Salvador Beaches

(Salvador, Bahia, Brazil)

A number of appealing and enticing beaches present themselves around Salvador. The city's coastline is one of the longest found in any Brazilian city and the sandy beachfront stretches for more than 50 km / 31 miles.

Many of the most popular beaches in Salvador are to be found around the Low City and the High City areas. The beaches of the Low City front the beautiful Baia de Todos os Santos (All Saints Bay), while those of the High City are generally edged by the Atlantic Ocean. The exception to this is the award-winning Praia Porto da Barra (Porto da Barra Beach), which is a High City beach sited alongside the All Saints Bay.

General Information

Recently voted as one of the best beaches in the world, the Praia Porto da Barra is located within Salvador's neighbourhood of Barra and features especially calm water, suitable for swimming. The Porto da Barra Beach has a small hilltop church at one end and a white-washed colonial fortress at the other, adding a little character and interest, and some good photo opportunities. Since this beach faces west, many people come here for its superb sunset views.

Due to its extreme popularity and relatively small size, the Praia Porto da Barra is usually very crowded, although excellent for people watching. Traders are here in large numbers, selling refreshments, jewellery, sunglasses and more.

Located on the left-hand side of the lighthouse, the Praia do Farol da Barra (Farol da Barra Beach) is regularly frequented by local surfers in Salvador, who come here to take advantage of its reliably strong waves. The Farol da Barra Beach is lined with a good selection of eateries and shops, being floodlit at night and a great place to enjoy an evening meal, al fresco.

Less-crowded beaches and cleaner Atlantic water can be expected if you are prepared to travel a relatively short distance from Salvador. Buses frequently head eastwards, connecting the white sandy beaches at Flamengo, Itapua, Piata and Stella Maris, where barracas (kiosks), tall palm trees and sand dunes are to be expected.