What To Do In The Area PDF Print E-mail
There’s a tourist kiosk in the center of Conde that can book all sorts of sightseeing excursions plus give you practical information on the area, arrange buses and taxis, etc.

You can rent surfboards from a guy in town who sort of has a shop in his house; just tell anyone you want to “alugar uma prancha de surf” and they’ll point you in the right direction.

We found wandering the beach at sunrise and sunset to be a blissful activity too. At sunrise the fisherman go out on their jangadas – flat-bottomed boats that are piloted by standing up – and it’s quite the sight to behold as they struggle to make it past the break and the simple wooden craft creak and groan but still manage to hold together.

There’s also a sea turtle egg incubation station on the beach – we were lucky to be able to watch the little hatchlings (closely supervised of course) make their way out to sea.

If you want to wander beyond Conde, there are other beach villages up and down the coast where you can surf, do jangada tours and buggy tours. The info kiosk in town has all that information.

Salvador is a couple hours away by bus, and if you lean more toward culture, urban hustle and bustle and high energy, this is the place for you. If you’re flying in and out of Salvador, it’s worth exploring for at least a day or two. The first capital of Brazil, Salvador has an old town whose history dates back to the mid-1500s. Now the capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador has the largest black population in South America, and its African slave heritage is reflected in a lot of the local food, music and culture. Plenty of museums and tours are available in Salvador to learn more about this fascinating place, but even walking through the old town’s cobblestone streets, ducking into a tiny shops and restaurants (perhaps a couple blocks off the beaten path) will give you a good sense of it. If there’s one thing you should do in Bahia, it’s pick up some music or watch a capoeira performance.

Check out this Brazilian site for more on Salvador de Bahia: www.bahia-online.net

Still want to explore? Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world – about as long north to south as the continental U.S. is wide east to west – so it’s a challenge to try to see the whole thing. Bahia itself is as big or bigger than most European countries. Internal flights can be expensive – but browse the Brazilian airlines websites, Tam and Varig, for ideas. Bus travel is cheaper, but some can be crowded and rundown, and remember the distances! We found innovative ways to travel around, like hiring a driver for one long haul and a buggy for a short hop along the beach. The Brazilians we encountered were businesslike and friendly, and we had no problems striking deals that worked for both sides for travel.

Please feel free to contact us if you plan on doing any traveling in the Northeast. We’ve been to Natal, Praia da Pipa and Puerto de Galinhas, and would recommend them all. We’re happy to give you advice and tips.