Salvador - Surroundings

On the stretch of coast between the Recìncavo and Ilhéus is the Jaguaripe area, sometimes known as the "Pantanal of Bahia". This is a highly complex eco-system, with beaches, mangroves, rivers and numerous smaller waterways and channels draining into the bay. There is excellent fishing to be had in this area. There is also an expanse of mata atlântica in which pakas, anteaters, foxes, maned wolves (now rare) and other species live.

In Candeias (pop. 70,000), 50km/30mi north of Salvador, is the Museu Vanderlei de Pinho (or Museu do Recìncavo), which illustrates the social, cultural and economic characteristics of the towns and villages in this region. The Museum is housed in the Engenho Freguesia, a magnificent four-story 18th century mansion with a large chapel on the road to Feira de Santana.

Recìncavo Baiano

In the area around the Baía de Todos os Santos, known as the Recìncavo Baiano, are many little townships whose buildings have shown little change since colonial times. To many of them the sugar-cane grown on the fertile clay soils brought prosperity; from others the cattle-drovers set out to seek fresh grazing for their herds in the sertão. Nowadays oil derricks rear up amid the sugar-cane plantations.

The little town of São Francisco do Conde (pop. 25,000), north-west of Candeias and 70km/43mi from Salvador, can be reached on BR 324. Among its colonial buildings are the church of Santo Antônio, the 18th century friary of São Francisco, with Portuguese azulejo pictures, the Paço Municipal (formerly the town hall and gaol) and a number of houses in the town center. On the island of Cajaíba (10 minutes by boat) are sugar-mills and houses of the colonial period. There are a number of fishing villages on the Ilhas Grande, Pequena and das Fontes.