Brazil beaches: Bahia and Salvador

Most first time visitors to Brazil see Rio de Janeiro, scale its main sites, namely Corcovado and Sugar Loaf, and then keep to the beach. Of course in Rio Copacabana and Ipanema are the calling cards and so many tourists will never venture out of the city.

The more adventurous types know that there is life and more beaches beyond Rio and so they head to Buzios. The urban beaches of Rio certainly possess all the beach magic well-known for many decades, but the charm of Buzios beaches, still quite near to Rio, is legendary and there are many to chose from, many secluded and truly pristine.

High percentage of travelers to Brazil arrive in Rio de Janeiro en route of itineraries that include Iguaçu Falls and a taste of Argentina. This has become a popular circuit as it is suitable to do year round.

For the urban experience Rio and Buenos Aires and the best of Argentina are perfect inclusions. Iguaçu Falls is one of the alluring natural wonders of the world so not a miss there. And to sample the Portuguese colonial heritage, must-see stops are Paraty on Costa Verde, the Green Coast south of Rio, and the picturesque Colonia, another former Portuguese stronghold on the coast of Uruguay, easily visited as a side trip from Buenos Aires.

But to come to Brazil wanting the ultimate beach experience, one needs to head north, to Bahia and Salvador, if not beyond. In fact the entire northeast of Brazil is studded with one stunning beach after another. And Bahia has also a very rich culture. After all, it is here where are the roots of the Portuguese history of Brazil.

Founded by the Portuguese in mid-16th century Salvador became Brazil’s thriving slave port and the first colonial capital. While Salvador is a grand city in terms of colonial architecture, its urban beaches are not the best by any means, though the finest beaches are not too far away.

Blessed with the most magnificent beaches in Brazil, Bahia province has no shortage of them, promising to keep you much longer than you might have planned. For its countless palms that line it, the coast north of Salvador is known as the Coconut Road and boasts an infinite number of beaches stretching on and on, with the ultimate beach paradise of Mangue Seco to behold as your final hideaway.

The coast south of Salvador is, however, equally as bewitching and the unspoiled retreat beaches of Barra Grande, Trancoso and Caraiva will tempt not to return to a cold winter and your job ever again.