Destinations : Brazil : Praia do Forte

About Praia do Forte

For a relaxing and casual beach holiday close to Salvador there is no better place than Praia do Forte. Praia do Forte is located approximately 53 km from the International Airport of Salvador, with access by car or bus across the highway from Coco (highway privatized in excellent condition). Here you find some of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, and some people calls the region “The Brazilian Polynesia”.

The perfect 13 km (8 miles) stretch of beach is thickly lined with palm trees, and the clear blue waters reveal coral reefs and natural pools at low tide. Strict environmental guidelines have kept the beach largely pristine and development very low-key.

From December to March thousands of turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, and with the right timing visitors can witness the miraculous hatching of the tiny turtles. In February a turtle nest hatches out almost every day.

The Humpback whales appear between the months of July and November in Praia do Forte to forage and have children. The whales can be seen by tourists at a distance of 6 to 10 miles of the coast. Tourists interested should look for boat or schooners that make this kind of tour.

Praia do Forte's history begins in 1549 with the arrival of Garcia D'avila, quartermaster for the Portuguese crown. The village takes its name from the fortified castle built by him, used to be the headquarters of his massive farm, the first farm in Brazil.

The castle he built here was to protect the country from foreign ship attack. Known as the tower house "Casa da Torre" or "Garcia D'avila" castle, it gave it’s name to "Praia do Forte" (the Fortress beach) . Nowadays the castle is undergoing some restoration work and archeological studies, but is still worth a visit.

Praia do Forte is now a tranquil resort with a strong emphasis on the preservation of flora and fauna.

Inland from the coast there is a forest that grows on sandy soil with a very delicate ecosystem and near the village there is a small pantanal, a marshy area that is host to some of the most abundant bird life in Bahia. Early morning and late afternoon the pantanal resounds to the calls of snail kites, kingfishers, cormorants and chattering parakeets. Praia do Forte is also interesting for local fishing and diving, because that has a rich diversity of fish and crustaceans.

Sites to visit

Beyond the village of Praia do Forte, and their unforgettable nights it is also interesting to meet other interesting places that are close, for example: the Tamar Project (for the preservation and study of marine turtles), which is in the village of Praia do Forte, the ruins of the Castle Garcia D'Avila, built in 1551 (the only medieval castle built in Brazil), located 2km from the village of Praia do Forte, The Church of St. Francis, built in 1900, also located in the village of Praia do Forte; the Reserve of Sapiranga (an important ecological region reserve).

Shopping

The town of Praia do Forte has a pedestrian main cobbled street, where it is the entire tourism structure: banks, shopping malls, local crafts, shops, pharmacies, bars, restaurants, inns, hotels and much more.

Eating and Drinking

Eating out on your Holidays in Praia do Forte is varied and exciting, with all manner of cuisines available for your consumption. Included are traditional South American dishes, as well as western-influenced food and even Japanese food. You are sure to find something of interest on your Praia do Forte holidays. Certainly Praia do Forte offers Seafood and the famous brazilian cocktail “Capirinha”.

By Night

The night in Praia do Forte is very lively and attracts many interesting people, due to their natural beauty, a beautiful landscape and the various options for bars and restaurants.

Praia do Forte has an excellent structure to receive tourists. It is a mix of rustic with elegance and welfare.

Do not be afraid to join in, people from Bahia loves to dance, sometimes all night long. On weekends locals from Salvador go to Praia do Forte, so things get really lively.

Hotels in Praia do Forte

The Best Boutique and Design hotels in Praia do Forte : Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte,