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Baía da Traição is a municipality located approximately 90 km from the capital, João Pessoa, on the north coast of Paraíba.

The municipality extends over 102.4 km² and had 8,993 inhabitants in the last census. The demographic density is 87.8 inhabitants per km² in the territory of the municipality.

Neighbouring the municipalities of Marcação, Mataraca e Lucena, Baía da Traição is situated 20 km north-east of Rio Tinto the largest city in the surroundings.

The name Baia da Traição was given when a Portuguese vessel anchored here and its sailors were attracted by the young Indians, and the Indians feeling invaded, trucidated the Portuguese.

Currently, Baía da Traição, for its beautiful beaches, is very frequented by 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 inns in Baía da Traição to cater for holidaymakers.

The town is most frequented by tourists in the summer season, when it becomes overcrowded. The main meeting point not only for tourists but also for the population (especially the younger ones) is the central square of Baía da Traição;

Its carnival, which is part of the tourist calendar of the Paraibana Tourism Company, is one of the most popular in the state.

The beach is the natural feature most targeted by tourists, but that is not all, as there are beautiful lagoons and rivers in the municipality.

The best known lagoons are;

1. 1. Lagoa do Mato
   2. Lagoa Encantada
   3. Aldeia Perdida, which has a lagoon that is isolated and surrounded by admirable vegetation

.There, one can find the Indian Curumim, so known. He offers tourists the toré dance and handicrafts on the shores of the lagoon;

The Fort, with its beach and its famous view of the cannons attracts many tourists to the place, being considered one of the most beautiful points to look at the Bay.

The strong point of tourism in Baía da Traição is undoubtedly the presence of Indians.

Crafts and dance are the identity of the Potiguares and can be found in all the villages of the reserve belonging to the municipality. Among several, we can highlight: 

Aldeia Forte – in this community there is the Toré Forte; indigenous association that received the Indigenous Culture Award in 2007, which values encouraging everyone to practice culture; in it, we find the toré dance and handicrafts; 

Galego Village

– also provides tourists with dance and handicrafts; it stands out for its typical food and a trail that goes from the other side of the village to the sea.

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

The Aldeia de São Francisco is the most characteristic in terms of indigenous physical traits.

Paraíba has accommodation in indigenous huts

With 32 villages scattered in towns such as Baía da Traição, Marcação and Rio Tinto, the northern coast of Paraíba is the state’s indigenous version.

The indigenous people of the state are also known for their indigenous culture.
In addition to agriculture and fishing, the Potiguara have recently begun to engage in community-based tourism.

Okatu is a different kind of camping, where guests stay in traditional indigenous huts on the seafront, in the Alldeia Alto do Tambá, in the municipality of Baía da Traição.

The place has nine hollows made with coconut palm straws, where even a tent can fit, in addition to having a structure such as hammocks, a restaurant and an area for toré presentations, as the sacred ritual of those indigenous people is known.

The history of Paraíba is present in the municipality of Baia da Traição, where in 1501 sailors anchored in the port, the scene of bloody battles between the Potiguaras Indians, inhabitants of the land, and the Portuguese who wanted to colonise the place.

The municipality of Baia da Traição is very rich with several environmental routes is scenery in points for tourists, such as cliffs, coral reefs, mangroves, paradisiacal beaches, rivers with crystal clear waters, historical ruins and the largest indigenous reserve of the Potiguaras Indians, whose inhabitants preserve and maintain customs.

Baía da Traição is part of the Trails of the Potiguaras, and is located on the North Coast, between the municipalities of Mataraca, Marcação and Rio Tinto, approximately 90 km from João Pessoa.

Tourist Spots of Baía da Traição PB

1. Baía da Traição Beach

.The main beach of the region, which bears the name Baía da Traição, was one of the main accesses of the Dutch when they tried to invade Brazil with the help of local indigenous tribes – origin of the name of the city, given by the Portuguese.

In addition to the rich history, the beach has calm waters and a nearby reef, which form a beautiful landscape. It also has great infrastructure, with restaurants and bars on the waterfront.

2. Coqueirinho do Norte Beach

Coqueirinho do Norte is a beach in the municipality of Marcação, in the state of Paraíba. One of the most beautiful beaches of the Paraibano coast and is the cradle of the meeting of the waters of the Caieiras River with the sea.

A beautiful and little explored beach. one of the most beautiful beaches of the north coast, has a fishing village and has some boats that make the trip to Barra de Mamanguape, for the manatee project !!!!

Praia de Coqueirinho do Norte has a namesake in the Conde coast, in the South Coast of Paraíba: the Praia de Coqueirinho or Praia do Coqueirinho.

In fact, due to the Coqueirinho do Norte, from Marcação, it is also called Coqueirinho do Sul.

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3. Trincheiras Beach

Praia das Trincheiras is one of the places that most carries the local history of the colonial era. It was on this beach that the Portuguese made trenches to contain the advance of Dutch troops. In addition to the historical context, the beach has a beautiful landscape, natural pools, lighthouse and, during low tide, a wide sandbank for visitors to relax.

4. Praia do Forte

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Located near the central square of Baía da Traição, Praia do Forte is on indigenous reserve land.

In this place, it is possible to contact the cannons that protected the coast in the past, at a high point of the beach that facilitates the visualisation of the environment. In addition to the historical relics, the beach also has beautiful cliffs and a rough sea, full of waves, ideal for those who want to surf.

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 Galego, which recently changed its name to Aldeia Alto do Tambá, where you can buy indigenous 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 of the northern coast of the state and boasts attractions such as beaches with a strip of sand that marks the boundaries between the sea and the river, walks through lagoons, trails inside a mangrove and visits to indigenous communities.

The beach, which has high tide and “brava”, is known for having one of the best peaks for surfing and kitesurfing in Paraiba. The place has hosted several national championships of the sports and offers classes to visitors.

The Barra de Camaratuba is located at the northern end of Baía da Traição and therefore has characteristics of the dunes that are typically found in Rio Grande do Norte.

See also Tourist spots in the municipality of Mataraca PB

6. Lagoa Encantada

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

The lagoon has practically transparent waters, which are ideal for bathing and, together with the preserved nature that surrounds it, gives the place a special charm. To get there, you need to take the trails of the Cardosas cliffs, in a light walk of approximately one hour.

7. Rio do Gozo

Rio do Gozo is a popular spot for indigenous Potiguaras, as well as for tourists.

With transparent, very calm waters and a well surrounded by riparian forest, this river has an incredible look, completed with a swing that guarantees a lot of fun. It is possible to swim, observe marine life and still cool off in the waters of the river, which is within the area of the 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, is also a popular place for tourists.

Once an impressive beauty, today what remains of the church are the remains of the building.

Despite its current state, this was once an important landmark of the city, which eventually fell into disuse by the community. However, you can still glimpse the beauty that was characteristic of 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, signifying the relevant milestone of the territorial occupation of Brazil.

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

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

9. Village of Alto do Tambá or Alto do Tambá

.Also called Aldeia Galego, this is one of the villages of the Potiguaras peoples and has a deserted beach and wild nature.

The village is centred on top of the cliffs that surround the beach and is one of the places to buy indigenous handicrafts and try the local cuisine, with native fruit sweets. In addition, from there it is possible to have a beautiful view of the coast to the horizon.

10. Toré Forte

Within Aldeia Forte, Toré Forte is an indigenous association that focuses on the cultural valorisation of the community.

At Toré, visitors can have contact with artistic expressions of the village, such as the potiguar dance, very famous in the region.

In addition, it is also possible to meet and buy handicraft items from the village – a great way to have a souvenir of your trip.

11. Potiguara Trail

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

.Community-based tourism in villages of 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.

Located 90 kilometres from João Pessoa, the northern coast of Paraíba has 32 villages scattered in the municipalities of Baía da Traição, Marcação and Rio Tinto, where about 10,000 indigenous people are dedicated to agriculture, fishing and tourism. 

Indigenous handicrafts left everyday use to become a tourist product.

Baía da Traição, one of the oldest centres of colonisation in Paraíba, has been growing with its genuine community-based tourism. It has a cliff beach and river bath, coconut wheel and religious ceremonies, as well as tapioca, beiju and all the other foods that the land gives. 

The first stop is Aldeia do Forte, where a handicraft centre is located among old Portuguese cannons in Alto do Tambá, on the scenic Praia da Aldeia.

Between the mouths of the Camaratuba and Mamanguape rivers, 40km of sand stretch under multicoloured cliffs that overlook the rough sea of beaches such as Cardosas, Coqueirinho and Trincheiras, whose dunes were shelters for the Portuguese in their fight against the Dutch in 1625.

But the best tourism happens on the riverbank.

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

At low tide, it is also possible to follow the artisanal fishing of shellfish on a sandbank, at the meeting of Sinimbu and Mamanguape.

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

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

Despite having most of its territory in indigenous reserves, Baía da Traição has no one “dressed up as an Indian”, much less presentations of dubious taste to entertain tourists. There, you see what you have to see the way it is, for hundreds of years.

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

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

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

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

How to get there

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

For those who wish to stay in the beach area there are inns, several bars and restaurants that maintain a gastronomy derived from seafood, ice cream parlours, professionals accredited to make buggy rides and also to take tourists to the trails in little frequented areas of preservation and conservation.

Tourist Guide of Baía da Traição in Paraíba