Between Camamu Bay and the open sea, a 40-km tongue of land holds Bahia’s best-preserved coastline: the Maraú Peninsula, with its informal capital Barra Grande — a village of sand streets — and the legendary Taipu de Fora. The demanding access is the filter that keeps it all this way; this guide shows you how to get through the filter and what awaits on the other side.
The saga of getting there (worth every minute)
- Via Camamu (the classic): fast boat (~40 min, R$ 40-70) or slow ferry across Brazil’s third-largest bay to Barra Grande. Cars stay in a parking lot in Camamu.
- Overland: from Ubaitaba/Itacaré on a dirt road (4×4 recommended in the rain) — for those who rented a car in Ilhéus (127 km).
- Inside the peninsula: 4×4 taxis, quad bikes and pousada transfers; there is no asphalt, and that is precisely the charm.
What to do
| Attraction | What it is |
|---|---|
| Taipu de Fora | Bahia’s most famous natural pool at low tide — snorkeling is mandatory |
| Cassange Lagoon | A dark freshwater lagoon among coconut palms, the “dream lagoon” of the photos |
| Ponta do Mutá | The peninsula’s sunset spot, with the whole bay as its stage |
| Boat tour of Camamu Bay | Islands, oysters at the sea farm and the Tremembé waterfall — which drops INTO the sea |
| Quad-bike trails | Deserted ocean-side beaches (ride responsibly: quads off the driving strip destroy the restinga) |
When to go and what it costs
September to March is the dry window (summer fills up and prices double — December-January only with advance booking). Pousadas from R$ 200 to R$ 700 (couples); meals R$ 60-140 at the beachfront restaurants; boat + transfers add up to R$ 150-250 per person in total logistics. Five days come to R$ 2,000-4,000 per person without flights — and could easily fill ten: Maraú is a destination for slowing down, not rushing.
On the Bahian scale: more rustic than Itacaré (its neighbor to the south), more structured than the middle of nowhere — the rare balance of “paradise with a good pousada”. Ecotourists should thank the bad road: it is what keeps this paradise in place.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: light to moderate — beaches and natural pools with 4×4 or boat transfers around the peninsula. Children: excellent from age 4-5; Taipu de Fora at low tide is a shallow aquarium. Seniors and reduced mobility: feasible with logistics — access is by boat/4×4 and the main beaches have well-equipped beach huts; tell your pousada in advance to arrange transfers.
