Beach Resort Guide
Salvador
Salvador Beach Resort Guide
Introduction
The colourful city of Salvador is the cultural jewel of Brazil's Bahia state. Whereas Rio to the south has become a slick, cosmopolitan centre, Salvador has retained a strong cultural identity inspired by the influx of African slaves centuries ago. The rhythm of life is played out daily on the streets of the city devoted to samba, carnival, capoeira (martial art) and Candomblé (religion). But the sea is never far away and a growing army of holidaymakers are joining Salvadorians for sun blessed days on palm-fringed, white sand beaches on the coast nearby.
Who goes there?
With its year-round tropical climate, Salvador is becoming increasingly popular with visitors eager to escape the northern hemisphere winter. All ages and nationalities are attracted to the lively mix of sand, sea, samba and culture, which adds a new dimension to the traditional beach holiday.
Where in the world?
Salvador is situated in the northeast of Brazil, on the Atlantic coast of Bahia. Although it's a world away culturally, Salvador is still some 1,700km (1,050 miles) north of Rio and is one of the closest parts of South America to Europe. The city occupies a hilly position on the tip of a peninsula overlooking Baía de Todos os Santos (All Saints Bay).
Beach
Beaches near the city centre are not recommended because of pollution. The closest beach of any note is Farol de Barra, which is a popular weekend hangout for many of the city's inhabitants. But the smart tourists head further north to the picture book tropical beaches of Itapoã, Stella Maris and Flamengo. All three are sandy beaches with palm trees, lapped by a turquoise sea that can be rough at times. Stella Maris and Flamengo are popular with surfers. Flamengo is backed by a beautiful lagoon that is great for fishing and relaxing sunsets. All beaches have beach ‘shack' style restaurants serving freshly caught fish and cold drinks.
Beyond the beach
Even the most ardent sun worshippers cannot visit Salvador without a walk around the old town. The multicoloured Colonial buildings and museums of the Largo de Pelourinho are the main draw. This central ‘square' where slaves were traded has been extensively renovated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to all manner of museums, churches, restaurants and souvenir shops. Of particular note are the Museu da Ciadade (City Museum) and the Rosário dos Pretos church, built by slaves. Steep steps and narrow alleys lead to other areas of the old town, while the Lacerda Elevator (Prace Tomé de Souza) transports visitors to the lower city.
Family fun
Children with a sense of adventure will love Salvador's vibrant character, but there are no real family attractions as such. Fun can be had taking the ferry over to Ihla de Itaparica, the largest island in the bay, and riding the scenic Lacerda Elevator (Prace Tomé de Souza) in the city. The beaches are family friendly but are not often patrolled by lifeguards.
Retail therapy
Shopping in Salvador consists mainly of ethnic shops selling cultural handicrafts and artwork. It's a great place to pick up Brazilian music and instruments such as samba drums or Berimbaus used in capoeira. For the local tipple, visitors can pick up a bottle of cachaça - a spirit distilled from sugarcane. Bahia's arts, crafts and food and drinks are available under one roof in the Mercado Modelo (Rua da Belgica). For a more familiar shopping experience, many of Brazil's high street brands have set up shop in the new mall Salvador Shopping (Avenida Tancredo Neves).
A night on the town
Music dominates nightlife in Salvador. Many of the restaurants, bars, theatres and clubs are buzzing with the beats of samba, afoxé and new Brazilian electronica. Impromptu music and dance, and capoeira demonstrations are regular occurrences on the Terreiro de Jesus and Largo do Pelourinho and the city often puts on live music concerts. The Balé Folclórico da Bahia showcases an amazing mix of traditional dance and capoeira in the Teatro Miguel Santana (Rua Gregôrio de Mattos 49). The best bars and clubs are concentrated in the old city, which is buzzing at night, but a few trendy, modern places are cropping up in the lower, new city and around the beaches.
Eating out
Bahian food is cheap, plentiful and a feast for the senses. Fresh fruit is available everywhere and it is possible to drink milk fresh from the coconut on most beaches. Familiar foods such as sandwiches, pizzas, burgers and pasta are common in touristy areas but visitors shouldn't leave without sampling Bahian cuisine. Seafood features highly on most menus and moqueca (a hearty seafood stew) is eternally popular.
Getting around
The main visitor attractions of the old town are all within easy walking distance but the hills between Ciadade Alta (Upper City) and Ciadade Baixa (Lower City) are particularly steep so it's sensible to use the Lacerda Elevator (Praça Tomé de Souza) or the funicular railway. Travel to and from the beaches is possible on cheap, regular, but often crowded buses. An air-conditioned Executivo bus travels from the airport to the Praça da Sé (and back) stopping at all many of the beaches along the coast on the way. A ferry from the port travels to the popular getaway of Ilhe de Itaparica.
Exploring further afield
Adventurous travellers should head inland to the Chapada Diamantina National Park, where they will be rewarded by a high plateau cut by canyons, rivers, waterfalls and some of the largest caves in the Americas. A more relaxed excursion is Morro de São Paulo on the Ilha do Tinharé with spectacular beaches, old colonial buildings and laid-back bars and restaurants. There are no cars on the island so it is the perfect antidote to the bustle of Salvador.
Splashing out
Even those on the tightest of budgets can afford to live well in Salvador. It's not really a jetset destination and doesn't offer a lot in terms of luxury living. One of the most exclusive restaurants is Trapiche Adelaide (Praça Tubinambás, 2, Avenida Contorno), where an Italian chef serves Mediterranean food. It is a sumptuous, modern restaurant on the site of an old dock warehouse with fantastic views of the bay. Perhaps the most extravagant option is to visit one of the few trendy clubs in town, such as Fashion Club (Avenida Octávio Mangabeira 2471).
Flying in
Salvador (Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport) (SSA)
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