As I was making my way down NorthEastern Brazil, I knew I wanted to visit the province of Bahia. Its Afro-Brazilian mix of cultures, music and food, the images I had seen of the city of Salvador de Bahia and the lush landscapes made me anxious to explore. I also knew I wanted to do some surfing around there, though I wasn’t too sure where exactly. When I met a girl from Salvador in Cumbuco (when I was kitesurfing there last December) she told me about the best place for surfing without a doubt is Itacaré.
I looked it up and indeed seemed that Itacaré was thé spot for surfing in Bahia. So, no doubt I was going there. So, here is everything you need to know to go surfing in paradise in Itacare, Bahia
Itacaré, Bahía
Itacaré is a former fishing town, surrounded by the Atlantic raining forest touching the Atlantic Ocean. It’s based along the so-called cacao coast, south of Salvador da Bahia and has many, many beautiful beaches to explore. Another plus, the water is still super nice and warm, so no wetsuit needed.
The town itself exists out of one main tourist street with shops, bars and restaurants, which eventually leads to the closest by beaches.
On walking distance from Itacare you can find the beaches of Resende, Tiririca and Ribeira. With Tiririca being the best beach for surfing in Itacaré.
Praia da Tiririca
Tiririca is the main surfing beach closest to town. With beach break waves all year round, it is also the spot with the most localism. The waves are fast and occasionally (and a little less occasionally during the ´winter´ season from May to September there are barrels.
If you are just learning how to surf, this is not your beach though (don´t worry, I´ll give you other options below). As I said, the waves are quite crowded and fast. In combination with it being the closest surf spot to town, the locals (understandably) protect their waves. Personally, I did not have a single problem, but, I also stayed away from the most crowded peak and gave a lot of room, respect and friendliness to the locals. Also, I sometimes think that being nearly the only woman out there helps a bit ;). And hey, I actually ended up making great friends with the guy whose wave I accidentally dropped.
I would usually end my day with a sunset session in Tiririca. It’s just a 15 minute walk from town, so I would stay until the end, taking advantage of people leaving the water and thus sharing the waves with just a handful of people. And walk back into town in the dark (yes, this is entirely safe. Also, you still won’t be the only one out there).
Praia Engenhoca
The best beach to go to, both for those that are learning, as well as for anyone else really, is Engenhoca. For me, this is the best beach surfing in Itacaré.
The beach is a 25-minute bus ride You can take the bus that goes to Ilheus from the main bus station in Itacaré and ask them to let you off in Engenhoca). From there it’s another 20-minute walk down through the lush jungle until you get to the beach. Beautiful, mellow yet powerful, long beach break waves with different left and right peaks. This is simply paradise.
The only thing that might potentially break this paradise is that it is also thé spot for surf schools to go to, so it occasionally gets quite crowded. Nothing a little 6am alarm clock can’t avoid though 😉 In case you do not have your own board, you can rent one here. There are also some little stands where you can buy food or drinks.
Praia Prainha
In case you do not want to take public transportation and are in for a little walk, Prainha is the way to go. Personally, I think this is the most beautiful beach to go surfing in Itacaré. About 50-minute walk from Itacaré (of which 40 minutes on a ´trilla´, a little jungle trail). You will walk through the forest, along cliffs, and eventually end up in Prainha. This walk definitely makes that there are way fewer surfers out here, yet the wave is beautiful as well! There is nowhere you can rent a surfboard here though, so it’s really only recommendable for those owning their own shortboard (I don’t think anyone would be up for hiking with a longboard or soft top for almost an hour through the jungle).
There is a little spot that sells watermelon and coconut on the beach, and in case you want to stay there: there is also accommodation right on the beach.
Jeribucaçu
Jeribucaçu is another fantastic spot, yet quite impossible to reach if you do not have your own transport (or know someone with their own transport), or share an Uber with a bunch of people.
It’s a little ride out, and another 30 minutes walk down a little trail. But the waves are beautiful, the scenery stunning and if you´re done surfing (or just not really into waves in general) there are some small trails that lead to other little secluded beaches. Definitely worth it to visit! Again, there are no board rentals here though, so bring your own board.
Where to stay in Itacare?
I decided to stay in a hostel of which there are two really great options in town: I stayed in Che Lagarto. A little hostel in the main street. I was a bit nervous because I had read somewhere that it could turn into quite the party hostel (which is not really my thing). However, due to the pandemic, the bar was closed and it was all really chill. The people were super nice, helpful. For example, my laptop charger broke, and they not only helped me order a new one online, but lent me their Brazilian ID number that I needed to order, their phone number. They also reached out to different stores to see if they had a charger in stock and pressured the post mail a bit!!).
Again, due to the pandemic, there weren’t many foreign travelers, so I was the only non-Portuguese speaker in the hostel, but it was entirely fine! They really made me feel included and welcome!
The other option I would recommend is ´Mais que Nada´ hostel. A 7 minute walk to the main street, this is a more quiet place and super beautiful from the inside. I only went to visit once for a little reggae concert, but I really like the vibe.
How to get to Itacare?
When you are flying in, your best bet is to fly to Ilheus (the closest by airport) and take a 1.5-hour bus from there to Itacaré. If you´re coming from Salvador (like myself), you will have to take a ferry first from Salvador to Bom Despacho (this takes about an hour). From there continue with a direct bus from Bom Despacho to Itacaré (another 5 or 6 hours).
If you´re going south from Itacaré (I went to Vitoria, Espiritu Santo, afterward) you will, in whichever case, first have to take a bus to Ilheus or Itabuna. From there on you can take any further connection south or west.
So, put Itacaré on your list for surfing!
