Why Go?Africa meets South America in the staggeringly beautiful northeastern state of Bahia. The heady blend of two seem-ingly disparate cultures – classic Portuguese architecture and African drum beats, Catholic churches and Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion) – is unique, and for most travelers, truly intoxicating. Bahia’s centerpiece is Salvador, a jewel-box colonial city with gilded churches, cobblestone streets, lively festivals, powerful percussion reverberating off old stone walls and capoeiristas (practioners of capoeira) bat-tling against the backdrops of 16th-century buildings. But there’s more to Bahia than its capital – with more than 900km of coastline, the state contains World Heritage list-ed sites, deserted beaches and paradisaical islands. In the south, idyllic coastal villages and a world-class underwater park attract sunbathers and divers, while inland, the Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina features waterfalls and quiet hiking paths waiting to be explored.Best Places to

Eat¨¨ Maria Mata Mouro (p412)

¨¨ Portinha (p448)

¨¨ Caranguejo de Sergipe (p413)

¨¨ Cozinha Aberta (p457)

¨¨ Souza Bar (p426)

Best Beaches¨¨ Trancoso (p447)

¨¨ Boipeba (p431)

¨¨ Caraíva (p448)

¨¨ Praia do Espelho (p448)

When to Go

Dec–Mar packed pousadas (guest-houses) and crowds in Salva-dor for February’s Carnaval.

Apr–Sep Lovely warm weather, occasional rainy days.

Oct & Nov minimal crowds and summery weather.

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Salvador .................... 395recôncavo ................. 418Cachoeira & São Félix .................... 418praia do Forte ............ 422Itacaré .......................433Ilhéus .........................436porto Seguro ............. 441Lençóis ...................... 452parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina ................458

BahiaPOP 13.5 MILLION

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HistoryPrior to the Portuguese arrival, the region known today as Bahia had a wide variety of ethnic groups scattered inland and along

the coast, speaking dozens of languages. Many of the tribes were wiped out by the Portuguese, though some – like the Pataxó – are still around today. The indigenous tribes

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1 Following the sounds of the famous olodum drum corps in Salvador (p395), Latin America’s inspiring Afro-Brazilian capital.

2 hiking across dramatic plateaus and swimming in fresh waterfalls in the magnificent Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina (p458).

3 Zooming around the island villages of gorgeous Morro de São Paulo (p428) and traditional

Boipeba (p431) on a classic speedboat tour.

4 Catching a wave or taking a capoeira lesson on the sand in surfer-happy Itacaré (p433).

5 Lingering over al fresco meals, taking coastal strolls and joining lively beach parties in Arraial d’Ajuda (p444).

6 Watching tiny sea turtles hatch outside the TAmAr station in Praia do Forte (p422).

7 Getting away from it all in the laid-back fishing village of Barra Grande (p432) on the peninsula de maraú.

8 Tracing the footsteps of Brazil’s literary great, Jorge Amado, in Ilhéus (p436).

9Diving beneath the deep to get face-to-face with tropical fish in the remote Parque Nacional Marinho de Abrolhos (p451).

Bahia Highlights