Salvador da Bahia Travel Forum

Hello, thanks group for the information and assistance. Was wondering how to make inexpensive phone calls from Salvador to the states. Is it best to get pre-paid calling cards before travel or purchase them there. Thanks.

Hello, will be traveling to Salvador in March and would like to know what precautions should I take with using a camcorder? Also what kinds of health precautions should I take? Thanks.

ok, thanks for the answers. I need to know what kind of clothes to take,if there are problems with dengue by the beach, good restaurants, what to do, prices,etc. ialready know Bahia but never stayed in praia do forte. We?re going to Porto da lua hotel..has anyone been there
thanks a lot!

hi, im travelling with my family next week to this place and i need some information and recommendations, please write to teregreve@hotmail.com from Chile if you've been there in Brazil! thanks

Hi,
can anybody reccomend me some good accomodation in Salvador? We r two people, just came to Salvador and the place where we were supposed to stay (Ginga Mundo) is full, so we have a bit of a situation right now:) any suggestion would help!
Thanx, Dani

Is anyone going to be at Carnaval this year? I am trying to meet up with some people that know the area.

I am thinking of coming to Salvador during January, via Rio de Janeiro if that's a good idea.
I am planning this break following the breakdown of a 26 year marriage so want lots of advice including is this a good location if on your own.
I would want to plan everything without the help of a travel agent so advise on flights accommodation etc would be great.
I assume the climate is hot and sunny in January,is it expensive? my only other experiance ousite europe was India where I have spent a great deal of time recently.
Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated.

I'm going to be in Salvador over the Christman and the New Year Period... Is anybody else going to be there? For anybody else that is going to be there... CHECK IN HERE!!!

Hi
We are four 20-year old guys from Denmark visiting salvador for carnaval. We are interested in buying acces to some bloco trio and camarotes in the barra-area. Could anybody come with some suggestions to which we should choose?
We are not that into african music. Security and beautiful girls is first priority :-).
thanks

We will be in Salvador da Bahia for only one day. What would a person who knows Salvador well suggest ? Should we simply walk around, should we hire a private tour guide, are there full city tours available, are ther HOHO (hop on,hop off) busses?

What are absolute must sees? The churches? The museums, etc.? What are resonable prices for a guide? Are there any reputable ones and how to find them?

TIA for the suggestions. We are interested in history and culture more than in shopping.

Hello there
Me and my boyfirend are planning to stay in salvador for cupple of mounths and i am woundering if anybody knows how expensive it is to rent an apartment or a house in salvador. We are looking for something that is cheap or maybe somebody has some good suggestions on cheap hostels?
We are not looking for anything exclusive, rather something simple...

Hello,

I'll be in Salvador da Bahia from Sept 4th till Sept 7th and I have to choose between 4 hotels.
My whish is to be as near as possible from the historical center of the town and to be informed of the distance of these hotels from the airport (+ taxi rates for the transfer).
The hotels are:
- SOL BAHIA 4*
- PORTO FOROL 3*
- COCOON & LOUNDGE 4*
- BAHIA OTHON 5*
Thanks a lot for your help because I've got only a few hours to decide...!!
*Pol*

Hi everybody,
going to spend few weeks in brasil and would like to visit bahia- salvador. please, have any suggestions for this part of season? have red in books some resorts are partly closed because of no tourist season...
would like to meet nice people, partly surf and see the city of salvador...
if you can give me help for nice accomodation (poussadas...or) and which beach to go?
how does porto segurro looks like these days?

big thanks...

radek

I´ll staying in Dec. 4 days in Salvador/Bahia area.
As I and my girlfriend have only 4days we need to know which is definitely the best Praia in this region:

 Itacaré
 Ilheús
 Lençois
 Praia do Forte
 Morro de São Paulo
 Maraú
 Costa do Sauípe
 Porto Seguro
 Arraial d´Ajuda

can anybody recommend some of these places where its worth to go?

BIG Thanks for all postings,
Happy Travel,

Sascha

Anyone know of a good private guide in Salvador?

Is it easy to get taxi's from Salvador airport to Costa do Sauipe and how much is a one-way fare?
Thanks
Peter

Hey!

I'm a 21 year old female who's going to end up in Salvador from roughly the 5th of February to the 9th--with time to use everyday as I get there early on the 5th and leave late on the 9th. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to spend my time?

A lot of people who when on the trip I'm going on last year are traveled out of the area for the time we're in country. (Some are going to Rio, others Leconis (I'm sorry if I'm misspelling that) etc.) I'm kind of leaning to staying in Salvador but haven't decided yet.

So any suggestions? I won't have tons of money, but I like music, books, art, and cultural experiences (as I'm a anthropology major). Likewise, exercise doesn’t bother me, and I mainly would just like to try new things. If possible I'd like to avoid the more touristy things if possible.

Also, on a side note, what is the transportation like? I won’t be renting a car so on foot and public transport (taxi’s, bus, etc.) will be my main way.

hi i need help findin cheapest airline from salvador to LA or america in general as im plannin to go from there back to sydney,

thanks heaps for any help

I am trying to go to Salvador for the Christmas period but the flight prices are sheer daylight robbery. I can, however get a flight to Sao Paulo from London. It would be up to me to make my way from SP to Salvador and then back again. Does anyone know how much and how long it takes to get from SP to Salvador by bus... better yet, has anyone done the trip?

I've been advised that a flight is better but then I have hear that those are expensive and I would be allowed domestic luggage allowance which would be way less than the international one...

Oh what to do!
Help!

Hi everybody,

I will have to go from Salvador to Itacaré in July. I found out that the trip by bus takes 7 hours, that's ok. But do you know from where the bus leaves Salvador and at what time ?
Thank you for this information,

Pascale

Ill be spending 6 months in Salvador da Bahia and I'd like to use the time to finally learn how to swim, among other things. Can anyone tell me where I can take swimming lessons?

Just wondering....Is the Cocoon Hotel & Lounge conveniently located for Carnaval in Salvador? We don't want to be in the middle of no where.

Thanks,

Johnny

Hi
4 of us are going on holiday to Costa Do Sauipe in August this year, we are getting conflicting stories of what to expect from the weather. Can someone help, can we pack bikinis or will we need our woolly jumpers????
Thanks
Jo

Can anyone recommend a good place to watch a futebol match in Salvador?

I am a planning a trip to Salvador da Bahia in July. I'm a first time traveller to Brazil & am travelling alone. I am flying into Rio staying there for three days then flying to Salvador for about a week.

I want my trip to be one that is filled with Afro-Brazilian culture/art, music, history, nature, relaxation, exploration and discovery. From my research, I'm thinking that Rio/Salvador can offer just that.

I have some questions in my quest to make this happen...

How can I go about finding a reasonable price for a roundtrip ticket from Rio/Salavador?

Should I connect with a travel agency that offers 8 - 15 days tour packages exploring the above or would I be able to accomplish the above by connecting with a hotel/pousada on my own and finding tour guides once I get to Rio/Salvador? Seeking the most cost effective deal.

Any recommendations for tour guides, agents that you may have used...

Any must sees in Rio/Salvador - especially places that aren't on the major tourist list of things to see/do but some place that may be an interesting spot with the locals or a place you may have found to be unique and awesome.

Lastly, Any recommendations for effective programs that provide a good overview of the Portuguese language.

Thanks!!!

Is anyone familiar with either of these pousadas, both located in Barra? I'm visiting Salvador in July and trying to decide which of these locations is more suitable.
Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hello!

I am doing a study abroad program at the Universidade Federal da Bahia in Salvador da Bahia this upcoming summer. I'm bringing my small child so I can not stay with the program's homestays. I need to find cheap safe housing that would either be very close to the University or on very safe buslines to the University. My total stay will be around 41 days. I have tried looking at the maps of Salvador da Bahia online to see where the University is and what's around it but they are confusing to me. I'm not sure where to look at. It would also be ideal if my place to stay is near some sort of store or something so I can take my daughter daily to buy food to cook at our place.

This is all the information my program gives me:
Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), one of Brazil’s top 10 universities, has 58 departments for majors and there are 18,000 students. UFBA is situated near the commercial downtown area of Salvador da Bahia and Pelourinho.

The resident coordinator for my program sent me this link:
www.apjimoveis.com.br

However, I'm not sure where these places are or if they have internet access, which is another thing that my place must have as the person coming with to watch my daughter while I am in classes can NOT come with UNLESS they have daily free internet access to work from.

Thank you for ANY help you can give!

Hi

Going to the Iberostar bahia in Praia Do Forte this June. Previously on visits to Cuba we have taken clothes and soap, shampoo, toiletries etc. I was wondering if this is the done thing here, or is that insulting?

Or are there other gifts we should consider
Thanks

I'm a NYC lawyer who's planning to spend 6 months in Salvador da Bahia (from September 07 through February 08). I can't wait! I want to make the most of my time there so could anyone offer advice/suggestions on how I can go about doing the following:
1. Volunteer to teach English in an underprivileged area (without paying for the experience)
2. Earn money teaching English (or by doing anything else that's moral, for that matter).
3. Take Portuguese lessons
4. Take Afro-Brazilian dance lessons
5. Take capoeira lessons
6. Join a good gym
7. Share an apartment with a Brazilian (for less than $500 a month)
8. Travel around Northeast Brazil on weekends (on a shoestring)

Any specifics (names, addresses, etc.) would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I am a 23 year old girl planning a trip alone trip to south america in May. I'm planning to spend a few weeks doing voluntary work in Salvador before travelling to Rio and then on across Bolivia to Lake Titicana and into peru.
People have been scaring me with stories about how unsafe I will be visiting these places alone. They have even told me that if I go, I should dye my hair dark, as I am blonde and pale and will stand out too much.
Could someone please advise me on safety, especially in Salvador, as I may be in poor areas, working with local children. Even though the voluntary agency (cross cultural solutions) seems reputable i'm starting to panic and thinking of cancelling the whole trip.