Bahia: Salvador, cacao and surf beaches

Colourful colonial houses line Pelourinho. Afro-Brazilian culture shapes the music, crafts and cuisine. The MUNCAB museum explores connections between Brazil and Africa.

Capoeira and music form part of cultural life on the squares. Traditional baianas sell acarajé. Moqueca and vatapá bring a distinctly Bahian focus to your restaurant visits.

Itacaré lies on Bahia's coast beside Atlantic Forest. Tiririca is a surf beach near the town centre. Competitions from the international surfing scene have taken place there.

Engenhoca lies outside town, reached along a trail through the landscape. A coastal path connects it with Havaizinho, Camboinha and Itacarezinho. This distinguishes nearby surfing days from a separate beach walk.

Cacao cultivation shapes the history of the region around Itacaré. Under the cabruca system, cacao trees grow in the Atlantic Forest's shade. Agriculture and forest share the same landscape here.

A cacao visit extends your view from the beach into the interior. I arrange available visits with local providers for you. This stage receives its own time within your trip.

Fishing boats line the Coroinha waterfront near the historic town centre. Praia da Concha lies where the sea meets the Rio de Contas. Restaurants and watersports shape this stretch.

Praia da Ribeira combines coastal forest with a stream. These places add other landscapes to your surf beach days. I choose accommodation according to the parts of Itacaré you want to reach.