ITAPARICA ISLAND with  240 km2 of vegetation and countless beaches, beautiful tropical flora and a rich cultural heritage is a highlight of many trips to Salvador.

Until the introduction of the auto ferry in about 1974, isolated fishing villages lined the white beaches, planted with thousands of coconut palms. Now vacation homes occupy the stretches of beach between the fishing villages. The interior of the narrow island continues to be primarily uninhabited, as does the side of the island where the beach gives way to mangrove forests. Before decent roads to leading to the beaches north of Savador (coconut coast) were built, the wealthy from Salvador would maintain vacation retreats here.

Attractions besides the activities of diving, walks, horse riding, biking and kayaking are the São Lourenço Fortress and Fonte da Bica (Bica Fountain)
The island is a State county since Ju1y 30^th 1962, comprising two villages: Itaparica and Vera Cruz. Some towns, such as Aratuba, Barra do Pote, Ponta de Areia and Mar Grande offer a good infrastructure of bars, restaurants and hostels.
At Cacha Pregos,  you can rent a small boat to go to Ponta dos Garcês and enjoy the beautiful Tororo waterfall.

Ponta de Areia (Sandy Point) is a huge, wide beach close to the northern tip of the island, The side facing the ocean has a chain of coral reefs forming huge natural pools, great for bathing. 

http://www.sacatar.org
Sacatar Foundation operates at the Quinta Pitanga the first international artists' residency program in Brazil, a former girl's school and hotel the grounds are very beautiful

BEACHES (Praias)

• Forte in the historic village - swimming, fort, near mineral water fountains
• Ponta de Areia - swimming, very calm, no waves
• Amoreiras - swimming, difficult access by foot
• Manguinhos - swimming, slight waves
• Porto do Santos - swimming, slight waves
• Gameleira fronting a village - swimming
• Mar Grande fronting summer homes - swimming, boat docking offshore
• Penha fronting summer homes - surfing, swimming, beautiful view of Salvador, coral reefs
• Barra do Gil fronting summer homes - swimming, no waves
• Coroa - swimming, difficult access by foot
• Barra do Pote - swimming, without waves, access by foot
• Conceição fronting a fishermen’s village, near Club Méditerranée - swimming
• Barra Grande - surfing, swimming
• Tairu - swimming, coconut trees
• Aratuba - fishing, swimming, fronts various condominiums
• Berlinque - swimming, cleat waters
• Cacha-Pregos fronting a village with boat building - swimming, coconut trees, boat rentals to visit nearby coastal wetlands with rivers, streams, mangroves, etc.

bahiamarina.com.br in English! A guide to the bay for boaters by the award winning marina

ILHA DE ITAPARICA at geocities Portuguese only  >>to english by google Illustrated descriptions of many highlights. Very extensive commentary but overdue for updating

 You will find towns that preserve a primitive atmosphere, where the people cultivate ancient habits of fishing and crafts. Ilha de Maré has enjoyable beaches and seaside villas. The three most populate towns are Santana, Itamoabo and Praia Grande. All three have nice beaches and beautiful landscapes. The beach called Praia das Neves also has calm waters and its natural vegetation adorns its sandy shores. Don't miss the island’s most significant cultural attraction, the church of Senhora Santana, from the 18^th century, and Nossa Senhora das Neves, built in the 16^th century.
 

GETTING THERE: either car or bus to terminal São Tomé de Paripe, where boats leave daily, every hour, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The São Tomé  beach across from the island is located in a poorer part of Salvador. Take the Ribera bus to the end of the line. Look for a long pier
You will begin your boat trip by wading into the shallow waters to climb aboard. A short enjoyable trip where the warm climate is compensated by the cool island breezes. Located close to Salvador, 20 minutes by boat.
by Itamoabo: Boats generally pull up to the praia (beach) of Itamoabo, and for lack of a pier one wade from waist-deep water  to dry ground.
by Boteiro : directly across from the Port of Aratú While this is home to Maré's only pier it will not provide easy access to the other two towns and beaches.

Frades Island
It is one of the largest islands in All Saints’ Bay and also one of the most beautiful because of its exuberant flora, including Pau-Brasil. This island has a triangular shape, boarded by beautiful beaches. Its ecological reserve, Parque Florestal da Ilha dos Frades, became natural heritage in 1982. There are ruins of places where slaves were sold and bought, a "flour house" and two small churches: Nossa Senhora do Loreto and Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe. On Ponta de Nossa Senhora there are many huts which serve delicious traditional food, especially lobster. There are also other beautiful beaches such as: Loreto, Viração, Tobar and Praia da Costa.
GETTING THERE:  by car or bus, at Madre de Deus, then take rented boats to Paramana or Ponta de Nossa Senhora.

Medo Island
The first Ecological Reserve in All Saints’ Bay, officially since 1991. Its vegetation is predominately made up of wetland and "restinga" – tropical trees. The island is involved in mysteries and legends, starting by its own name. Nowadays the Medo Island is still uninhabited, its only residents are wildcats.
Time: Two hours. The crossing to the island takes from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the boat.
Tip: It is better to go at high tide because of the sand banks.
How to get there: On boat, from Itaparica.

Madre de Deus Island

It is an important town due to Petrobras seaport, from where there is a great view of Salvador. It is worth checking the architecture of the house of Pedro Gomes and Laudelino Pinheiro, at the Praia do Suape, and also the houses of Dois Leões and Antonio Balbino, all of them from the second half of the 19^th century, as the Nossa Senhora Mãe de Deus Mother Church. The Maria Guarda island and Praia do Suape also belong to Madre de Deus island.
GETTING THERE: by car or by bus, from Salvador Port Authority, 70 km from Salvador.

Bom Jesus dos Passos

There is a dense vegetation and villas surrounded by flowers. It is worth the trip if you disembark and walk down the streets, where there is much to see and to do. Basically, the population survives from fishing and carpentry industry. It is interesting to visit Solar dos Duartes, Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel and the fountains Rua, Porrãozinho and Grande. The island has two excellent beaches: Padre and Pontinha.
GETTING THERE:  by car or bus at Madre de Deus island, then take a rented boat. Situated between Madre de Deus island and Frades Island. Traveling by boat offers you a stupendous viewpoint of 19^th century Bom Jesus dos Passos church.

Bimbarras Island

The island is now consolidating a marine ecotourism project in All Saints’ Bay. The project "Bimbarras Island" is an example of the preservation of Mata Atlântica, where men not only occupies it, but also restores and preserves it. The project works with sustainable development due to its low density of tourism activities, including a farm with agriculture and fishing activities.
GETTING THERE: by boat or private sailing ship, 17 miles away from Salvador.

Matarandinha Island

GETTING THERE: by boat or private sailing boat. Located at the sea shore side of the ltaparica Island. Sailors and tourists can not miss the spot.

Ponta do Garcês

Located in Southern All Saints’ Bay, with 5 km of coast, where the brookmeadows of Rio Jaguaribe and Lagoa dos Garcês are located. Its flora is composed by blue, red and yellow bromeliads, while the fauna shows wild species such as the "lobo-guara" and "porco-do-mato".
GETTING THERE:  by boat or private sailing ship.