Hi Deel Community 👋 @marinaleme and I are excited to share a travel guide for anyone that is interested in exploring Itacare in Brazil. If you haven't had the chance to read more about us yet, check out our intro post here!
Itacaré is a city with less than 30,000 inhabitants, located on the Cocoa Coast 🍫, south of Salvador. It is known for its beautiful beaches and nature 🏖️🏞️. The city has all the necessary amenities such as markets, mobile service, pharmacy, Wi-Fi, and a hospital (we didn't need this one, but it's always good to know there was one 😂).
However, power outages are common and affect mobile service. We experienced two outages, one lasting about an hour and the other lasting about eight hours, which impacted our work since both happened on weekdays. These outages occur at least twice a month (based on our 1-month experience there 🙈) but do not pose any security issues.
How to get there ✈️:
São Paulo > Ilhéus > Itacaré: We left from the airport of Guarulhos in São Paulo, and after a 2h05m flight, we arrived in Ilhéus. Leaving by car from Ilhéus, it takes around 1h30m to arrive in Itacaré.
- We got to Itacaré with a transfer - BRL 200 for 2 people (~ USD 40) -and you can also rent a car or go by bus.
When to go 🗓️:
Itacaré has an average temperature of 27°C; however, be aware of the rains, as they determine what you can do. We went in March and got a lot of rain, but the sun was out right after (locals say, "Just trust Bahia").
- Rainiest months: March and April;
- Least rainy months: August, September, and October;
- Peak season: December until Carnival, in addition to all the long holidays in the year.
Where to stay 🏠:
Itacaré is a small town with a main street called Pedro Longo, also known as Pituba. This is where the restaurants, shops, and hostels are located, but it can be overwhelming due to the noise as it is the most popular place. We stayed at the end of Pituba, near Praia do Resende, which was a good location, and we had no problems with noise. Another option for digital nomads is the waterfront (Orla), which has ample accommodation, restaurants, and nightlife options.
Where to work from 💻:
Due to the great location, good Wi-Fi, and nice structure of our Airbnb, we only worked in a different place twice, which was @uca_restaurante_itacare. We spent one afternoon there after lunch, and the other day we had breakfast there (all-you-can-eat for BRL 50, which is ~ $10 USD) then stayed for the rest of the day. This restaurant is at the end of Praia da Concha. The staff is welcoming, the Wi-Fi is stable, and there are several seating options for working.
What to do❓:
Anything outdoors is simply amazing. Some of the things we did were:
- Standup paddleboarding, beach soccer, and Hawaiian canoe; (we didn't get to do surf classes, but they seemed super cool)
- Guided hikes to beaches and waterfalls
- Watch endless and breathtaking sunsets;
- So many amazing restaurants to eat and drink like a local; the frozen Cocoa honey caipirinhas are the best. And the food is delicious. Our top 3 restaurants are:
- Saravá: Awesome food but THE best chocolate cake in the world 🎂🍫;
- Esfiharia Itacaré: Although the cuisine is Arabic-inspired, there's a distinct Brazilian flavor that really makes this restaurant stand out. Not only is it delicious, but also very affordable;
- Núúh!! Bistrô: Chic bistro with great food, wine, and service.
Thanks for letting us share our journey in beautiful Itacare with you! In summary, our month there was simply amazing! It’s a great place to practice sports outdoors, eat good food, and enjoy nature.
Our next guide is going to be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so if you have questions or suggestions on what you’d like to see in the next guide, let us know in the comments! If you’re currently living in Itacare, what would you have added to the list?
More to share 🌅:
@marinaleme and I are both big fans of sunsets, so here are the best spots to watch it in Itacaré:
- Ponta do Xaréu: Definitely the busiest and most famous place, it has some restaurants, and we loved @miranteitacare - a great place to watch the sunset with food and drinks.
- Praia do Pontal: Great view. We got there by Stand Up with @lifesup_itacare, and it was one of the prettiest sunsets ever.
