Praia do Forte

Praia do Forte is a beach and a coastal village in the Brazilian state of Bahia, 82 km north of Salvador. Despite being overpriced and tourist-oriented without any disguise, it is probably one of the most beautiful and pleasant spots of the Northeast of the country, and a good way to relax from the noise and crowds of Salvador.

Get in
Praia do Forte is 1.5 - 2 hours by bus from Salvador. You can get the bus from Calçada (near the bottom of the Lacerda lift) or from the Rodoviária bus station.

Salvador's airport is to the northeast of the town, giving easy access to Praia do Forte if you want to by-pass Salvador. Car rental is available from several companies. Buses leave from the airport at 10:30 and 14:30 for Praia do Forte.

Get around

 * From where the bus drops you off, you can walk anywhere in town. The path to the beach and to Projeto Tamar is lined with shops and restaurants.

Do

 * Shopping - There are many nice boutiques and they don't just sell bikinis, t-shirts and other turtle-themed souvenirs.
 * The Beach - The beach is very nice. When the tide is out there are tide pools that are full of sea life.  Farther down on the beach, past Projeto Tamar there is a great place for swimming.  There are a lot of fish and you don't even need a snorkel and mask to see them.  After seeing Projeto Tamar, spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean or exploring the tide pools. It's not uncommon to see a whale surface past the breaking waves.
 * Sapiranga Ecological Reserve. Atlantic rainforest area just a couple of km from Praia do Forte. Lots of interesting plants and birds, but rather spoilt by the 4-wheeled motorbikes that are the latest invasive species.
 * Horse riding. Available on the beach and for trips to Sapiranga reserve.
 * Bicycle hire. Several good trails are available.
 * Surfing and paragliding.
 * Capoeira You can train for example with Grupo Esporão with some great teachers as Contra-Mestre Fuampa or Professor Macaco.

Buy

 * It also has fantastic views of the coast and offers great photographic opportunities.
 * It also has fantastic views of the coast and offers great photographic opportunities.
 * It also has fantastic views of the coast and offers great photographic opportunities.
 * It also has fantastic views of the coast and offers great photographic opportunities.
 * It also has fantastic views of the coast and offers great photographic opportunities.

Sleep
Many of the hotels and pousadas in this area seem reluctant to quote their rates on their web sites. Use the booking service on the web site to get a quote.



Go next

 * Salvador. Some people fly in, stay in Praia do Forte for a week, fly out again and never see Salvador. It is only an hour and a half to downtown and to miss Salvador would be a big mistake.