Day 1 – Monday (30/03/2015)
Morro de São Paulo is an island in Bahia that is three hours away by catamaran/speedboat from Salvador, but for those who don't like boats so much, you can drive 2 hours to Valença and from there take a boat for just 30 minutes.
We left straight from the capital and bought the transfer in advance on the company website Tropical Route, as we read reports of people who were unable to purchase tickets at the time. We paid 150 reais per person for the round trip and had to book the times for both trips on website, without any stress. We arrived half an hour before boarding to pick up the vouchers and we took the opportunity to walk around Model Market, which is in front of the terminal where the boat leaves for Morro. The boat left promptly at 10:30 am and the journey took 2h30 with less rocking than expected.
Morro is a beautiful island that impresses tourists right away. The clear water and the hillside right at the entrance to the island leave tourists speechless (both positively and negatively, of course). As soon as we disembarked, we paid a fee of 15 reais, which is independent of the length of the stay (senior citizens do not pay) and gathered the courage to climb the steep hill. We were approached by many men with handcarts, offering to transport our luggage to the hotel for R$$30/R$$40, but we declined because we had very little luggage. The walk to our hotel took about 20 minutes and luckily, there was a kind of wooden sidewalk that helped a lot when pushing one of the small suitcases.
The island has a very lively center that is close to the pier and after a few descents, you reach the First Beach, Second Beach and so on. First Beach is minimal and quite boring, but the Second on the other hand, it is the liveliest part of the island, with many trendy restaurants. We stayed at Third Beach, which is less busy than Segunda, but I honestly think it's the best place to stay. It has cheaper restaurants and is right next to Fourth Beach, which is delightful because it is not very busy.
Our Hosting
We stayed at the inn Hi Aradhia, as we needed a triple room and there were few options on Terceira Praia. The photos on Booking.com They didn't show the poor finish of the bathrooms, as well as other problems we saw, so it was a disappointment in the end. Some examples of problems we saw: there was no shower for after the beach, the pool was closed during the day for cleaning, the breakfast was very basic and full of flies, the hotel didn't provide soap/shampoo and there was also a lack of water on the first day. Apart from these problems, I have to say that the location is excellent and that the hotel restaurant is very nice, but I don't know if I would stay there again.
We had lunch at the hotel restaurant, which is located right on the beach and had great prices. We ordered a shrimp moqueca for two people and paid R$1,400,000 for each dish! How delicious, huh? We also ordered lobster and caipirinhas, and everything was delicious. To my surprise, I met a good friend from my teenage years, who ended up staying with us until he left the island. All the best!
We went to the agency next to our guesthouse, CoralTur, and we booked the speedboat tour around the island for the next day. We took a speedboat for the 6 of us for R$$600 for the whole day, with stops at several places for diving and lunch. The best part? Everything was at our own pace and in our own privacy. The guy said we could take the company's cooler with our drinks, so we stopped at a nearby store and bought 2 packs of 15 SKOL cans (R$25 each) pack) and other drinks. We leave it in the fridge to guarantee it for the next day.
After booking the tour, we went to the Fourth Beach. What a lovely sea, you see… warm water, small waves, few people, the sun blazing overhead… ah, my Bahia! <3 We stayed there for a few hours and when it started to get dark, we walked back along the Third Beach, even with the tide already high, there wasn't much sand to walk on. Unfortunately, I stepped on a bee that was in the sand and the stinger went into my foot and hurt a lot. What horrible pain and itching!!! We went back to the hotel and had the unpleasant surprise of not having water to take a shower. We waited for the guy to turn on the pump and after half an hour, we got ready for dinner. We went to Chez Max Pizzeria, which was very close to our hotel and we were surprised by the quality of the pizza. We ordered two large ones with 4 delicious flavors and the bill came to R$$50 per couple. 🙂
Day 2 – Tuesday (31/03/2015)
We had a very basic breakfast at the inn and headed to our super speedboat for the full day tour. The drinks were ice cold, the weather was beautiful and everyone was in great spirits, including our sailor Patrick.
The first stop was in GARAPUA, a place with wonderful natural pools. Look at this amazing view:
We spent an hour enjoying the place, taking advantage of the mask snorkel (R$10 the rent) to see the few fish that were still there, even with the tourist boats nearby. Warm and clear sea water, without any waves, perfect for relaxing. From there, we went to BOIPEBA, right where the river meets the sea. I didn't think the place where we stopped was that pretty, but it was worth it to have some delicious seafood and take a dip in the waves. I thought the restaurant was quite expensive, but at least we didn't have to pay for drinks, since we had our own cooler (I think this is quite common). Boipeba has natural pools and other wonderful beaches too, but this time we didn't go past them because the sailor said they were closed. They must be worth it from the photos I've seen!
We sailed along the river, with an incredible view of the mangroves, with lots of greenery all around. We stopped at a floating restaurant, known for its fresh oysters. We ate a lot there! There was oysters, crab and lambreta in abundance, always with lots of cold caipirinha and coconut water. Look how delicious:
The only detail is that if you want to go to the bathroom, you have to dive right in there and go. Disgusting, right?
We then stopped at a village to refuel the boat and then made our last stop before heading back to the main island. We got off at a really nice little island, just before sunset. What a pleasant surprise, you know... The sunset was so beautiful! Just one detail here: unfortunately, once again, a jellyfish touched me and I got all stingy. Be careful when you're there!
The boat stopped right in front of our hotel and we went to rest before going out for dinner. This time, we went to the restaurant Marilyn, which is located on Second Beach, and we ordered sun-dried meat and chicken, to vary a little from the seafood. Everything was good, but nothing special. I thought it was a bit disappointing because they charged couvert artistic for the DJ who was playing some very odd songs. =/
Day 3 – Wednesday (01/04/2015)
After coffee, we went diving in the Third Beach and when we got tired of there, we moved to Fourth Beach. What a hard life, huh… 🙂 We came back from the sea bath exhausted and stopped for lunch at the restaurant Saint Lucy, where we ordered a very tasty octopus moqueca and a shrimp moqueca. That day we met an 11-year-old boy who lives on the island and works in his spare time helping travel agencies, açaí snack bars and other people we know. We spent the whole day with him and got to see how a local child thinks, plays, studies, etc. We were sad when he told us that his school was closed because the teacher who comes from Valença couldn't get to Morro because of a strike by the guys who provide transportation between these two places. However, we were even sadder when we sat down with him in the restaurant and asked him to read the menu, and after much effort, he couldn't.
We rested at the hotel and went out for dinner at the island's number 1 restaurant according to TripAdvisor, Barolo Winery, which is next to our hotel, facing the sea. It is an Italian restaurant with a tasting menu that costs R$1,490 per person and varies depending on the day, but always has two starters, a main course and dessert. The place is quite small and the owner is the waiter himself, always with a great sense of humor and a strong Italian accent. We drank a wine recommended by him and the experience was super pleasant. I highly recommend it!
Day 4 – Thursday (02/04/2015)
We decided to bike to the Fifth Beach, or Beach of Enchantments, guided by our little friend we met the day before. We took 4 bikes without gears or even brakes, but we were so excited about the idea that we didn't care much about it. We paid R$$120 for the tour that was supposed to last 2 hours (15 reais per hour per bike) and off we went! We left relatively early, when the tide was still low, so we were able to cycle along the sand of the beaches. We crossed two rivers and a mangrove swamp until we reached our destination. A beautiful beach too, even more deserted, with warm water and no waves. Paradise, my God!
We were just hanging around and then we went back through the island, because the tide had already come in and cycling on the sand was impractical. That's when everything went wrong. I found the route through the island very boring and with a lot of soft dirt. We got stuck a few times, swallowed a lot of dirt from the cars that passed by and, worst of all, all of this with a lot of sun on our heads and little shade along the way. What upset me the most was that they said at the agency that both the outward and return trip by bike would take thirty minutes, something that in my opinion is impossible to do going through the interior. I felt cheated and even had to pay more when we got back to the agency, since in the end, we spent about 3 hours with the bikes. I definitely do not recommend this tour.
We went to lunch at the Argentine restaurant Peter II, which is in the center and is very interesting. We ordered two Argentinean lomos, empanadas and caipirinhas and everything was delicious. It was more expensive than the previous restaurants (R$1,400 per person with drinks), but we thought it was worth it because we ate good meat. We took advantage of the fact that it was still sunny and went for a swim in the Second Beach.
We returned to the hotel, rested and got ready for dinner. We decided to go to dinner at the restaurant of the cutest inn we saw on the island, My Crazy Passion. We ordered an octopus moqueca and a shrimp moqueca and wow, they were great. They were the best moquecas we ate on the whole trip. I also recommend them.
Day 5 – Friday (04/03/2015)
After breakfast, we walked to the Fourth Beach. The tide was still very low, with the sea kilometers away from us, so we just stayed in the tent. Natural Pools enjoying the view, letting laziness take over us. We drank cold beers and ate coalho cheese, a childhood passion of mine. What a delicious morning! 🙂
We left there around 2pm and went to have lunch at the restaurant. Saint Lucy again. This time we ordered two grilled fish with various side dishes, all of which were also great. (R$$75 for two people, with drinks).
We walked through the city center and took the opportunity to watch the sunset from a viewpoint that is very close to where people go ziplining, very close to the lighthouse. Both views are beautiful, so the tiring climb is totally worth it.
That night, we ended up not going out for dinner, because the nap lasted longer than expected. It's good tiredness...
Day 6 – Saturday (04/04/2015)
We had breakfast, packed our things and left the hotel around 10am. This time, we agreed to pay R$$20 to have our luggage taken to the pier and we walked around without rushing, appreciating the last details of the island. Before boarding, we had to pay a fee of R$$0.90 per person (because that's how much, right?) and at 11:30am, our boat set sail for Salvador. This time, we went by catamaran, a boat that was almost completely enclosed and therefore very stuffy. I had to go out to the open front a few times to get some air and get over the seasickness. I thought it was much worse than the speedboat, but my parents thought it was the best option... It's up to each person, right?
That's it. I hope you enjoyed it! If you have any questions, send me a message or leave a comment below! 😉
OTHER TRIPS IN BRAZIL
Find out more about our other trips around BRAZIL here.
