Travel Answers

Hi :) I am heading to Bahia at the end of March where I will be on a portugese course for 2 weeks before a 7 wk research project. I was wondering if anyone could estimate costs for food/travel/mobile phone line rental and going out costs per week?

Many Thanks :)

Hello, I'm Christina, 29 from London, UK. I'm visiting my (great) uncle in Salvador arriving on Friday 11th Jan 2013 and returning on Friday 23rd 2013. I'm travelling by myself and while I can do a few things with my uncle it would be nice to explore Bahia with people around my own age. There are some things you can't do with a 70yr old, go to clubs, actvities etc. I'm happy to hang out with other tourists, expats, etc. I would just appreciate spending some of my time with some fun people. I'll be staying in Bairro Nazaré. I have no idea how safe (or not) it is there or if it's close to any attractions but I'm happy to travel and do a bit of site seeing at the same time. Hope to make new friends, Christina

1. Do I need to buy bloco tickets in advance or can I buy ay of? If I need to buy in advance, can you suggest an online site where I can buy? 2. Do you know where I can get a ful schedule of blocos in English? 3. Have you been to the gay bloco? I heard it is a lot of fun. Thanks!!!

I just got into town after a 30 hour travel nightmare, am near the morro do cristo, anything going on tonight?

Hello all! I'm planning a 3 month stay in Salvador and I need some input from you experts. My main goals for my trip are: 1. To improve my Portuguese to an advanced level. I'm currently lower-intermediate. 2. To train in the Afro-Brazilian art of Capoeira which I've been practicing for the past 4 years. 3. To learn about Afro-Brazilian culture and the ancestorial link with Africa(I'm an African). 4. If possible experience Canaval. Any advance? Thanks!

What is the best town in Salvador to listen to live music and what are the least expensive accomodations?

I have trouble finding accommodation in salvador during the carnaval. all hostels offer only 6-day packages starting on 16 feb. me and my friends need lodging for less nights, 3 or 4 nights staring on 18/19 feb; do any of you guys know if it is possible to find accommodation on this requirements? the cheaper the better; we just want someplace to leave our bags and sleep, nothing fancy thankk you!

Could anyone suggest a reliable service/taxi to/from airport to Iberostar Bahia resort. Tks

Could anyone suggest a reliable service/taxi to/from airport to Iberostar Bahia resort. Tks

Hello all! I have been living in Salvador over a year now and would love to meet up with 'gringo's that live in Salvador too! I have looked on internations and not many people have signed up there, please reply if interested! Giselle, and a few others...

Please, somebody help! I need 4 badroom house in Salvador for the whole year, and i can't find it! Pweasee recommend me snth.

Hi! We would like to go from Salvador to Morro de S Paulo, but the trips seem to be very expensive -70 reais-, can anyone recommend a cheaper way? Thanx!!

Hi all, I'm in Salvador for just one day (getting to the airport at 6am, leaving at 2am) on April 22. any ideas for where to get a tour guide to pick me up and spend the whole day showing me around? I speak portuguese. I have suitcases, so hopefully I can leave those in a locker somewhere at the airport.

Hi! I will be arriving at Salvador late in the night, I wonder if anyone can recommend me a safe and unexpensive hotel near the airport...? Thanx! Susana

I am due to attend a wedding just outside Salvador da Bahia on Sat 18th June. I will be arriving on Friday 17th and staying until Sat 25th and wondered if it was worth staying in Salvador and the surrounding area for the whole time or should I fly down to Iguacu Falls and Rio? I want to know if there is plenty to do in Salvador for 10 days or if I should travel around Brazil? Thanks

Can somebody help me find a futbol schedule for Salvador? Would like to see if my dates me up with a local game here. thanks

Hi VTers, I´m planning to spend a few weeks in Salvador de Bahia and take some portuguese lessons. Can you recommend my any schools? Apart from that, were should I find accomodation? I´ve been to Pelourinho before and I liked it, but i´m not sure it is the best option - too many tourists. Any suggestions are welcome! Thanx Susana

We are finalizing our trip to Bahia and are at a standstill. We are a family of 5, 2adults 2boys 22 & 17 and 1girl 17. We are arriving in Salvador on 19th Mar and rtn is Sun 27th Mar. We would like to combine Chapada Diamantina National Park and also some beach maybe even surfing. My husband wants to do a self drive but we have been unable to figure out how to put everything together. Any suggestions would be wonderful.

I'll be heading down to Salvador at the end of Feb for a week or so with the final days coinciding with first couple of days of Carnaval. ANY VT CREW GOING TO BE DOWN THERE AND WANT TO HAVE A DRINK?

Has anyone traveled between Porto Seguo and Salvador? I believe the bus from Salvador to Porto Seguro is an overnight trip - leaving Salvador at 9pm and arriving in Porto Seguro at 7am. BUT - I have been unable to find any information about the trip in the other direction. Does anyone know what time the bus leaves Porto Seguro going to Salvador and what time it arrives in Salvador? Also, if anyone has information on fares that would be helpful. Thank you.

We are a family of 6 and want to spend a few days in Salvador in December 2010 before driving up the coast to Joao Pessoa. Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced, safe place for a family to stay. Also we want to rent a vehicle for the 6 of us to drive up the coast. Any companies you can recommend? We are thinking about having 3 days in Salvador, what must we see?

I a planning to attend my 1st Carnaval in Salvador 2011. I am researching and finding (as expected) that the pousadas, apartments, and hotels are priced very high compared to even the high season. Ok, so given that can anyone recommend a a good place to stay for 2 or 3 50ish year old men. Not really looking for the big hotels, pousadas are fine, or even an apartment (with a relatively good rate for the carnaval season) we can share the cost. Also, are there any places not inside the city core that will still allow ready access to and from the circuits for the evenings. Looking at the map I see some islands very close to Salvador, it is reasonable to stay at one of these and boat/ferry to the city? I'm just brainstorming here and so will greatly appreciate any advise you can share. thanks in advance. George from Seattle

anyone can tell me wich bus/onibus goes from salvador's airport to rodoviaria? we arrive at 6.00 p.m. from europe and need to reach the rodoviaria at 7.30 p.m, do you know how long it takes? thanks

Hi there I've heard that transferring at Sao Paulo airport to go to Salvador is not easy. I read in one online article that you have to go through customs and then go back to an airline check-in desk and line up there again. I don't have much time between connections so I really would like to avoid lining up in the wrong line for an hour and then finding out I have to go somewhere else to line up, so any advice anyone can give would be great! I would be flying with TAM from Toronto Canada to Sao Paolo and then transferring to go to Salvador (also with TAM). Many thanks!

Hi, We'll be arriving from a long flight, via Sao Paolo on Saturday afternoon 13th Feb, which I understand is carneval!We will just want to get to the hotel asap.Unfortunately the hotel does not provide a shuttle service and has only offered telephone numbers of some companies.Can anyone recommend a good reliable company I could book in advance via the internet/email rather than leave it until we arrive? Any advice much appreciated

I was looking inthe web for info on a restaurant in Bahia and I found a blog page named projecto brasil.....it gives info on salvador da Bahia and more....reading a bit I noticed some words that I know...I was reading my vt tips in this blog!!!! there is a page on the Bahia restaurant complitely cpiod from VT tips and I haven't look for more inthe other sections..... I was a little bit disappointed but I realized that at the end Vt is a big info comunity and If you want to copy up to you...the best was to put a mention on the source!

Hello all: I am planning on moving to Salvador sometime in January (at least that is what I hope) to improve my Portuguese, make some contacts, and see the country. One of my dreams is to open a bar or restaurant in Brasil, at some point in the future. To that end I have a strong desire to work in a bar or restaurant, or something related to that. I understand getting a work visa is next to impossible. Is it unrealistic to think I can find a job in the service industry and work under the table? I.E. as a server, barback, etc? Also, can anybody help me with the most basic of things, ie, housing, other jobs I can get, and good things to know?! I'm not really trying to make money...it's more about making contacts. As far as language goes I'm fluent in Spanish and have taken about a year of Portuguese, so I would say I'm intermediate/advanced but still have room for improvement. Obviously so many questions so if anyone is on Orkut, facebook, or gmail, lets connect! I will give you my info. By the way I have lived in the Dominican Republic before so I am familiar with the developing world, although I'm hoping Salvador is a little more developed than Santo Domingo! Lets keep in touch guys and thanks!

I am curious about whether anyone gets sick from swimming in the ocean by areas where the rivers dump into the ocean? I know they do in Rio and it is advised not to go swimming on the beaches there but I am going to Salvador and would like to go kiteboarding. I have concerns though as I read that one of the more popular kiteboarding spots is close to an area where the river dumps into the ocean. Does anyone have experience with this who has visited from outside the country of Brazil?

Thanks to everyone for your help. We have returned. Everyone kind of freaked me out before we left about safey and crime. If you don't get drunk. wander around alone in dark places, act natural, and even use a small map and ask questions, barely know the language you csn have a safe and fun filled trip. Everyone was super nice and helpful. We traveled on public transport, even the cheaper non airconditioned buses and got where we wanted. We did not return to our hotel real late at night and it was not Carnaval time.

We will be in Salvador 4 days...what is the best and safest way to get around. We are going August 7 to 11th. what are the main attractions, the order to seee them? Things to do near the city and how to get there by public transport...culture, nature, folklore etc.