Porto Seguro

Porto Seguro is in the southern part of the Brazilian state of Bahia. The region possesses amazing beaches and preserved areas of Mata Atlântica, an original tropical jungle found by the Portuguese discoverers in the year 1500.

By car

 * BR-367 is the main road into town, connecting from Eunápolis, about 60 km to the west, where it crosses BR-101. It also follows along the coast from Santa Cruz Cabrália to the north.

By bus
If you are already in Brazil, it is cheaper to take a bus from a major city than to fly. You can take a bus from Salvador. It is an overnight bus ride that takes around 12 hours.

Get around
If you are staying in the downtown area, you can walk most places. You can actually walk down the hill from the bus station to down town. If you are unfamiliar with the city and have bags, it's better to get a taxi.

If you book tours, they will provide transportation. There is also a bus system if you want to get out of down town. To see Arraial d'Ajuda, take the ferry across the river and take a bus to Arraial.

By buggy
There are numerous reputable buggy rental companies with offices around the center of town. Prices range from R$ 60-80 per day.

Steer well clear of the car rental company Terra Matter. Their buggies are very poorly maintained. In the case of a breakdown, they offer absolutely no compensation.

See

 * Replica of Pedro Alvares Cabral's Ship You can walk there from downtown.  It's north of downtown on the beach.  If it's closed, you can see all you really need to see from the beach.


 * Historic City - Up the hill near the bus station is a historic area that has some of the first houses and churches the Portuguese built in Brazil. There are local "guides" that stand at the top of the stairs and give decent tours of the historic city but it's tough to find one who speaks English.

Do

 * Recife de Fora - This is a very popular tour. During low tide, the tour guides will take you out to the reef so you can see the sea life in the reef. Be aware that in the tour they have you stand on the reef which kills the reef. This tour is not recommended because by taking the tour, you are contributing to the destruction of the reef.
 * Pirata Island -
 * Arraial d’Ajuda Eco Parque - This water park is across the river from Porto Seguro in Arraial d'Ajuda. Be sure to check the operating hours before you take a trip across the river. On the off season, they are not open every day.
 * Praia do Espelho - Curuípe has one of the best rated beaches in all of the country. Don't forget to stop at the indigenous village and see the sloths on the way.
 * Praia do Espelho - Curuípe has one of the best rated beaches in all of the country. Don't forget to stop at the indigenous village and see the sloths on the way.

Scuba diving
Although Porto Seguro is not a diving destination, you can go diving here. Most dive trips are around Recife de Fora at a shallow depth (max. 8 m). Visibility is rather poor at only a few meters.

Drink
Porto Seguro's nightlife is one of the most popular attractions for young people.

Go next

 * Arraial d'Ajuda, or simply Arraial, is a small town south of Porto Seguro. You can get there by crossing the river on the ferry and taking a quick bus ride.  It is also included in many of the tour packages.
 * Trancoso - The easiest way to get to Trancoso is to take a tour. If you want to explore on your own, you can rent a car and drive there.  The beach in Trancoso is beautiful.