Arembepe is approximately 30 km from Salvador, heading north.
The most famous hippie village in Brazil is in Arembepe which is in a district of Camaçari in the Costa dos Coqueiros, a municipality that is home to beautiful beaches and one of the largest petrochemical centres in the country.
Its beauty has already enchanted personalities such as Janis Joplin and the Novos Baianos, who made long stays there during the 60s of the 20th century.
Several rustic huts are spread over an area surrounded by the lagoon of the Capivara River and the natural pools formed by the reefs of the beach.
The centre of Arembepe was renovated and gained a beautiful square. If you want to relax on the beach, look for the most urbanised part of the shore, with weak waves and natural pools at low tide. On the way there, visit the Tamar Project.
The beach of the urban centre has a barrier reef that forms a natural pool very quiet for swimming.
The beach is also home to one of the most important environmental protection initiatives in Brazil, such as the Tamar Project, with fenced areas to protect sea turtle eggs.
Hippie stronghold in Bahia, Arembepe is economic alternative to Praia do Forte
After 50 years of Mick Jagger’s visit, the village is home to remnants who live off handicrafts.
The year was 1968, and while part of the world was rising up against authoritarian regimes, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, accompanied by guitarist Keith Richards, strolled almost anonymously during the summer in the then bucolic village of Arembepe, on the north coast of Bahia. The hippie village of Arembepe was born.
Situated between the dunes that separate the sea from the now-weakened Capivara River, the site currently has about 25 houses and 60 residents.
Camouflaged in the middle of the sandbank, the bungalows are a mixture of clay, stones and glass bottles.
Hardly anyone today is from the time when the cultural buzz took over this sort of parallel universe.
The heyday was around 1970. In the following decade, everyone was in the city, fighting against the dictatorship.
Today, the village is frequented by tourists and residents of neighbouring districts and Salvador. Still, there is a distance between the “outside world” and the community.
Primeira Aldeia Hippie do Brasil em Arembepe na Bahia
“Being a hippie has its good side, which is being free, but it also has its bad side, which is being discriminated against, being looked at differently by people”.
“We try to get closer to society, but we deal a lot with prejudice, which forces us to live almost isolated. We want people to come more, get to know our culture and value our work.”
In the village, it is possible to stop at Alceu’s bar, which offers good conversation, and buy an ornament at the Handicraft Centre, which is the main livelihood of that community.
The Capivara River invites you to take a dip when it’s full.
Part of Camaçari, Arembepe is 42 kilometres from Salvador.
It is about 40 minutes by car from Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport, via BA-099 (Coconut Road). The region can serve as a base for Praia do Forte and Imbassaí, 35 km and 41 km northwards, respectively.
But unlike the trendy Praia do Forte, Arembepe offers travellers lower-priced options.
In the nerve centre facing the sea is the church of São Francisco de Assis, built at the beginning of the 20th century, and a range of small shops, markets and places serving typical food.
For those in search of isolation, the option is to head to Praia do Piruí, where natural pools, formed at low tide, contrast with waves ideal for surfing.
At the weekend, only two tents operate on the waterfront. It is worth taking a basic kit with parasol and chairs.
There are the quietest accommodation options, including the pousada A Capela, with daily rates ranging from R$ 280 to R$ 430.
All along the coast of Arembepe it is also possible to see markings that signal the existence of nests with sea turtle eggs.
The local Tamar Project centre offers an interactive museum, turtle observation tanks and guided tours, which must be booked in advance by emailing cv.arembepe@tamar.org.br.
Another popular attraction is Canto beach, further north of the hippy village.
Separated from the Capivara River by a hill of dunes, the stretch is known for harbouring a coral reef.
Hippie occupation in Arembepe
The current residents of the hippie village seek to occupy the site with musical performances, film shows and exhibitions.
“Today, we are fighting for the community to become a cultural heritage site”.
To this end, members of the Arembepe Traders and Service Providers Association have spread banners around the squares telling visitors about the local history.
According to Claudia Giudice, 52, a member of the organisation, there are projects “in the conversation phase” with the government to maintain an agenda to celebrate the village’s 50th anniversary.
“We are trying to do a series of events to shed light on this place and, obviously, bring tourists to help the village stay alive,” says Giudice, who was born in São Paulo and moved to Arembepe in 2013.
“The hippie movement was very strong in Brazil, it arrived here in the historical context of the dictatorship.
As a result, the village attracted very interesting people over several summers. This cannot be forgotten, because part of our music, our poetry and our history is linked to this movement.”
Tourism and Travel Guide to Arembepe in Bahia
