Itacaré

Itacaré is a municipality of 29,000 people (2020) in Bahia, in Northeast Brazil. It is an up-and-coming vacation spot with amazing beaches, surf, capoeira and plenty of culture. The town has a series of beautiful small cove-type beaches as well as Itacarezinho and other picturesque beaches further along the coast. Itacaré is on the edge of a national park, one of the last large expanses of Atlantic rain forest left in Brazil.

Itacaré is a hub of Bahian culture. Many tourists visit Itacaré to take part in the local Capoeira circles and eat traditional Brazilian food. The town is flooded with revelers during New Year's and Carnival.

Understand
The first economic activity in region was the harvesting of Brazilwood, which was used to create dyes in Europe and is where Brazil received its name. During the early colonial period the region also produced cassava flour which was sent maintain the enslaved people that worked the sugar plantations in the colonial capital of Salvador. The largest economic boom came from cacao production during the 19th and 20th centuries. Cacao was grown further in the interior and Itacaré was an important port for exporting the cocoa beans to producers in Europe. It was during this time that a number of neocolonial houses and warehouses were built along the river front that still characterize the historical center of the town. As road and railway networks expanded and the port in nearby Ilhéus was expanded, Itacaré's importance as a port diminished. Construction of two dams upriver in the 1960s also led to the port silting up, making it harder for larger ships to dock.

The final blow to the cacao industry in the region was a massive blight that devastated the region's cocoa crops in the 1980s. Since then, Itacaré has depended mostly upon tourism. It is a popular destination for surfers, hikers and ecotourists.

Get in
Itacaré is 70 km north of Ilhéus on the BR001 highway.

By plane
For most international tourists the entry to Brazil will be through São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro or Salvador international airports. There are daily flights operated from domestic airlines LATAM and BRA to Ilhéus which is the closest airport to Itacaré.

By bus
From Ilhéus (which has an airport) take a bus north - the ride takes less than two hours. From Salvador, you can take a ferry to Bom Despacho (50 min, R$4) and then a bus to Itacaré (5 hours, R$30, bus company "Cidade do sol", their terminal is directly behind the ferry port in Bom Despacho). There is also a bus that goes directly from Salvador to Itacaré, but it takes a lot longer than the ferry-bus combination (as it goes all around the bay of Salvador), is more expensive and only goes once or twice a week.

Get around
The town of Itacaré as well as the five surrounding beaches are easily accessible by walking. There are local (e)-bike rental services available. Since 2017, the Rua Pedro Longo is closed for vehicles after 16:00 and transforms in a lovely pedestrian zone with several restaurants, shops and tour agencies.

See

 * Luanda, Filhos de Zumbi and Tribo do Porto are three capoeira groups in Itacaré. You don't want to miss their shows. Their training sessions are open to visitors.

Buy
Itacaré isn't a shopping paradise, but there are some nice handcrafts and surf wear & gear. There's also a travellers' bookshop.

Drink

 * Café-Bar Easy Drop, Rua João Coutinho, Centro. Drinks and live music.
 * Tapiocaria Bem Bahia, Rua Lodonio de Almeida, Centro.

Sleep
Itacaré is filled with guest houses (pousadas); there's one for each budget and each style of traveler.


 * Pousada Solarium, Loteamento Concha do Mar, quadra B nº32, Praia da Concha, (73) 3251 3031, ([mailto:pousadasolaium@ig.com.br pousadasolaium@ig.com.br]), . Solarium in Latim means "a place for sunbath", which describe perfectly this accommodation.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.
 * Albergue O Pharol, Praça Santos Dumont, 07, Centro. Affordable pousada with 12 collective and 2 private rooms.