Baía da Traição: Culture, nature and adventure

Baía da Traição has beautiful beaches and a route rich in historical curiosities. It is a municipality located about 90 kilometres from the capital, João Pessoa, on the north coast of Paraíba.

The municipality covers 102.4 km² and had 8,993 inhabitants at the last census. The population density in the municipality is 87.8 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Baía da Traição borders the municipalities of Marcação, Mataraca and Lucena and is located 20 km northwest of Rio Tinto, the largest town in the area.

The name Baía da Traição originated when a Portuguese ship anchored in the area and its sailors, attracted by the young Indian women, were attacked by the Indians, who felt invaded.

Today, Baía da Traição, with its beautiful beaches, is very popular with tourists from all over Brazil. Most of the houses in the urban area belong to holidaymakers, usually from Guarabira, Rio Tinto (Paraíba), Mamanguape, Campina Grande and João Pessoa.

There are several restaurants and guesthouses in Baía da Traição to cater for holidaymakers. The town is most visited during the summer season, when it becomes overcrowded. The main meeting place, not only for tourists but also for the population (especially the younger ones), is the Central Square of Baía da Traição.

Its Carnival, part of the Empresa Paraibana de Turismo tourist calendar, is one of the most popular in the state. The beach is the natural feature most favoured by tourists, but there are also beautiful lagoons and rivers in the municipality.

Known lagoons

• Lagoa do Mato
• Enchanted lagoon
• Aldeia Perdida is an isolated lagoon surrounded by stunning vegetation.

Here you can meet the Curumim Indians, who offer tourists the Toré dance and handicrafts on the shores of the lagoon. The Fort, with its beach and famous view of the cannons, attracts many visitors and is considered one of the most beautiful places to enjoy the bay.

The strong point of tourism in Baía da Traição is undoubtedly the presence of the Indians. Crafts and Dance are the identity of the Potiguaras and can be found in all the villages of the reserve belonging to the municipality. Some of the most important are

• Aldeia Forte: home to the Toré Forte, an indigenous association that received the Indigenous Culture Award in 2007, which values and promotes cultural practices. The village offers Toré dancing and handicrafts.
• Aldeia Galego: which also offers dance and handicrafts, stands out for its typical food and the path that leads to the sea.

In terms of handicrafts and dance, there is also the Aldeia de São Francisco, the most characteristic in terms of indigenous physical features.

Paraíba offers accommodation in indigenous huts. With 32 villages spread over places like Baía da Traição, Marcação and Rio Tinto, the north coast of Paraíba represents the indigenous version of the state. In addition to agriculture and fishing, the Potiguara have begun to develop communal tourism.

Okatu is a different kind of campsite, where guests stay in traditional indigenous huts on the seafront in the Alto do Tambá village in Baía da Traição. The site has nine huts made from coconut palms, which can accommodate up to one tent, as well as facilities such as hammocks, a restaurant and an area for toré performances, the sacred ritual of the indigenous people.

The history of Paraíba is present in Baía da Traição, where, in 1501, sailors anchored in the harbour, the scene of bloody battles between the Potiguaras Indians, who lived there, and the Portuguese, who wanted to colonise the place.

The municipality of Baía da Traição is very rich, with various environmental routes and landscapes for tourists, such as cliffs, coral reefs, mangroves, paradisiacal beaches, rivers with crystal-clear waters, historic ruins and the largest Indian reserve of the Potiguaras Indians, whose inhabitants preserve and maintain their customs.

Baía da Traição is part of the Potiguaras Trails and is located on the north coast, between the municipalities of Mataraca, Marcação and Rio Tinto, about 90 kilometres from João Pessoa.

Attractions in Baía da Traição PB

1. Baía da Traição Beach

The region’s main beach, Baía da Traição, was one of the main access points for the Dutch when they attempted to invade Brazil with the help of local indigenous tribes – hence the city’s Portuguese name.

In addition to its rich history, the beach has calm waters and a nearby reef, creating a beautiful landscape. It also has excellent infrastructure, with restaurants and bars along the seafront.

2. Coqueirinho do Norte Beach

Coqueirinho do Norte is a beach located in the municipality of Marcação, in the state of Paraíba. It is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Paraíba coast, where the waters of the Caieiras River meet the sea.

One of the most beautiful beaches on the north coast, it has a fishing village and there are boats to take you to Barra de Mamanguape for the manatee project.

Praia de Coqueirinho do Norte has a similar beach on the Coast of Conde, on the south coast of Paraíba: Praia de Coqueirinho or Praia do Coqueirinho.

In fact, because of the Coqueirinho do Norte in Marcação, it is also called Coqueirinho do Sul.

3. Trincheiras beach

Praia das Trincheiras is one of the places with the most local history from the colonial period.

It was on this beach that the Portuguese built trenches to stop the advance of the Dutch troops.

In addition to the historical context, the beach has beautiful scenery, natural pools, a lighthouse and, at low tide, a wide sandbank where visitors can relax.

4. Praia do Forte

Located near the central square of Baía da Traição, Praia do Forte is in the grounds of an indigenous reserve.

Here you can see the cannons that used to protect the coastline, at a high point on the beach that makes it easy to see the surroundings. In addition to the historical relics, the beach also has beautiful cliffs and a rough sea full of waves, ideal for surfers.

5. Tambá beach

Like the vast majority of beaches in the Potiguaras Reserve, Tambá Beach is beautiful, deserted and wild. At the top of the cliffs is the village of Galego, recently renamed Aldeia Alto do Tambá, where you can buy local handicrafts.

5. Barra de Camaratuba

Located in the municipality of Mataraca, 110 km from João Pessoa and very close to the border with Rio Grande do Norte, This fishing village is considered the last district on the state’s north coast and offers attractions such as beaches with a strip of sand that marks the boundary between the sea and the river, walks along lagoons, trails in a mangrove swamp and visits to indigenous communities.

The beach, which has a high and “wild” tide, is known for having one of the best surfing and kitesurfing spots in Paraiba. It has hosted several national championships in these sports and offers lessons to visitors.

Barra de Camaratuba is located at the northern end of Baía da Traição and therefore has the characteristics of the dunes typical of Rio Grande do Norte.

See also Tourist attractions in the municipality of Mataraca PB.

6. Enchanted lagoon

One of the main attractions of the region is the Lagoa Encantada (Enchanted Lagoon), much sought after by tourists for its beauty.

The lagoon’s almost transparent waters are ideal for swimming and, together with the unspoilt nature that surrounds it, give the place a special charm. To get there, take the paths that run along the Cardosas cliffs, an easy walk of about an hour.

7. Rio do Gozo

Rio do Gozo is a popular spot for both the local Potiguaras and tourists.

With transparent, very calm waters and a fountain surrounded by riparian forest, this river offers incredible views, complete with a swing that guarantees a lot of fun. You can swim, observe marine life and cool off in the waters of the river, which is located in the area of Tracoeira Village.

8. Ruins of the Church of St Michael the Archangel

The ruins of the Church of St Michael the Archangel, once considered a cultural heritage site, are also a popular tourist destination.

Once an imposing beauty, all that remains of the church are the ruins of the building.

Despite its current state, this was once an important landmark in the city, which has fallen into disuse by the community. However, you can still catch a glimpse of the beauty that characterised the building.

The Church of São Miguel Arcanjo, built between the 17th and 18th centuries, is a symbol of the Catholic presence of the Portuguese colonisers, representing an important milestone in the territorial occupation of Brazil.

Its symbolic value is linked to the religiosity and myths that underpin the construction of important aspects of Potiguara’s cultural identity, linked to the process of colonisation in this region.

The very location of the building is indicative of the strategies used by foreign religious leaders, probably to establish relations of power and sociability when they entered indigenous territory in their efforts to dominate and “civilise” it.

9. Village of Alto do Tambá or Alto do Tambá

Also known as Aldeia Galego, this is one of the Potiguaras villages with a deserted beach and wild nature.

The village is built on the cliffs that surround the beach and is one of the places where you can buy local handicrafts and taste the local cuisine, with sweets made from local fruits. You can also enjoy beautiful views of the coastline stretching to the horizon.

10. Toré Forte

Located in Aldeia Forte, Toré Forte is an indigenous association dedicated to the cultural promotion of the community.

In Toré, visitors can get to know the artistic expressions of the village, such as the Potiguar dance, which is very famous in the region.

It’s also possible to see and buy handicrafts from the village – a great way to have a souvenir of your trip.

11. Potiguara Trail

The route along the coast of Paraíba reveals a rich indigenous heritage by the sea.

Community-based tourism in villages in the Baía da Traição region combines beautiful natural landscapes with the culture of the Potiguara.

The Potiguara, who have always been there, now want to show themselves to Brazil.

90 kilometres from João Pessoa, on the north coast of Paraíba, there are 32 villages spread over the municipalities of Baía da Traição, Marcação and Rio Tinto, where around 10,000 indigenous people work in agriculture, fishing and tourism.

Indigenous handicrafts have gone from everyday use to tourist products.

Baía da Traição, one of the oldest centres of colonisation in Paraíba, is growing with genuine community-based tourism. There’s a cliff beach and a river bath, a coconut wheel and religious ceremonies, as well as tapioca, beiju and all the other foods the land has to offer.

The first stop is Aldeia do Forte, where there is a craft centre among old Portuguese cannons at Alto do Tambá, on the scenic Praia da Aldeia.

Between the mouths of the Camaratuba and Mamanguape rivers, 40km of sand stretches under multicoloured cliffs overlooking the rough sea at beaches such as Cardosas, Coqueirinho and Trincheiras, whose dunes sheltered the Portuguese in their battle against the Dutch in 1625.

But the best sights are on the river.

Sinimbu River Trail begins in the village of Camurupim, in the municipality of Marcação, and takes in attractions such as the mangrove trails of Ilha do Amor and the sunset at Barra do Mamanguape, in the Rio Tinto district.

At low tide, you can also watch artisanal shellfish harvesting from a sandbank where the Sinimbu meets the Mamanguape.

In fact, the source of the Sinimbu is one of the most beautiful settings in the destination.

This watercourse in the village of Tracoeira is known as Rio do Gozo (River of Joy), due to the crystal clear, cold waters that give a sense of relief to those who enter this shallow river, which is equipped with leisure facilities, a waterfall and even a wet swing.

Despite the fact that most of its territory lies within indigenous reserves, the Baía da Traição doesn’t have anyone “dressed up as Indians”, let alone shows of dubious taste to entertain tourists. You see what you see, just as it has been for hundreds of years.

One of the most popular stops on the buggy ride is at Aldeia Alto do Tambá, where Angelina and her family make around 300 tapiocas in a single summer’s day. You can also try stuffed beiju and grude (coconut paste baked in a banana leaf).

Not far from there, 4km from the centre of Baía da Traição, is Okatu, an unusual campsite with nine coconut palm huts on the seafront, equipped with hammocks, a restaurant and an area for performances of toré, the sacred ritual of the potiguara.

In Marcação, you can stay at Nova Paisagem, the region’s first inn in an indigenous area, on the banks of the Mamanguape River, in the village of Tramataia.

In recent years, the various villages that have opened up to tourism have also organised activities such as coco de roda performances and pajelança rituals in the Laranjeira village.

How to get there

The main access to Baía da Traição, both for those coming from João Pessoa or Pernambuco, and for those coming from Rio Grande do Norte, is via the BR 101 and then the PB 041, passing through Mamanguape and Rio Tinto.

For those who prefer to stay on the beach, there are inns, various bars and restaurants serving seafood, ice-cream parlours, and professionals licensed to take tourists on buggy rides and trails in the little-used nature reserves.

Baía da Traição tourist guide in Paraíba

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