Ponta do Mutá beach has one of the most beautiful sunsets on Earth!
Come with me on a journey that will take you to a paradise in Brazil! There you will find natural pools, deserted beaches, coconut trees, giant bromeliads, a breathtaking sunset and a sky … oh, a blue sky with clouds that seem that will ‘reach’ the sea … Its name? Península de Maraú. And where is this heavenly place? In Costa do Dendê, in the south of Bahia, a land rich in nature, fresh water, friendly people and of course in very good food!
I’ll show you everything about two beautiful places located at Peninsula de Maraú, in Bahia: Barra Grande and Taipu de Fora. And I assure you one thing: if you ever go to Península de Maraú, chances are great that you will want to stay … for once. Oh, my lovely Bahia …
♥ Book your hotel in Barra Grande here on Booking.com!
Watch the video below to see a bit of Taipu de Fora beach:
Swipe to see some pictures of Barra Grande and Taipu de Fora:
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How to get to Península de Maraú?
To get to Barra Grande, you will have to go a long way. But it will be valid!
There are two ways to get there:
– Arriving by plane from Ilhéus:
For those who come by plane, Ilhéus is the closest starting point to reach Península de Maraú, in Bahia. It is faster, but more expensive, since flights to Ilhéus cost a bit higher. And which route should you take? Take a look:
- By the time you arrive at Ilhéus, take a bus to Camamu. The company Águia Branca does the course. The journey takes 2h30. The ticket costs 27 reais.
Getting to Camamu
- In Camamu, take a speed boat to Barra Grande, with a 40-minute journey time. There is also the option of going by boat, which takes about 1h30 to get to Barra Grande. The speedboat costs 25 reais. All right, you’ve finally made it to Península de Maraú! But…
- If you are staying in Taipu de Fora, you will have to pick up a jeep in Barra Grande, which takes an average of 20 minutes to reach Taipu.
Sunset in Barra Grande
– Coming by plane from Salvador:
Another way to get to Península de Maraú is coming from Salvador, capital of Bahia. It takes longer, but it is cheaper, since flights to Salvador are generally cheaper than to Ilheus. See how to get there:
- Your trip will start by taking the ferry boat, in the center of Salvador, to Bom Despacho. The journey takes about 1 hour. The ticket costs 5 reais.
Salvador ferryboat
- Arriving in Bom Despacho, take a bus to Camamu. There are two companies that make the journey: Águia Branca and Cidade do Sol. The trip takes approximately 4h. The ticket costs 36 to 40 reais. Buses leave every hour and depart right there from the ferry terminal. Tip: The ideal is to take the bus from Bom Despacho to Camamu until 11:30 am, as buses usually leave a bit late. So you do not risk losing the last boat there in Camamu, which departs at 5:00 pm to Barra Grande.
Camamu
- In Camamu, you can take the speed boat to Barra Grande, with a 40-minute journey time, or a boat, which takes at least 1h30 to reach Barra Grande. The speedboat costs 25 reais.
- Great! You have finally made it to Barra Grande, in Península de Maraú! Hallelujah! hahah Remembering that if you are staying in Taipu de Fora, you will still have to pick up a jeep, once you arrive in Barra Grande. The jeep costs 13 reais. The journey takes about 20 minutes.
How many days to stay in Península de Maraú?
If you can, stay there for the rest of your life! Haha But if you are only on vacation, seven days are enough to take advantage of everything that Barra Grande and Taipu de Fora have to offer. Book two days only for the trip, which is long, especially if you come from outside Bahia.
Taipu de Fora beach
Tip: Spend half of your stay in Taipu de Fora and the other half in Barra Grande. So you will enjoy the best of both of them: the ‘relax’ vibe and the tranquility that Taipu de Fora has to offer and the excitement of Barra Grande, which holds bars, restaurants and the travel agencies that take to the tours around the region. That is because Barra Grande is the main village in Península de Maraú.
What to do in Península de Maraú?
Go swimming with the friendly fish of Taipu de Fora natural pools, go for a tour by quadricycle on Bromélias Trail, which leads you to the blue lagoons and deserted beaches, watch the sunset at Ponta do Mutá, near Barra Grande, and see the whole Península de Maraú from above Morro do Farol. Then you will enjoy the best of this paradise in Bahia.
And don’t forget to take the boat trip to the Tremembé Waterfall and the Camamu Islands. It’s beautiful! Also enjoy the hustle and bustle of Buda Beach and Bar das Meninas (two beach bars), which are on Taipu de Fora Beach.
Tip: The quadricycle costs about 150 reais in the off season. But at this time, you can negotiate and the price can drop to 80 reais!
Watch the video below to see Pedra Furada Island:
When to go to Península de Maraú?
Do you want to enjoy a bit of excitement? Then head to Península de Maraú in late December or early January. But pack your pocket! The packages for New Year’s, for example, can reach 7 thousand reais or more! If you prefer tranquility, go in the other months of the year. August is the quietest month there. The rainy season is from April to May.
For scuba diving, the best season is from December to April, when the waters are clearer.
How about that, uh? Relaxing at Ponta do Mutá beach:
Where to stay in Península de Maraú?
There are plenty of hostels and resorts in Bahia tourist cities, and Península de Maraú is not far from that, especially Barra Grande. There are options for all tastes there: for camping lovers, luxurious travel lovers etc. When I travel, I usually stay by Airbnb, it is really worthy it. In Taipu de Fora as well as in Barra Grande, I booked through Airbnb. In Taipu de Fora, I stayed at Home Suite Home and I really enjoyed it! Delicious breakfast, cozy room and good location near Taipu de Fora natural pools. The hosts Moara and Everton are very friendly and gave us wonderful tips to enjoy all that region!
In Barra Grande, I stayed at Casa Dendê. It has a great location, the room is nice and the house is very close to bars and restaurants.
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Where to eat in Península de Maraú?
When we write about Bahia, we obviously have to talk about food, cause it is just delicious! In the center of Barra Grande there is an area only with bars and restaurants. There are plenty of options for you to try! Do you like hamburgers? So make sure you get to know Maruata restaurant. The sandwiches are delicious and they are also specialized in pasta.
Marutaia restaurant
More tips:
- Most establishments in Barra Grande and Taipu de Fora accept cards. But since there are no ATMs there, take a good amount in kind.
- Internet still does not work so good there, but most accommodations have wifi.
♦ Will you travel to Península de Maraú? If you book a hotel here on the blog, I will get a comission for that. And you will not pay more for that. If you do so, you’ll help me keep producing content with tips and good information for you. 🙂