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The warm waters of the Atlantic’s largest tropical bay and the constant winds extend over more than a thousand square kilometres in Bahia.
The calm waters of Todos os Santos Bay, combined with the natural beauty and historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the region, make Bahia one of the most pleasant destinations for nautical tourism. The tourist area covers Salvador and 17 municipalities in the Recôncavo and metropolitan region and receives thousands of visitors a year.
Although still little explored, even by locals, the Baía de Todos os Santos has 56 islands, including Itaparica, Ilha de Maré, Ilha dos Frades, Salinas da Margarida and Ilha de Cajaíba, as well as the city of Salvador itself, whose southern side is completely surrounded by the sea.
Turismo náutico na Bahia
The warm waters of the largest tropical bay in the Atlantic and the constant winds are an important attraction and extend over more than a thousand square kilometres. Visitors include Europeans, who forget the distance and the long days of travelling, and come to the Bahian seas aboard modern boats and small sailboats.
Most of the nautical tourists who visit the state arrive via regattas, which start in European cities and end in the region. Among the main competitions that have had the capital of Bahia as their final destination are the international regattas Transat 6.5, Jaques Vabre and Cape to Bahia.
National and regional events include the Aratu/Maragojipe and João das Botas regattas. The latter only brings together boats such as sloops that are at least 200 years old (in a characteristic art of the Bahian recôncavo passed down from father to son).
Those arriving in Bahia on their own boat have several options for visiting. However, the best structured marinas for accommodating boats are located in Salvador and Itaparica.
In the Bahian capital, the main mooring points are the Nautical Terminal in the Comércio neighbourhood, Bahia Marina on Avenida Contorno and Marina da Penha on the Itapagipe Peninsula. In total, there are 1,462 dry berths and 1,099 wet berths to accommodate boats. In addition to the marinas, there are nine moorings and 12 waterway terminals.
For those who don’t have a boat, a schooner trip costs an average of R$35. To guarantee your trip, you need to book at the Nautical Terminal, which is opposite the Lacerda Elevator and the Modelo Market. The trip includes a journey along the main inlet of Todos os Santos Bay and two stops: Frades Island and Ponta de Nossa Senhora.
Postcards of the state
Present in the works and birthplace of Bahian writer João Ubaldo Ribeiro, the island of Itaparica is one of Bahia’s postcards. Divided between the municipality that bears its name and the city of Vera Cruz, Itaparica has beautiful beaches and a rich culture.
The sea, which alternates shades of green and blue, the white sand and the Atlantic Forest areas offer options for diving, hiking, horse riding, cycling, kayaking adventures and large natural pools with calm waters.
Even with 40 kilometres of beaches, including Ponta de Areia, Cacha Pregos and Mar Grande, Itaparica, which still retains the bucolic characteristics found in the pages of João Ubaldo, also has a vocation for cultural tourism, with buildings from various eras.
Itaparica is also the only municipality that has mineral water with medicinal properties by the sea, as well as some buildings with military and religious architecture, such as the Fort of São Lourenço and the Mother Church of the Blessed Sacrament.
Another impressive location is Ilha dos Frades, located less than 20 kilometres from Salvador. The region is home to beautiful beaches such as Paramana and is one of the most popular destinations for schooner trips around Todos os Santos Bay.
Just eight kilometres long, the island is shaped like a 15-pointed star, each with a beach suitable for diving. With a maximum depth of 11 metres, it has coral formations and reefs, just like the neighbouring island of Maré, where bobbin lace handicrafts and sweets made from banana straw are the main attractions.
Nautical tourism on the islands off the coast is an option in Bahia
The warm waters of the largest tropical bay in the Atlantic and the constant winds extend over more than a thousand square kilometres in Bahia
With its inland aspect, Salinas da Margarida has a wealth of natural beauty. Among the main attractions are Barra do Paraguaçu, Ponta do Dourado and Praia da Ponte. Every year, the town hosts the Seafood Festival, an event in which moquecas and other seafood-based dishes are made. One of the local culinary delicacies is mariscada, in which shellfish, lobster, prawns and crabs are cooked in palm oil, an ingredient widely used in Bahian cuisine.
Another stop in Todos os Santos Bay is Cajaíba Island, in the municipality of São Francisco do Conde. Filled with mangroves, lakes and coves, the place attracts visitors and investors. In the next five years, it will host the largest private hotel development in the history of Bahia. A foreign group intends to invest US$ 600 million in the construction of a luxury resort there.
Marinas in the Todos os Santos Bay
Bahia Marina
Tel: (71) 3320-8888
www.bahiamarina.com.br
Bonfim Marina
Tel: (71) 3316-2050
www.marinabonfim.com.br
Marina da Penha
Tel: (71) 3316-5670
www.mardabahia.com.br
Yacht Club of Bahia
Tel: (71) 2105-9111
www.icb.com.br
Itaparica Marina
Tel: (71) 3117-7400
Aratu Yacht Club
Tel: (71) 3216-7444
aratuiateclube.ning.com
Bahia.ws is the largest travel and tourism guide for Bahia and Salvador.
