Bahia
Bahia, in the northeastern region of Brazil, is a state that features a wealth of historical sites, colonial towns, sandy beaches, and national parks. Bordering eight other Brazilian states, Bahia is slightly bigger than France, and was the place where the first Portuguese explorers landed in 1500.
Bahia is home to many world-famous artists, including Caetano Veloso, João Gilberto and Jorge Amado, who claim the unique blend of natural beauties and rich cultural heritage served as their endless inspiration.
Pelourinho, Salvador
The state capital is Salvador, Brazil’s first colonial capital and for centuries home to a combination of ethnic groups, which produced great cuisine, art and music. Pelourinho, or Cidade Alta, Upper Town, the historical center of Salvador is one of the country’s best-known tourist attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A beautifully well-preserved example of the Portuguese colonial architecture, Pelourinho is an ideal place to savor the renowned local cuisine and learn about the traditions produced by African, Native Brazilian and European cultures.
Another worthwhile attraction in Bahia is Praia do Forte, which is a little over an hour’s drive to the north of Salvador. Praia do Forte, besides offering paradisiac beaches of calm, green waters, is also the main center for Projeto TAMAR, an ecological project, whose main goal is to protect marine turtles and the ecosystems where they live.
Sea Turtle
Founded in 1980, Projeto TAMAR (TAMAR gets its name from initial syllables of the words TArtaruga, turtle and MARinha, marine) is also present in other 18 locations in the Brazilian coast. After purchasing tickets, visitors can see and interact with the turtles, and depending on the time of year, witness the hatching of the eggs and subsequent run to the sea. Thus, Projeto TAMAR promotes the conservation of the region’s ecosystems while also supporting the sustainable development of coastal communities, offering residents other reliable economic alternatives to capturing sea turtles and other endangered species.
Click on the link below to see the incredible moment when thousands of baby turtles come out of their eggs, buried in the sands of Praia do Forte, and run out to the sea.
