Salvador da Bahia on the east coast of Brazil boasts an incredible 80 km of dream beaches. On the Atlantic, the surf attracts numerous surfers, and the protected Baía de Todos os Santos invites you to swim.
The coast of the metropolis Salvador da Bahia is one of the longest urban coasts in Brazil. From the upper city to the lower city, one dreamy sandy beach after another stretches for 80 km.
The beaches of the upper city, from Praia Farol da Barra to Praia do Flamengo, are all on the Atlantic Ocean except for Praia do Porto da Barra. The beaches of the lower town are bordered by Baía de Todos os Santos ("All Saints' Bay"), the most expensive bay in Brazil.
The beaches of Salvador da Bahia are THE meeting place for young and old, rich and poor, locals and tourists. There is always something happening on Salvador's coast, where people eat, drink, laugh, chill, dance, play sports and, of course, swim. Depending on your taste, you can choose a lively beach in the centre or a quiet, tropical picture-book idyll further south or north of Salvador.
Salvador da Bahia has a total of 28 beaches. Listing them all here would be somewhat beyond the scope, so the following are the most beautiful and important stretches of Salvador's coastline.
Table of contents
Praia do Porto da Barra
Porto da Barra beach is one of the most famous beaches in Salvador and probably the first one you will see as a tourist. The beach is the only one in the upper town that lies within the Bay of All Saints and is not exposed to the surf of the Atlantic. The sea here is calm, pleasantly temperate and ideal for swimming.
As a digestive walk, it is worth taking a detour to the small Santa Maria fortress from the 17th century or visiting the pretty whitewashed church on a hill.
From the balustrade, there is a fantastic view of Itaparica Island. By the way, Praia do Porto da Barra is one of the few places in Brazil where you can see the sun setting.
Tip: Especially at weekends, Praia do Porto da Barra is often crowded, increasing the risk of theft on the beach.
Article: Praia do Porto da Barra in Salvador da Bahia
Photo gallery: Praia do Porto da Barra in Salvador da Bahia
Praia do Farol da Barra
If you go about 5 km from the centre of Salvador, you will reach Praia do Farol da Barra. It takes its name from the lighthouse of the same name that rises into the sky at the end of the beach. Today, the Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra is home to the Bahia Nautical Museum.
The beach near the lighthouse is characterised by rugged rocks that have created natural pools where children in particular find wonderful bathing fun. At the other end of Praia do Farol da Barra, surfers enjoy the high waves. At weekends, this beach can also get very crowded.
Article: Farol da Barra in Salvador da Bahia
Photo gallery: Farol da Barra in Salvador da Bahia
Praia da Ondina
Praia da Ondina is located in the neighbourhood of the same name in Salvador da Bahia about 10km from Salvador's centre and starts near Cristo Hill. Here, access to the beach is blocked by hotels and club complexes. After this passage, Praia da Ondina spreads out with a narrow strip of fine sand and the crystal clear Atlantic Ocean. During the week it is usually quiet here and swimming and diving are wonderful. Surfers are often seen here at high tide, and small tide pools form at low tide.
The Ondina quarter itself is also worth a visit. If you have had enough of relaxing on the beach, you can take a walk through the Ondina district, which is well worth seeing. It houses a zoo with an adjacent restaurant including a viewing platform and the governor's palace.
Praia de Jardim de Alah
The "Beach at the Garden of Allah" is located in the Riviera district about 15km from the centre of Salvador and is attractive mainly because of its many palm trees. In the tide pools formed by many rocks, one can swim unmolested by surf or currents. At the beginning of the beach is the Parque Jardim de Alá. Towards the north, the beach is equipped with stalls selling drinks and snacks.
In summer, Praia de Jardim de Alah is a hive of activity, especially during the "Projeto Verão Light" ("Summer Light Project"), which includes dance performances, aerobics and Tai Chi classes and capoeira demonstrations. A 15km long beach promenade leads from here to Praia de Itapuã, the most beautiful city beach in Salvador.
Praia da Piatã
On this stretch of Brazil's coast, the sea is calmer again. Praia da Piatã is a wide, beautifully curved beach that ends in a small rocky peninsula. A coconut palm grove provides pleasant shade.
The seabed slopes gently here, so Praia da Piatã is ideal for swimming and is therefore often hopelessly crowded at weekends. Surfers also feel right at home here. At the rocky end of the beach, however, you have to reckon with treacherous currents.
Praia Placaford
Praia Placaford is located next to Praia da Piatã and is the ideal family beach with its sheltered bay. Incidentally, the beach takes its name from a Ford advertising poster that was once displayed there. Praia Placaford is a popular meeting place for samba musicians, so there is always something going on here.
Praia da Itapuã
Praia da Itapuã (literally: "round stone") is the furthest, about 23km, from Salvador's centre and is often called the most beautiful beach in Salvador. It is known for its towering palm trees, lagoons and snow-white dunes.
Protected by rocks and reefs, its calm waters invite you to swim and the palm-fringed sandy strip to sunbathe. The typical Bahian beach bars are the perfect place to enjoy a caipirinha or two.
The most beautiful beach in Salvador is naturally also the most popular. All hell often breaks loose here and parking spaces are usually scarce. On the other hand, it is the ideal place to get in touch with the locals and get to know the "real life" of Salvador.
Praia Flamengo
The "Flemish beach" is located together with Praia de Stella Mares north of Praia da Itapuã in Stella Maris, an upscale neighbourhood of Salvador about 25km from Salvador's centre and only 10km from the airport.
A variety of interesting beach huts can be found at Praia Flamengo. The green Atlantic Ocean, the pleasantly temperate water and the numerous coconut palms create a wonderful backdrop. Besides diving, fishing and surfing, Praia Flamengo is also a great place for hiking and playing racketball.
PICTURES: Praia Flamengo and Stella Maris in Salvador
Praia Ipitanga
Praia Ipitanga borders on Praia Flamengo at the level of the town of Lauro de Freitas. With its coconut palms, fine sand and perfectly temperate sea, this is also one of Brazil's little paradises.
The 7 most beautiful strolling and surfing beaches in Salvador da Bahia
The beaches of Salvador da Bahia between Praia Ondina and Praia da Piatã are too dangerous for swimming due to high waves or dangerous currents. The only exception is Praia de Jardim de Alah with its tide pools.
You won't be alone, though, because the surf belongs to surfers and the sandy areas to walkers, footballers and volleyball players - so there's definitely action on or off the water!
Praia do Rio Vermelho
Praia do Rio Vermelho directly adjoins Praia da Ondina and is rather unsuitable for bathing, but depending on the tides it is a paradise for surfers. Up to the Igreja de Santana, the beach is dotted with picturesque rocks, behind which is a large market with bars and restaurants. There are also a variety of eateries off the beach. The area around Praia do Rio Vermelho is considered a bohemian neighbourhood and is often frequented by artists.
Praia da Amaralina
Next in line is Amaralina beach, whose waves are populated by surfers despite the dangerous currents. Small stalls sell coconut milk and the typical Bahian acarajés, deep-fried balls of beans and shrimp.
When the smell of the palm oil in which acarajés are fried mixes with the seaweed, which is sometimes more and sometimes less present on the beach, the characteristic smell of Praia da Amaralina is created. The beach promenade is wonderful for a stroll.
Praia da Pituba
Pituba beach is located in the district of the same name in Salvador da Bahia and begins at the Quiosque das Baianas ("Kisok of the Bahians"), where a particularly large number of acarajé and coconut milk sellers have gathered.
Much of the beach is unsuitable for bathing due to the surf of the Atlantic , but there is a somewhat calmer section in the middle where boats also ply. The streets parallel to the beach are lined with numerous restaurants and bars.
Praia do Chega Nego
Praia do Chega Nego is also called Praia Jardim dos Namorados and is the second beach in the Pituba district. This is where (not only on Valentine's Day, the Dia dos Namorados, which is on 12 June in Brazil, by the way) the young people of Salvador da Bahia in love flock. At weekends, especially in summer, craft markets are set up here.
The beach is connected to Parque Jardim dos Namorados, Parque Costa Azul and Parque Jardim de Alá by a cycle path. Due to the wildness of the Atlantic Ocean, bathing is not recommended here either, but surfers and fishermen can be observed.
Praia dos Artistas
The artists' beach is located in the Boca do Rio district and - as the name suggests - has been populated mainly by artists since the 1970s. Especially in the well-known music bar Aruba Barraca dos Artistas, faces of high society can also be seen again and again.
The beach is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Rio das Pedrinhas, which washes the city's dirt into the Atlantic. Although the water quality has been improved by sewage treatment plants, bathing here is still not recommended.
Praia do Corsário
Pirate Beach is located just after Praia dos Artistas and has the best surf waves in all of Salvador da Bahia . The spacious sandy area is quite crowded, especially at weekends.
Praia de Jaguaripe
Praia de Jaguaripe is located at the mouth of the river of the same name into the Atlantic. At the weekend, it is mainly the locals of Salvador who flock here. In 2010, the beach volleyball championship was held here.
PICTURES: The 10 most beautiful beaches of Salvador da Bahia
Photo gallery: The 10 most beautiful beaches of Salvador da Bahia
