Secret Bahia

The Secret Bahia Tour is a 9-day beach tour in Bahia, in the north-east of Brazil, packed up with a taste of the fascinating local history and culture. This region enjoys year-round sunshine and is a great choice for a holiday anytime round the year. Discover the outstanding natural beauty of the Bahian coast, one of the best places in South America to enjoy the beach. Visit the historic town of Porto Seguro, the laid-back village of Trancoso and pristine white-sand beaches. Meet the indigenous Pataxo tribe and learn about their traditional way of life. Discover miles of coastline with crystal clear waters and tidal natural pools. Sip in the relaxed atmosphere of Trancoso and Caraiva, in the shade of tall coconut trees. In the evening, dine at rustic restaurants in the vibrant Quadrado, enjoying live music. Simple and magical! For active travellers, south of Bahia is a great place to learn capoeira and surfing. This program is suitable for families travelling with children, as well as couples, groups of friends and senior travellers. The tour includes accommodation at small boutique pousadas with a lot of comfort and charm. We can tailor this itinerary to suit your plans by changing the length of the trip or the order of activities.

9 Days – From £3,540 per person

*equivalent in USD, EUR accepted

Itinerary: Porto Seguro, Coroa Vermelha, Trancoso, Praia do Espelho, Caraiva, Porto do Boi, Corumbau, Tatuassu, Porto Seguro

Included

Price is per person, based on two people sharing in a double/twin room
Accommodation with breakfast (more hotels HERE)
All the excursions mentioned in the itinerary
All transfers by car and boat on a private basis
Entrance & guiding fees
1 large bottle of water per day per person
All mandatory local taxes

Excluded

Visa, where applicable
International Flights (See Flights to Brazil)
Domestic Flights
Personal Expenses
Insurance
Tips & Gratuities
Meals not mentioned in the description

Flights

International flights are not included in the package price. We give you the freedom to book the flights yourself, use miles and choose your preferred airline, and if you are stuck we can help you find the right connections. Return flights to Brazil start from £800 per person, depending on the connections and time of the year. The starting point is Porto Seguro Airport (BPS) which is connected by flight to Rio, Sao Paulo, Salvador and Belo Horizonte.

For families and groups (starting with 5 pax), we can book domestic flights in Brazil, during the high season, and if the trip is part of a more complex itinerary. This is to ensure a seamless travel and no complications.

How to Book

Send us an email to check availability, discuss your preferences and get a quote.

This is a sample itinerary and prices are correct at the time of writing. We can tailor it to suit your plans by changing the length of the trip or the order of activities. More days can be added. Other hotels can be chosen, according to your liking. You can also combine this trip with other sights in Brazil, like the cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro, the exciting Amazon rainforest, the fascinating Pantanal or the deep canyons of the south. For more travel inspiration check these itineraries.

When to Visit

Best time to visit: year round. It is good to avoid the period between April and July because of the rain.

To avoid unpleasant weather surprises, we recommend to check our Brazil Weather Guide to plan your trip in the right season. Click on the month you want to travel in and see the tours which are best for each month of the year.

Between June and September we also can see Jubartes whale.

Day 1 - Porto Seguro

Today you will arrive at the airport of Porto Seguro in the South of Bahia. Welcome to the most relaxed and slow-paced vibes in Brazil, where the sun shines year round and beaches are the finest. After check-in at your pousada, go on a city tour. Up the hill is a historic area that has some of the first houses and churches the Portuguese built in Brazil. Visit Sao Benedito Church, Matriz de Nossa Sra da Pena Church, Misericórdia Church, the ruins of the first Jesuit school in Brazil and the Municipal Palace. At the end of visit the symbol of the Portuguese Navigator who discovered Brazil. Overnight at Pousada Pitinga.

Day 2 - Coroa Vermelha

After breakfast, depart to Coroa Vermelha for an Indian tribe immersion day. The reservation is only 30 minutes away, accessible by a tarmac road. Guided by Pataxos you will hike in the forest and look for medicinal and plants used by the Indians. The indigenous people are still preserving their culture with their traditional dances, praying to their gods and wearing traditional clothes. In the afternoon, you will learn about the typical food and make local handicraft. The Pataxos ornate their faces with beautiful paintings and you can also have one should you wish so. You will have a lot of fun getting to know these endangered people in Brazil. Overnight at Pousada Pitinga.

Day 3 - Porto Seguro to Trancoso

After breakfast you will be transferred to Trancoso by an unpaved road. This place has captured the attention and stolen the hearts of many travelers. It transformed from a remote and unknown village into a beloved holiday spot. Check in at your pousada and balance of the day at leisure. Discover the colourful Quadrado with small houses painted in bright pink, daffodil yellow and cobalt blue, built in a simple style with open doors – this is a relaxed place. Trancoso church is the emblem of the town and dates back to the 1600s. Have a charming rustic dinner at one of the delicious small restaurants in the square. Overnight at Pousada Capim Santo.

Day 4 - Trancoso

If you always wanted to try your skills and learn the harmonious dance of capoeira, Trancoso is a great place for that and they have a capoeira association in the town. Born from the colonial era, capoeira is a form of martial arts. Various variations are played at different speeds and are accompanied by music. It is possible to learn the rhythms, develop agility and power. Another great thing to do in Trancoso is Luau – a traditional celebration of the moon’s rising with music, dance and drinks. It is truly magical, a must! Some local hotels often organize Luau, especially Uxua. Overnight at Pousada Capim Santo.

Day 5 - Trancoso

There’s something absolutely relaxing about Trancoso, where everyone’s gone to the beach for the morning and once it gets into the late afternoon, they gather for a tasty lunch on the main square. In the evening the live music is there and the atmosphere is very homey and cheerful. Trancoso sits above two main beaches: Praia dos Nativos and Praia dos Coqueiros. You reach them by walking through the mangroves on a wooden walkway. A few beach bars and restaurants are stationed along the sand and the rest is pure nature. As the tide recedes, football games begin and horses gallop here and there. In the evening depart to Praia do Espelho. Overnight at Cala & Divino.

Day 6 - Praia do Espelho

Considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, Praia do Espelho has beaches with green clear water, cliffs and the Atlantic rainforest in the background. Although it is located only 20 km further down the coast than Trancoso, Praia do Espelho feels like a million miles away. Its remote exclusivity is part of what makes it so special. The slightly curved beach contains rich, golden sand and is bookended by rugged white cliffs and palms. Silvinhas, a tiny restaurant with homemade food is another great reason to visit. Balance the day at leisure, on the beach. Overnight at Cala & Divino.

Day 7 - Caraiva

Today you will be transferred to the beautiful Caraíva, a sweet and unspoiled gem Bahia. Getting there requires some effort, usually ending with a donkey to the door. There are no cars in the village so you have to get rowed across the river in a canoe. This castaway fishing village is steeped in calm and tranquility, a piece of paradise. The idle waves, the thin forest, the handsome coconut trees, the colourful fishermen boats – everything is like a romantic melody. The people are really laid back, things happen by a different clock here. Take a boat trip up the river and descend back by buoy. Enjoy a beautiful sunset over the river. Overnight at Villa Fulo.

Day 8 - Corumbau & Tatuassu

In the morning visit the indigenous village of Porto do Boi to connect with the Pataxo culture. They will dance, perform body painting, prepare traditional fish in patioba leaf and explain about different natural remedies. After lunch continue by buggy along calm beautiful beaches to Ponta de Corumbau. Enjoy the long splendid sandbanks and be sure to try the octopus rice from Goinha. Later board a speedboat and go snorkeling in Tatuassu, a coral reef 2 km away in the sea. This marine conservation area has lots of life and crystal clear water. Return to Caraiva in the evening. Overnight at Le Paxa.

Day 9 - Back to Porto Seguro

The departure is flexible, according to your onward travel arrangements. After breakfast, balance the morning at leisure and in due time you will be transferred to Porto Seguro airport. You can also choose extend your stay in in Corumbau, further south and do the day trips from there. Especially during the busy times of the year such as Christmas and Easter, when Trancoso gets packed, it is worthwhile to stay in other nearby beach villages. You can also combine this trip with a stay in the Pantanal, Amazon or Chapada Diamantina. For more travel ideas see our Brazil Holidays Page.

* If you are interested in multi-day capoeira lessons, surfing lessons, horse riding, scenic air transfers, diving, yoga and wellness programs – we can tailor this trip to you. Also, between June and September we also can see Jubartes whale. You can opt out to arrive in Caraiva by a helicopter transfer, enjoying the splendid views of the sea and the Atlantic Forest. Tell us more about the activities you like.

More Holiday Inspiration

In Brazil Other Destinations