Swimming in Salvador, Brazil

As the final part of our very active vacation in Brazil, we made our last stop in Salvador.

We stayed at a villa not far from Salvador airport. Having spent a lot of time in this area in my “pre-child” days, I welcomed the familiar sight of the avenue of huge bamboo trees that line the entrance of the airport. This cool green umbrella of an avenue makes a beautiful welcome for all visitors. In no time at all from the aeroplane, we are swinging in hammocks at the villa and dipping in the swimming pool. The temperature is warm in April, but not incredibly hot like in January and February.

Later that day, we went for a walk on the beach and passed the Pousada Pé in Camaçari, which is a great little hotel right on the beach for just £50 a night. We wandered to Praia de Arembepe (another local beach), and there were hardly any people around. The waves were too rough to go too far out.

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The next day, we took a 35-minute drive to Guarajuba beach and enjoyed the small tourist shops and beachside restaurants. I did my usual and drank maracuja caipiroska and ate cheese on a stick from the vendors on the beach. My daughter came to love this too when she saw you could add honey on top of the cheese. The sea was calmer in Guarajuba, and we managed a proper swim there.

After the city of São Paulo and then the farmlands of Minas Gerais, the beach seemed like the perfect end to the holiday: relaxing, swimming, and it was nice not doing too many things. They have a saying in (Brazilian) Portuguese, “Dolce far niente”, which means the sweetness of doing nothing.

On the third day, we ventured to Praia do Forte, one of the places I have stayed in many times before. Praia do Forte began in the 16th century with the construction of a fort by Garcia D’Ávila, a Portuguese nobleman, to protect against invasions and to serve as a storage location for goods being shipped to Salvador, which isn’t too far from the coastline. This fort, now in ruins, remains a popular tourist attraction. The village developed around this fort and eventually became known as Praia do Forte, meaning “the beach of the fort” in English.

The German-Brazilian entrepreneur Klaus Peters envisioned Praia do Forte as a sustainable eco-tourism destination in the 1970s. He contributed to the design of the town and to the eco-friendly way it is today. As part of this initiative, a sea turtle conservation center, the Tamar Project, was established. This is a well-established place where children can look at large turtles and enjoy seeing sharks and stingrays in tanks. There is educational material available about the various turtles in the area, and the project is a wonderful initiative to support.

After the Tamar Project, we walked past the Igreja São Francisco de Assis, the small Church of St. Francis of Assis that sits in the centre of the town next to the sea. We then wandered down the side avenues and ate at a great cafe called IT’S. The shrimp pasta was the best. After that, we went to the obligatory ice cream shop for the children, of which there are many in town.

We meandered after that to São João beach, where the sea is so warm it’s like taking a hot bath. There, we had beachside service from a little drinks hut. Very strong, handsome young men carried the supplies for the drinks to the little beach enclave. Maya was delighted with her coconut and with the gentle, hot sea. They played with the surfboards there, and we watched surfers in the distance taking their chances on the waves further out.

After another swim, we wandered back to the shops and for some Bahian cuisine, which is a mix of African, Portuguese, and Indigenous tastes. I love Acarajé, deep-fried bean cakes often served with a variety of fillings and sauces. The best dish for me, however, is Moqueca, a fish or shrimp stew cooked in a clay pot with coconut milk, dendê oil, and various spices. Bobó de Camarão is another good dish, made with puréed cassava, shrimp, coconut milk, and dendê oil. They are not overly spicy, so children generally enjoy these types of local dishes as well, which is always a bonus.

On my previous visits, before I had my daughter, I lived for a while in the youth hostel there called Praia do Forte Hostel. It’s an inexpensive place to stay with a fabulous breakfast that sets you up for the day. The staff are friendly, and it was always clean. I would lie in the hammocks there and enjoy a book before heading out the front door into the centre of Praia do Forte. If you are searching for more upmarket accommodation, the Tivoli Eco Resort is a great place to stay, located at the entrance to the town.

There is a direct bus from the town to the airport, as well as to other beaches like Itacimirim and nearby areas. However, once you’re in Praia do Forte, it’s hard to leave.

There’s a children’s hut “Point da Nina,” where you can rent push cars, scooters, electric bikes, and anything child-related. There’s also a dirt buggy day tour in the Sapiranga nature reserve that I did on another trip, which is brilliant fun and goes through the local nature reserve.

If you enjoy kayaking, quad biking, sea fishing , dolphin watching, or flying, this town is very geared towards tourism, and there are plenty of activities available. Praia do Forte tours can assist with these activities. I went whale watching, which is great between July and October, but the sea was a bit rough during my trip. Another way to learn about humpback whales is to visit the Centro de Visitantes Espaço Baleia Jubarte, an education centre in the town.

There are many shops for bikinis and souvenirs in town, but if you want local handicrafts, the Mercado Modelo is a good option. Praia do Forte Tours offers walking tours, but I prefer to explore on my own since the village is relatively small and walkable.

We had such an enjoyable time this year that we never felt the need to go into the main city of Salvador on this trip, somewhere I have been before when I was more in the mood for a full-on city experience.