Brazil Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia

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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Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs of Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and HSBC using a UK credit or debit card.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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  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

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    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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