The coastal town of Caravelas lies in the extreme south of Bahia state, 886km/550mi from Salvador. To reach it, follow BR 101 as far as Teixeira de Freitas, then BR 418 (unsurfaced).
In the center of the town is the 18th century church of Santo Antìnio. The town's greatest attractions, however, are the islands and beaches in the surrounding area and the Abrolhos Marine Park.
Four of the five islands in the Abrolhos archipelago constitute the Abrolhos Marine Park which home to rare species of coral. The park allows opportunities for fishing and diving.
To the north of Caravelas are the beaches of Quitongo (2km/1.3mi), Ponta de Areia (4km/2.5mi), Barra de Caravelas (8km/5mi) and the well equipped Praia Grauáá (9km/5.6mi). To the south are the beaches of Ponta da Baleia (7km/4.3mi) and Pontal do Sul, which can be reached only by boat (20 minutes).
The town of Alcobaça (pop. 12,000), 27km/17mi north of Caravelas, has beautiful beaches (Barra, Farol, Alcobaça, etc.). Another attraction is the Timbebas Rocks (1.5 hours by boat), which are visible at low tide. Alcobaça can be reached from Caravelas either by ferry (foot passengers only) or on BR 418 (but be sure to enquire in advance about the condition of the road).
Nova Viáosa (pop. 26,000), to the south of Caravelas, can be reached by road (70km/43mi on BR 418 to Helvécia, then 53km/33mi on a poor unsurfaced road), but it is much quicker to go by boat, following the coast of the large island of Cacumba (on which are the beaches of Atalaia and Costa). Within the town is the Praia da Barra; to the north is the beach of Barra Velha (4km/2.5mi); and to the south are the beaches of Pontal (4km/2.5mi), Lugar Comun (5.5km/3mi), Pau Fincado (7km/4.3mi) and Costa do Atlântico (14km/8.7mi).
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Abrolhos Marine Park
