BAHIA - COCOA COAST

Around 180km, between the cities of Itacaré and Canavieiras, form the so called Cocoa Coast. Home to nature wonders, rivers flanked by cocoa farms, beaches of vast untouched coconut groves amid the Atlantic Forest and dense mangroves, the region enchants for its landscapes and the opulence of the golden years of the “black gold”. The architecture preserves the colonial houses of the 18th and 19th centuries, in streets paved with stones, churches and old mansions, important part of the national history that date back to the period when the production and exporting of cocoa were the primordial activity of the Brazilian economy. Scenery of movies, soap operas and novels – most of Jorge Amado’s work, translated in several countries, is set in Ilhéus, main city of this coast – , the region besides being part of history is the right destination for those looking for fun and close contact with nature. (Search: Bahia)

Ilhéus is the setting for "Gabriela, Cravo e Canela", the famous novel by Jorge Amado and that turned in soap opera.

Morro de Pernambuco, Ilhéus. Foto flickr Brenda Melo

Ilhéus beach

Convento da Piedade, Ilhéus. Photo Blog tô podendo

Ilhéus Cathedral. Photo flickr by kikolaus

Bar Vesúvio, em Ilhéus.The bar gained fame with the novel Gabriela Cravo e Canela. Photo flickr by José Gustavo Abreu

Ilhéus, historic center

Bataclan, Ilhéus. Photo João Ramos - flickr turismobahia

Ilhéus city hall. Photo flickr by kikolaus

Jorge Amado, Bahian writer. Photo flickr GovBA

Jorge Amado books. Photo flickr Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado

Canavieiras, Ilhéus, Itabuna, Itacaré, Santa Luzia, Una and Uruçuca offer a variety of options for tourists. The abundance of beaches includes from surfing and fishing spots to calm waters and true deserted paradises. Extreme waterfalls – like Cleandro’s, in Itacaré-, rivers and rapids are an invitation to practice adventure sports such as rafting, rappel and canoeing. (Search: bahia)

Itacaré, Bahia. Photo flickr by Valter Kabas

Itacaré

Itacaré. Photo flickr by jessica simões

Praia do Ribeiro em Itacaré. Photo flickr by Comunidade Solaris 

Barra do Rio de Contas(river), em Itacaré . Photo flickr by Comunidade Solaris

Cachoeira Cleandro, Itacaré. Foto flickr by Amauri Meira

Cachoeira (waterfall) do Cleandro, Itcaré. Photo flickr by Mario Suzuki

The southern region of Bahia is known as one of the three major cocoa producers in Brazil, along with the poles of the Amazon (Para and Rondonia) and the Espirito Santo. Chocolate is a global product for a long time, but its story does not recognize the importance of farmers in southern Bahia. Here was created this boon crop in monoculture born ecological, imitating the forest. Then it migrated to other lands of Venezuela, Puerto Principe, Ecuador, Ghana, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia and Ivory Coast. But in none of these places cocoa added much value to the ecology and biodiversity as in southern Bahia. It's true that in these countries, the "fruit of the gods" fulfills its social function in a highly "cooperativado" (co-op) system, supporting thousands of poor families while here, concentrated wealth for a long time. But that changed, and cocoa in southern Bahia is produced currently in a majority of small and medium farms, many of them obtained by the movement of agrarian reform. Thus, the production of southern Bahia has aggregated beyond the biodiversity values​​, the values ​​of social inclusion and strengthening of traditional communities of small farmers in the region.(blogdogusmão)

Cocoa tree

Cocoa fruit

BAHIA DENDÊ COAST

Located between the mouth of Jaguaripe River and Camamu Bay, the Dendê Coast is a true mosaic of beaches, bays, mangroves, rocky walls, sand banks, springs, lagoons, rivers, waterfalls and estuaries. Its 115 km of seashore comprehend Valença, Morro de São Paulo, Boipeba, Igrapiúna, Cairu, Camamu, Taperoá, Nilo Peçanha, Ituberá and Maraú.

The untouched beaches of limpid and warm waters, with different formations of coral reefs and framed by vast coconut groves, are among the best in the country. The fluvial archipelago of Una River shelters a variety of paradisiacal islands – Tinharé, Boipeba, Cairu. The dazzling Camamu Bay opens up in ten unexplored islands with primitive vegetation and coconut trees. The endless mangroves work as a nursery for many kinds of fish, crabs, shrimps and oysters. An extensive counter coast of placid waters is ideal for sailing, diving and fishing.

The impressive waterfalls are the right location for extreme sports. Environmental Protection Areas preserve a rich fauna and flora. The abundance of dendê trees, spice that gives a peculiar flavor to Bahia’s cuisine, gives the final touch to the local scenery. In this paradise of great ecological diversity, nature divides the landscape with a rich historical heritage of Colonial Brazil. The primitive settlements preserve their traditional cultural characteristics. (search: bahia.com)

Dendê fruit and palm tree. Photos via flickr by Adilson Simoes and Luiz Leite

It is connected to Salvador and the southern part of the state by ferryboats and the BA-001 highway, the second ecological highway along the Bahian coast, which connects the southern coastline and the extreme southern part of the state.

Valença. Photo flickr by prddiniz

Valença. Photo flickr by coresdaterra

Valença. Photo flickr by Alessandra Kocman

Morro de São Paulo

Morro de São Paulo entrance. Photo flickr by turismobahia

Morro de São Paulo. Photo: wikimedia.org

Morro de São Paulo. Fruit's drinks on the street. Photo by Patricia Seixas.

Morro de São Paulo streets. Photo flickr by semi di metallo

Morro de São Paulo by Patricia Seixas

I think this picture is awsome! Morro de São Paulo by Patricia Seixas

Boipeba

Itacaré. Photo flickr by itacare