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Tourism Brazil: Itacaré - Haven of peace and beauty in Bahia
Text/Photo by: Karla Prado Rondon | Sotaque Brasileiro – Number 3, Winter 2003
Would you like to walk a trail and quench the thirst by picking cashew lying on the ground? Surf the biggest waves of Bahia? See the sunset behind a wall of palm trees? Rappelling? Canoeing? Sunbathe naked, without getting unnecessary attention? Go through a swamp and end up in a river of many colors that takes you to the ocean?
These are many questions that seem like a dream and the answer to them all is the same one: Itacaré. At 65 km from Ilhéus, the city gained its first paved road five years ago, opening its doors to civilization. And it came in all forms: surfers, hippies, alternative and urban beings, staying in one of the two resorts of paradise. After the discovery, the key to the treasure is only one: choose a date lost on the calendar and dive there, as if time had stopped.
Clock? For what? Sandals, only Havaianas - those genuinely Brazilian. Finding peace in Itacaré is easy. No wonder many couples got lost there. There are Germans married to “baianos”, Frenchmen with eyes on the natives, Cubans with “paulistas". Some opened their businesses, others just live a longer holiday. There are 40 km of beaches, and deserted coves. Itacarézinho, for example, small in name only: 4 km of sand, with coconut plantations; Havaizinho looks like the lost paradise of a movie, with reefs and coconut trees; Engenhoca requires half-hour of walking in dense bushes and is another point of surfing in the region; Jeribucaçu is the light at the end of the tunnel: it is where the river of the same name flows, after running through a swamp. These beaches are generally empty all year and access to them is usually done in 4x4 vehicles from ecotourism agencies of the city. There are also tours to the Tijuípe Falls and the river Rio das Contas.
Next to the village and the beach “Praia das Conchas”, that was developed for the construction of dozens of inns at reasonable prices, there are also beautiful beaches that you can reach after a quick walk. The first is Resende, who has been called "topless beach" and is protected by a barrier of coconut trees. The ideal is to get there hours before and after the Tiririca, the peak of good waves, one of the spots in the Brazilian Circuit of Professional Surfing. There is a shower and Dona Fafá’s kiosk, to sip a beer, ice cream or coconut caipirinha made with great care, with local cachaça. Walk to Prainhas, elected by the Guia Quatro Rodas and by the tennis player Gustavo Kuerten, among other personalities, as the most beautiful beach in Brazil, a “must” food for the soul. The sunset can be back in Resende, eating a homemade guava or coconut bread, sold by an itinerant who comes every day when the red ball hides behind the palm leaves. A Sunset less alternative is only in the point of the jinx, in Praia das Conchas - the Ponta do Xaréu: everyone will be there.
At night, there are lots of choices for those who want to eat well. The Restaurant is the best. It's on the way to the beaches and that's where Sandra prepares an unforgettable grilled fish with plantain, which resembles the Japanese Tepanyaki. Equally pleasing is the lobster steak stroganoff, almost caramel, served with potato gratin. “Siri catado”, a sort of crab shell that comes only with pure, shredded crab meat, is a sure appetizer in any place. At Berimbau, we find the best shrimp stew (bobó) of Itacaré, a perfect post-beach meal; In Tia Deth, with the help of the owner’s son, the friendly Sabiá, the most requested is the fish stew (moqueca) or PF (daily special), which is of the best quality: rice, creamy beans, butter farofa, fried fish and salad. The sophistication of a dinner by candlelight is the specialty of the Mediterâneo. It is one of the most expensive restaurants, but has a good wine list and serves delicious pasta, like pumpkin rigatoni in a butter and sage sauce. The pizzeria Boca do Forno (or Beco das Flores) belongs to a gay couple concerned with details. It is the most popular place in Itacaré. To end the evening dance away in the forró at Praia das Conchas, where the tourists of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro fall in love with the natives and their dreadlocks.
Tips:
-Avoid going to the distant shores without a guide and use those of local agencies.
-Stay at least a week, to allow time to visit the beaches and do the tours.
-Bring cash (trocado!), check or credit card. No one has change and the only bank is a postal agency of Bradesco.
-In general, the rain falls from July to September. Prefer the other months and avoid the long weekends, when the place is crowded with tourists of the region.
-Take insect repellent, shorts, shirts and a light jacket for late nights. The sandals of the type “papete” are recommended for crossing rivers and trails.
Directions: TAM and Nordeste have daily flights to Ilhéus, out of Rio and São Paulo. The road to Itacaré is new and can be done in accredited vans or buses.
More information: www.itacare.com.br
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