Maraú - Bahia

The Peninsula of Maraú has been just discovered by natives of Bahia and tourists, but the oldest inhabitants tell that the small city has been visited even by the French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of "The Little Prince", who would have remained in the village enough time to settle himself there.



However it may be, the importance of the city over the past centuries is revealed today in the old-architecture buildings. From the belvedere in the uptown, it’s possible to appreciate a wonderful view of the Maraú estuary and the lower city, and even the wide open-fair area and the vessels at the harbor.

The fishing is an important source of income for the city. In Agriculture, it’s grown rubber trees, dendê [African oil palm and its fruit] (introduced in the late century XIX), clove, pupunha palm, cocoa, guarana and black pepper. An open fair enlivens the city on Saturdays. Still in the Peninsula of Maraú is located Barra Grande, a village which has one of the country’s most beautiful beaches, full of attractions and natural swimming-pools suitable for baths and diving. Most of the inns and restaurants of the city are located in Barra Grande.

Attractions
Cachoeira do Tremembé (Tremembé Waterfall)
Surrounded by forest, this wonderful waterfall being 30m wide and 5m tall makes a vast lake. The bath in the place is very enjoyable, but jumping from the boat near the waterfall is dangerous due to the water strength.

Povoado de Taipus de Dentro (Taipus de Dentro Village)
Located inside the Baía de Camamu (Camamu Bay), in the Taipu Mirim island, this small fishing village has a good urban infrastructure, inn and restaurant.

Povoado de Campinho (Campinho Village)
The small village has a harbor and a private Yacht Club, where navigators usually stay. There are other inns in the place and a restaurant. Considering the modest size of the village, the night life can be rated as very lively.

Ilha de Sapinho (Sapinho Island)
Small fishing village. The local restaurant serves seafood dishes. The owners preserve and raise in captivity live lobsters, crabs and goiamuns (ten-feet edible sea crustacean), and the customer chooses which one to eat. A stroll through the island takes to a footbridge that provides a complete view of the swamp area and the crab catchers. The island has countless fruitful trees.

Ilha do Goió (Goió Island)
An islet composed of the swamp area with a narrow white-and-thin sand strip. Suitable for bath. The access is through the Sapinho Island, from where you can cross about 200 m by boat.

Povoado de Barra Grande (Barra Grande Village)
It is the largest village in the peninsula. Due to its location at the edge of the Peninsula of Maraú (where the Ponta do Mutá is located), the access is both through the Camamu Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as through road, through the BR-030 highway.

Mirante do Morro do Taipu (Morro do Taipu Belvedere)
It is located in the peninsula’s North coast, in Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach). Also known as Morro do Farol (Lighthouse Hill), it is the peak point of the peninsula (51 m tall), from where you can have a view of the whole extension of north and south beaches, until the city of Itacaré. The best access way is on foot, through the Taipus de For a Beach.

Lagoa do Cassange e Mirante Bela Vista (Cassange Lagoon and Bela Vista Belvedere)
Wonderful dark lagoon, surrounded by white sand. The lagoon is very long, extending for almost 5 km. It is worth bathing in its water full of lanolin, a substance used in the manufacture of shampoos, which are excellent for hair. The still waters of the lagoon also allow enjoyable canoe rides.

Trilha Barra Grande – Pontal (Barra Grande Track – Pontal)
The track of almost 40 km long starts in Barra Grande and provides a pleasant walking through all the peninsula beaches, and the observation of the wonderful visual composed of coconut trees, sandbanks and brooks that disembogue in the sea. In the way to the Cassange and Saquaíra beaches, there are inns, coastal bars and restaurants. Thence, and until the Pontal Beach, the region is more deserted. It is recommended to seek orientation with the PROMAR Institute (Institute for the Sustainable Development of the Peninsula of Maraú).

Beaches
Praia de Mangueiras (Mangueiras Beach)
Calm, with warm and clear waters. It is suitable for walkings and provides assured entertainment at the bars.

Praia Ponta do Mutá (Ponta do Mutá Beach)
Beach with wonderful rocks that arise on the water surface and very diverse vegetation. It is suitable for bath. A short walking takes to Barra Grande, bathed by the waters of the Camamu Bay.

Praia dos Três Coqueiros (Três Coqueiros Beach)
It has an open sea, strong waves, thick sand, coconut trees and holiday houses.

Praia Cassange (Cassange Beach)
Subtle waves, soft sand, coconut trees. The Cassange Lagoon is located there, suitable for the practice of sailing sports.

Praia Arandi (Arandi Beach)
Subtle waves, natural swimming pools and coconut trees.

Praia de Algodões (Algodões Beach)
Subtle waves, a wide coconut-tree field and thin sand. It is possible to rent rafts for rides.

Praia de Piracanga (Piracanga Beach)
Strong waves, coconut trees, circled by the Piracanga River.

Praia de Aibim (Aibim Beach)
Subtle waves, coconut trees and thin sand. Suitable for baths and walkings.

Praia de Pontal (Pontal Beach)
The sand strip is very wide, with coconut trees and strong-wave sea.

Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach)
The great attraction of the place are the 7 km of natural swimming pools surrounded by coral reefs and waters full of fishes, excellent for diving and the sea fauna observation. In the reefs, people can observe the octopus fishermen. There are also gamboas (fish traps made of interwoven bamboo) in the pounding of waves.

Praia de Saquaíra (Saquaíra Beach)
Beach with a straight sand strip, subtle-wave sea, coconut trees and a small village.

More on Brazil:
Curitiba - Parana
Chapada Diamantina - Bahia
Blumenau - Santa Catarina
Abrolhos - Bahia
Foz do Iguacu Waterfalls - Parana
Belem - Para
Garopaba - Santa Catarina

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