Surfer girl at Barra Beach, Salvador da Bahia; Jess Loiterton
Salvador da Bahia Beaches
Praia do Farol da Barra
Also called Barra Beach, in many ways the premier beach in Salvador. It faces the Atlantic Ocean and features Portuguese colonial fortifications just north of Barra Lighthouse at Santo Antônio da Barra Fort. The beach has surfable water. It is arguably the best east-facing beach in Salvador and attracts numerous residents and tourists to watch the sunrise. Nowhere else can you find surfers, boogie-boarders, beach volleyball, beach football, and sunbathers a distinguished lighthouse & museum coupled with hotels and high-quality restaurants nearby. Bus service from other parts of the city to the beach is also good, so locals frequent it too.
MAP
Praia do Porto da Barra
Porto da Barra Beach is located in Barra neighborhood in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Located at the entrance of the Bay of All Saints it is nearly 1000 feet long, ait and features Portuguese colonial-period military fortifications. The Santa Maria Fort extends from a point near the southern end of the beach. The beach, unlike the bay, has calm water. It is one of the few west-facing beaches in Brazil and attracts numerous residents and tourists to watch the sunset. Porto da Barra was the site of Bahia’s first European settlement, the Old Village.
MAP
Praia do Porto da Barra, Salvador; credit Luan
Flamengo Beach
Flamengo Beach has fine golden sand, dunes, and swaying palm trees that offer shade as far as the eye can see. Facing the Atlantic Ocean, Flamengo Beach offers stunning scenery beachside bars, and cafes. Rent umbrellas & loungers or walk until your quiet place. The cafes serve traditional Brazilian dishes such as coconut, fresh fruit, and ice cream vendors satiate the beach. Waves break against the shore and are good for bodysurfers and boogie boarding.
MAP
Ilha dos Frades
This island centered in the Bay of All Saints is 4 miles long and shaped like a 15-pointed star. It has preserved the vegetation of the Atlantic Forest and its remarkable beauty. A dark historical note is that Ilha dos Frades received enslaved Africans from Salvador before their transport to the interior of the state of Bahia. The island was used for the illegal slave trade in Brazil until its Abolition in 1888.
MAP
Praia do Forte
More of a beachside village, but worth the northern drive, taxi/Uber ride from Salvador. It’s so pleasant you might want to stay and play with the giant turtles.
MAP
