it all.

Located on the right bank of the Itapicuru River, Cipó is 242 km from Salvador, in the northeastern part of the state. Evidence of its heyday in the 1950s, when casinos were the main tourist attraction in the region, can still be seen. The importance of the hot springs on a national level is borne out by the inauguration of the Grande Hotel Caldas de Cipó. A grandiose undertaking that whose architecture is still imposing today. The hotel took eight years to build and was inaugurated on June 24, 1952 by then president Getúlio Vargas.

Caldas do Jorro is another famous Bahian hot spring and spa. Located in the municipality of Tucano, 248 km from Salvador, its topography is unique. Jorro was built on the plains, an inviting prairie where in 1948 the National Petroleum Council drilled a well with a depth of 1,846 meters. Instead of oil they found a thermal spring with water at a temperature of 48ºC. Both Jorro and Cipó are famed for the curative powers of their waters.

Monte Santo, another important city in the sertão, is charismatic. Situated on a holy site at the foot of a hill, the city’s strong religious fervor is one of its outstanding characteristics. Pilgrims from all over go up the mountain to ask for divine intervention, some on their knees or with stones on their heads, a demonstration of faith and abnegation. To climb up the hill, following the Path of the Holy Cross, is a must for all who visit the city. The four kilometer trail is very steep and is paved in stone with a handrail. Along the path, there are 23 stone chapels representing the stations of the Via Sacra of Christ. Comfortable shoes and lightweight clothing are recommended, especially for those who are not accustomed to long walks.

The view from the top of Monte Santo or Holy Hill is spectacularly beautiful. It is possible to see the entire city, the valleys and mountains that surround the municipality. As visitors climb the hill they can sense a change in the weather; it gets cooler and there is a light breeze which brings about a sensation of wellbeing and delight. It is not uncommon to meet along the way older pilgrims, youngsters and even children who climb the hill with ease, repeating an age old custom of their ancestors. Many inhabitants of the farms and towns nearby don’t let a week go by without a visit to the Holy Hill to thank the Holy Cross for a miracle granted. As part of the ritual, many set off firecrackers when they reach a chapel, and, when they get to the top, they circle the church three times before going in to pray.

Of the cities in the Bahian sertão, Paulo Afonso, 480 kilometers from Salvador, has perhaps the most well developed infrastructure, especially for ecological tourism and radical sports. The city, which is now surrounded by branches of the São Francisco River, has been blessed by nature, and besides the generators and dams built by humans, it has breathtaking views that are so incredible they look like sets from a movie. The canyon landscapes and rock formations are spectacular, and from the city there is an excellent view of the waterfalls, which, even during the dry season, are a sight to see. The gardens, lakes and generators contrast beautifully with each other, making "the land of energy" an attraction that should not be missed. Besides its natural beauty, Paulo Afonso has an upbeat nightlife and sponsors many water sport events, Its strategic location, on the border with the States of Alagoas, Sergipe and Pernambuco, makes it unique, a melting pot for the many different cultures of the Brazilian Northeast.

Take a journey back to the year 1659, to the time when Garcia D'Ávila, the nobleman of the Casa da Torre, first opened the trade route through the Juazeiro crossing. Unravel the mystery of the carved wooden totems on the prows of ships and the legends about apparitions on "Old Chico", as the São Francisco River is affectionately known. Hike trails through mountains, searching for canyons where ancient civilizations left their mark in rock paintings. Relax in cool waterfalls or visit the river islands and their many sandy beaches. Options for ecotourists are varied and enticing. Juazeiro, the largest city in northern Bahia, is the hub of the São Francisco River Valley as it is located at one end of Sobradinho, the largest man-made lake in the world. The hot, dry land, with an average annual temperature of 27ºC, is bathed by the cool waters of the São Francisco. The diversity of the region's vegetation is awe-inspiring, with many species from both the savanna and the caatinga, a desert-like environment unique to the Brazilian Northeast.

The natural beauty of this region is second to none. The city is located on the right bank of the legendary São Francisco River, a great place for water sports. Xique-Xique is surrounded by numerous lagoons formed from the waters of the river. The largest and most famous is Itaparica, located only 15 kilometers from Xique-Xique within an Environmental Protection Area or EPA. The lagoon is six kilometers long and four kilometers wide, with an average depth of four meters. From May to October the waters of the river get more transparent as they slowly recede, exposing sandy beaches and tips of land, called crowns, of up to one kilometer in length, ideal spots for camping or swimming. Heading upriver at this time of year, nearly 200 kilometers of beaches are exposed. Downriver, towards Pilão Arcado, near the town of Saquinho, dunes can be seen, a rare sight in a river environment, a truly unforgettable landscape. The region is part of another EPA, the Dunes and Hills of the Lower-Middle São Francisco, which encompasses the municipality of Barra and extends north all the way to the State of Piauí. The vegetation is unique to the Brazilian Northeast, a mixture of species from the highlands and the caatinga.

So many attractions are available that there is truly something for everybody. One good option is a boat trip to Rodeadouro Island, one of the most popular islands on the São Francisco River, with its brilliant white sand and deserted beaches, perfect for camping or swimming. Another good choice is the semi-deserted Ilha Culpe-o-Vento or Blame-the-Wind Island, ideal for camping in the wild. The Mulato Sierra, a hazy blue mountain ridge, is the starting point for a series of adventures. The hike up is steep and rocky. The area is inhabited by rare birds and animals, including endangered species such as anteaters, "king buzzards", hawks and many species of wild cats. Famed for its rock paintings, the valley of the Salitre River, a tributary of the São Francisco, boasts at least three ecological tourist attractions that are a must-see for nature lovers: the Salitre and Gamaleira Falls, the Sargento Straits, and Gruta do Convento, a cave 40 meters wide, 30 meters high and 5,000 meters long. The stalagmites and stalactites in this limestone cave look like altars, curtains and towers, hence the name Convent Cave, and there are even two beautiful underground lakes.

The countryside in this area is so beautiful that it feels like being in a movie. The rock formations and the canyons of the São Francisco River are the perfect complement to the spectacular view of the falls, which are a sight to see even during the dry season. A visit to the area is the only way to explore the second longest canyon in the world, 80 kilometers long, with an average height of 80 meters. It begins at Paulo Afonso Falls and continues all the way to the border of the States of Alagoas and Sergipe. Some places have exceptional panoramic views with geological formations and landscapes typical of the Brazilian Northeast, especially the São Francisco canyon which is so pristine it feels as if it has never been navigated. This hydropower-producing region is also a great place for some electrifying radical sports, with its many rapids and 120 kilometers of parallel canyon walls with heights of up to 110 meters. The newest sport is canyon climbing, scaling the granite canyon walls by the waterfalls and cascades.

Visitors will marvel at the beauty and diversity of the vegetation, typical of the sertão such as facheiros, mandacarus, juazeiros and croatás, a desert bromeliad, as well as a great variety of multi-colored flowers.

The word recôncavo, which means concave, has taken on a new meaning in the State of Bahia. It refers to a beautiful region surrounding All Saints' Bay, the largest bay in Brazil, full of history and natural wonders.

The Recôncavo, birthplace of internationally renowned artists such as Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, is also a synonym for tradition with a past full of tales of heroic acts. The area's folk culture is rich and varied, a result of the mixing of African and European influences. The cuisine is unique and the architecture, predominantly 18th century Portuguese baroque, is exuberant. Visiting the Recôncavo is an unforgettable experience, especially cities such as Cachoeira, São Félix, Santo Amaro and Nazaré, and beaches such as Cabuçu and Bom Jesus dos Pobres in the municipality of Saubara, and Pina in the municipality of Maragogipe. Of course, there are many other places that deserve a visit, whether for their natural beauty, unique religious manifestations, mysticism or historic significance.

Cachoeira, which lies on the right bank of the Paraguaçu River 110 kilometers from Salvador, was founded and prospered because of its strategic location as a river port in the heart of a sugarcane producing region. It is an example of the opulence and wealth of this part of Bahia in the 18th century. Each colonial mansion in the city tells a story with deep cultural roots. The Heroic City, as it is also known because its inhabiants fought bravely for Brazilian Independence, has also been a center for the development of the tobacco industry, as well as for the production of African palm oil known as dendê.

In this city, which has been declared a National Monument, there are notable works of historic and artistic value, as well as cultural landmarks such as the Irmandade da Boa Morte, the Sisterhood of Good Death, an organization composed of female descendents of freed African slaves, that is internationally known and recognized. Every August, during the Good Death Festival, the city plays host to hundreds of foreign tourists, especially African Americans. According to some, the festival gives them the opportunity for an "encounter with their ancestors."

The heart of Bahia is in the Chapada Diamantina. This mountainous region, with its imposing landscape of high plateaus and dramatic mesas, is the source of 90 percent of the tributaries that will eventually form the basins of the Paraguaçu, Jacuípe and Contas Rivers. There are literally hundreds of rivers with crystal-clear waters that flow from the summits, cascading down the sierras into high plateaus and plains forming breathtaking natural pools and swimming holes. The beauty of the waters is the perfect complement to the exuberant vegetation that abounds with many species of cactus from a desert-like environment known as the caatinga and rare examples of mountain flora, including bromeliads, orchids and immortelles.

From the sanctuary in Bom Jesus da Lapa to the savannas of Barreiras, heading up or down the great São Francisco River, exploring the caves at Santana, or crossing the Corrente River valley in Santa Maria da Vitória, São Félix do Coribe or Correntina, Western Bahia is the state's newest tourist destination, a region of adventure and surprising attractions, a land of great contrasts that complement each other. Modern highways, linking the region to Brazil's central plateau, crisscross the state to form the so called "Soybean Corridor," running alongside age-old cattle tracks that were once the only way through the semi-arid part of the state, known as the sertão. The waters of the São Francisco River and its tributaries irrigate the land, important thoroughfares connecting people and towns that date back to the times of first settlement.

Those who come to Bahia from Brasília or the States of Goiás, Tocantins and Minas Gerias will be impressed by the beauty of Western Bahia, its rolling hills, rivers, rapids, waterfalls and caves. The vegetation is a mixture of species both from the caatinga and the savanna, while modern technology paves the way to new opportunities in agro-industry with up-to-date farming methods to produce coffee and soybeans on large-scale plantations watered by centralized irrigation systems. Rare species of animals such as anteaters, foxes, emu, lynxes, mocós (large tailless rodents), wildcats, alligators and a wide variety of multi-colored birds are just a few examples of the region's unique fauna.

Bathed by the sun year-round, the region's semi-arid climate gives it a unique natural luminosity. There are legends and fantastic tales about cowboys and mythical figures such as encantado, caipora and mãe-do-mato, who are said to live in the underbrush near riverbanks, as well as in the lives and dreams of the sertanejos, the simple, tough, yet hospitable people who live in the sertão. There are many paths to follow in Western Bahia, each with its own surprising adventure.

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