The area - Porto da Barra
This is the old port, one of the original ports of Salvador, and now still a very busy port for small fisherman (by small, we mean basically a guy with a rowboat and a net). For the locals, this is definitely the place to come and you will never ever get bored on the beach here. There is so much to look at: people doing acrobatics and gymnastics, playing frescobol (the game with the 2 wooden bats and the rubber ball), impromptu capoeira demonstrations, all the beautiful bathers and beach vendors selling everything from bikinis, grilled cheese, beers, cocktails, soft drinks, pastries, prawns, cashew nuts, fruit salads, sandwiches, candy floss, cigarettes, chewing gum, candies, fried fish, the local bean delicacy acaraje, hammocks, sarongs, shorts, jewellery, tattoos (henna), back and foot massages, tarot card readings, peanuts, coconuts - yes, you can get all of this on the beach from the comfort of your deckchair, and most importantly, it is all super super cheap (if you are coming from a rich country). Example prices, beer = 50p (1 USD), deckchair and umbrella = £1.25 (2 USD) for the whole day.
To see the rooms/apartments for rent in Salvador.
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And you can even rent kayaks if you have the energy or go snorkelling (there are 2 coral reefs right on the beach, or even scuba diving (there is a dive shop on the beach - just bring your diving license or take a beginner's course). Off the beach are dozens of restaurants and snack bars at very reasonable prices and a few upmarket places if you are feeling posh. Local bars stay open pretty much until sunrise at which point you can make your way to the 24-hour juice, acai and burger bar (great prices, great quality) right underneath the apartment building. For those into self-catering, there is a supermarket 2 minutes walk away, an ATM 5 minutes walk away, and a fresh fishmongers (selling fish that has literally just come off the boats - you actually see the fishermen coming in to sell their fish while you are in there buying - and you can buy everything from lobster to red snapper at unbelievable prices (this webmaster cooks his own fish at least 2 or 3 times a week). Yes! All of this in Porto da Barra, an area the size of about 2 or 3 blocks. What is also great is that the sea is always warm and super clean 52 weeks of the year, the currents here are very weak (if you stay this side of the fishing boats) and you will never wait more than 1 minute before striking up a conversation with someone.
To see the rooms/apartments for rent in Salvador.
Click here to get in contact. Click here to see the Salvador Photo Gallery.
Barra - in general
Beyond Porto da Barra, you can walk 5 minutes along one of the most beautiful promenades (boardwalks) in the world to get to the lighthouse (the most famous landmark in Salvador) and enjoy spectacular views of where the Atlantic meets the Bay of All Saints (Bahia de todos os Santos - why Bahia is called Bahia), and then continue walking along for about half a mile past many more bars, snack bars, fine restaurants, banks, souvenir and beachware shops until you get to Barra Vento (a good restaurant where you can just get a drink and enjoy the perfect sunsets) before crossing the road to the crab bar - Caranguejo de Sergipe - where you can get fresh crabs and hang out with the locals and chat them up (this webmaster met his girlfriend in the crab bar). Walk one block inland to find the really posh supermarket Perrini where you get the top produce (and most of your favourite items from home) and the amazing shopping mall Shopping Barra where you can find everything including department stores, arts and crafts shops, airline offices, travel agencies, a cinema, a food hall, and most of the beautiful people of Salvador, all in a lovely air-conditioned environment with wifi. And even better, most of the shops stay open until 10pm, so no need to waste valuable beach time when you can do your shopping later.
A couple of blocks in and you get to the fashionable Jardim Brasil where you can check out Santo Antonio Botequim - a bar/restaurant which is packed 7 days a week mainly with locals and the food (Brazilian) is just sublime. You sit outside, the service is great, just a shame it has no sea view. Next door is one of Salvador's best Mexican restaurants, an amazingly cheap sushi bar run by real Japanese people, and the very trendy Bohemia bar/club which has live music nearly every night.
Warning about Barra: If you are like most of the tourists this webmaster has met, you will never want to leave. You do run the risk of returning home thinking of nothing else but returning to Barra. You have been warned!
