Salvador Brazil

Brazil Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia

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Salvador Brazil

When's the best time to visit Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia?

Salvador and the northeastern beaches are all-year destinations, hot and humid with most rain falling from Mar to Jul. The Chapada Diamantina is also hot (27-32°C) all year round with most rain Nov to Mar. Dec-Feb and Jul are local holiday times, and will be busy in Salvador and on the beaches.

What is the official language of Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia?

Brazilian Portuguese, a more languid and musical version of Portugal’s mother tongue.

What's the local currency in Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia?

Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs of Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and HSBC using a UK credit or debit card. There are international ATMs in the Pelourinho, the beach at Barra and at the airport. There are ATMs in Lençóis. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. ATMs close at 10pm.

What's the time difference between Salvador, Lencois, the beaches of Bahia and UK?

UTC -3 hours. The daylight saving from Oct to the end of Feb (approx) was discontinued in 2019.

What places combine well with Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia?

You can travel direct from Lençóis to the popular beaches such as Praia do Forte. Recife and Olinda (675 km, are 1 hour away by air). The chic beach resort at Trancoso is close to Porto Seguro (1 hour 10mins flight south from Salvador).

How do I get to Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia?

There are flights from UK to Salvador with a change of ‘plane in Portugal or Spain. Average flight time is 12 hours 40mins. It’s a 2 hour flight from Rio de Janeiro. Lençóis is a 7 hr drive from Salvador, or a 1hr flight.

What are the cultural and sporting events in Salvador and Lencois?

Carnival in Salvador: 5 days in Feb/Mar, variable.The second largest in Brazil, with street processions, live bands playing Bahian pop music (axé and pagode), costume balls, over-indulgence and general frivolity.

Festa de Iemanjá: 2 Feb annually, Praia Rio Vermelho just outside Salvador. The biggest festival of candomblé (mix of African religious beliefs and Catholicism) with boat processions and live music.

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  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

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    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

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    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

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