Premium · Private & Tailor-Made
Sea Turtles & Barefoot Days
A laid-back former fishing village on Bahia's Coconut Coast, home to the famous Tamar sea-turtle project, wonderful pousadas steps from the sand, and calm palm-fringed beaches, the perfect place to round off a Brazil trip before flying home.
Duration
2–4 days
Accommodation
Beachfront pousadas & boutique hotels
Highlights
Projeto Tamar · Village & beaches · Garcia d'Ávila castle
The Experience
About an hour up the coast from Salvador, Praia do Forte is where Brazil slows right down. A former fishing village on the aptly named Costa dos Coqueiros, the Coconut Coast, its sandy pedestrian main street, the Alameda do Sol, runs down to the sea between pousadas, craft shops and seafood restaurants, with not a hurry in sight. It's the perfect place to round off a Brazilian vacation with a few relaxing days at the beach before heading home.
The village is best known for the celebrated Projeto Tamar, Brazil's sea-turtle conservation programme, whose flagship visitor centre sits right on the beach. Open-air pools, hatchlings in season and the story of protecting the turtles that nest along this coast make it a genuine highlight, and an easy, meaningful morning for families.
Beyond the sand there's more than enough to fill an unhurried stay: natural tide pools for snorkelling at low tide, the 16th-century ruins of the Garcia d'Ávila castle on the hill above, forest trails and river kayaking in the Sapiranga reserve, and, from July to October, humpback whales offshore. Wonderful pousadas and hotels line the beach, and the private transfer from Salvador takes just an hour, a soft landing to end the trip.
Where in Brazil
Praia do Forte sits in Bahia, Brazil. Here's exactly where your journey unfolds on the map of Brazil, one of the handpicked stops in our portfolio.
Things To Do
We don't list every tour, only the ones we'd actually send you on: the unmissable classics, plus a few most visitors never find.
1–2 hours
The flagship Tamar visitor centre right on the beach: open-air pools of green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles, hatchlings in nesting season, and the conservation story behind Brazil's coast. Meaningful, easy and a firm family favourite.
Half to full day
The pleasure here is doing very little. Wander the sandy Alameda do Sol, snorkel the natural tide pools that form at low tide, and settle in on one of the calm, palm-backed beaches. Your host points you to the best stretch of sand for the day.
Half day
On the hill above the village stand the ruins of the Casa da Torre, the fortified 16th-century manor of the Garcia d'Ávila family, among the oldest colonial buildings in Brazil. A short, atmospheric visit with sweeping views over the coast.
Half day
Just inland, the Sapiranga private reserve protects a swathe of Atlantic forest laced with walking trails and a tea-coloured river. Follow a guided trail or paddle a gentle kayak beneath the canopy, an easy dose of nature between beach days.
Half day (Jul–Oct)
From July to October, humpback whales pass along the Bahian coast to breed, and a morning boat trip from Praia do Forte offers a fine chance to see them breaching offshore. Seasonal, weather-dependent and always a thrill when it comes off.
Day-by-Day
This is just one example of how your days could unfold, every itinerary is private and fully tailored, so we gladly reshape it around your pace, interests and travel dates.
A private, air-conditioned transfer up the Costa dos Coqueiros from Salvador, roughly an hour, brings you to your beachfront pousada. Nothing on the schedule but to slow down: a first walk along the sandy Alameda do Sol, toes in the sea, and a fresh seafood dinner as the light goes gold.
A morning at Projeto Tamar, the sea-turtle sanctuary on the beach, then out to the natural tide pools that form at low tide for a gentle snorkel among the fish. The afternoon is yours: back to the sand, a spa hour, or simply a hammock and a book.
A final unhurried day, shaped entirely around you. Add a little history and nature, the Garcia d'Ávila castle ruins and a trail or kayak in the Sapiranga reserve, or simply keep to the beach. When it's time, a private transfer runs you to Salvador airport for your onward or homeward flight, Brazil signed off with sand still on your feet.
Tell us your dates and we'll add a few slow days at Praia do Forte to the end of your route, an easy hour from Salvador.
Plan My TripWhat's Included
A local host to set you up on arrival, with private guiding for Projeto Tamar, the castle and any excursions, and honest tips for the best beaches and tables in the village.
The one-hour transfer from Salvador (or its airport) and every excursion in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, no waiting, no shared vans.
Characterful beachfront pousadas and boutique hotels, all personally vetted, chosen for a genuine barefoot-luxury feel a few steps from the sand.
We build in real downtime, not a checklist. The turtles and the castle are there if you want them; so is a whole day of doing nothing at all.
Continue your journey
The places we most love to combine with Praia do Forte, woven into one private, tailor-made journey.
Part of bigger trips
Praia do Forte features in these guided journeys and experiences, or we weave it into a tailor-made route of your own.
Good to know
Above all for the Projeto Tamar sea-turtle sanctuary, right on the beach, and for being one of Bahia's most relaxed beach villages, a sandy pedestrian main street of pousadas and seafood restaurants, calm palm-fringed beaches with natural tide pools, and a genuinely unhurried pace. It's a favourite way to finish a Brazil trip on the sand before flying home.
Praia do Forte sits about an hour north of Salvador on the Coconut Coast, and we handle it as a private transfer straight from the city or its airport. It pairs most naturally as a beach finale after two or three days in Salvador, and slots neatly at the end of a wider Brazil route, from where you fly home out of Salvador. The neighbouring village of Imbassaí makes an equally lovely alternative.
The sunniest, driest months on this coast run roughly September to March. The Projeto Tamar centre is open year-round, so you can always see turtles; hatchlings are most likely between about September and March. Humpback whales pass offshore from July to October, when a morning boat trip is worth adding. We plan your days around the season and the daily forecast either way.
Plan my trip
Start with a blank page, share what you have in mind and we design a private trip from scratch. Non-binding & personal, we reply within 24 hours.
Rather compose it yourself, stop by stop? Design your own journey
We'll be in touch within 24 hours to start planning. Want to talk sooner? Message us on WhatsApp.
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