Day Trips from Salvador da Bahia

Written by Viator, August 2010

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Off-the-Beaten Path, Tip - General Travel, Tip - What to See & Do

Brazil’s third-largest city, Salvador da Bahia, is perfectly situated for taking advantage of some of the country’s most spectacular scenery, from idyllic beachfronts to historic villages.

A scenic drive from Salvador takes you to the beautiful Atlantic coast of Praia do Forte, an ideal destination boasting stunning beaches fringed with swaying palms. Spend the day soaking up the rays and cooling off in the limpid water, or visit some local inhabitants in the Tamar Project, a sea turtle conservation program.

Travel even further north and you come to the delightful fishing village of Mangue Seco. Urban stress is far behind as you stroll dazzling white dunes, explore mangrove swamps or idle away a couple of hours in a local restaurant, feasting on fresh seafood.

Up and down the Atlantic coast you can explore bays, inlets and islands. The sheltered Bay of Camamu, south of Salvador, boasts the gorgeous tropical island of Tinharé. Life moves at a slower pace here, with no cars and only a few tractors to take visitors between beaches. You can spend the day swimming, or maybe you’d prefer to explore the historic village of Morro de Sao Paulo.

More history awaits in the beautifully preserved village of Cachoeira, within easy reach of Salvador. The churches and houses here represent some of the best colonial architecture you’ll see in Brazil, including outstanding examples of richly decorative Baroque. There’s also time to visit a traditional cigar factory.

Even closer at hand is Baía de Todos os Santos, Salvador’s aquatic playground. Spending a day in, on and around this protected bay is the perfect contrast to busy city life. Head out on a schooner and then choose your own adventure: swimming off the Ilha dos Frades or horse riding on Itaparica? It’s all possible in this tropical wonderland on Salvador’s doorstep.

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All Day Trips from Salvador da Bahia Reviews

Reply by Viator, April 2012
Doing what: Schooner Tour to Ilha dos Frades and Itaparica from Salvador

A fun day from Salvador. The drinks and snacks on board are pricey. Great live band to entertain us. First beach was a nice swimming beach, tour operator reserved chairs and tables for the group include in price of cruise. Second stop was Itaparica island. Buffet lunch at a hotel was very good. A group of locals came and did a Capoeira performance for tips. They were very good. We were offered a very quick tour of the island for $15, not included in the price of the cruise. Very interesting and worth the small investment.

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Reply by Viator, July 2010
Doing what: Praia do Forte Day Trip from Salvador

The Turtle habitat at Praia do Forte was amazing! We saw giant turtles in an awesome setting by the beach.

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Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Schooner Tour to Ilha dos Frades and Itaparica from Salvador

Excellent boat tour from Salvador. We stopped off at 2 islands, both beautiful however the 2nd island where we had lunch was paradise. The music and staff on the boat were very nice. The only areas I'd watch out for were 1) Viator tours include lunch and this wasn't always noted by the tour guide. 2) keep an eye on your drinks bill, the welcome drink is not free! Otherwise definitely recommend this

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