Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia holidays
Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia holidays at a glance
Salvador is one of Brazil’s most distinctive cities, where African influence runs deep through local culture, music and everyday life.
The colonial centre is filled with colourful buildings, lively squares and atmospheric restaurants serving distinctive Bahian cuisine.
Beyond Salvador lies an extensive tropical coastline, with options ranging from lively beach resorts to remote, undeveloped communities. Destinations like Praia do Forte and Morro de São Paulo offer palm-lined beaches and vibrant atmospheres, while Trancoso combines boutique luxury with relaxed coastal charm.
Further inland, the landscape changes dramatically. Chapada Diamantina National Park is all forested mountains, waterfalls, rivers and dramatic plateaus, with the laid-back town of Lençóis providing an ideal base for exploration.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Colourful Salvador throbs with drumbeats and dance. Beyond Bahia’s tropical coastline and dreamy islands are the forested mountains of Chapada Diamantina and the laid-back town of Lençóis.
When to visit Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
Best time to visit Bahia? September to November for hiking, or December to March if beaches and Carnival energy are the priority.
Continuing from November, this period sees tropical hot weather in Salvador with high humidity. Temperatures hover in the 30°Cs and there are brief but heavy rain showers. The streets will be lively, exciting and somewhat hectic in the build up to Carnival in February / March.
Meanwhile in the Chapada mountains the temperatures are a little cooler, in the 20°Cs, and rainfall makes the waterfalls and rivers wonderfully full.
Hot, sunny weather during the summer draws both visitors and locals to the beaches from Porto Seguro northwards. You can expect a buzzing atmosphere with al fresco restaurants, lively bars and many hotels to choose from, as the peak local holiday season runs from January – March.
In Salvador temperatures tend to stay around the high 20°Cs with some cloudy days and frequent light rain. The Chapada mountains have less rainfall than earlier in the year but the rivers remain deliciously full. While temperatures are still high, around 25°C, the beaches are at their wettest from April until July meaning this is not the ideal time to visit.
June and July are particularly wet months for the beaches, which cool off at this time of year with temperatures dipping below 20°C. From August things begin to heat up and the rainiest months are over, so beach weather commences.
The Chapada mountains are cooler during this time, with less rain, and August is the beginning of the dry season.
In August the temperature in Salvador is at its lowest, but this is still around a pleasantly warm 27°C with possible rainfall on many days.
As August – October is the dry season in the Chapada mountains, there is minimal rainfall. Temperatures warm up and the sun emerges after the cooler months, making this a pleasant time to explore by foot. However, it being the drier season, the waterfalls are less magnificent and some may have dried up entirely.
Temperatures in Salvador begin to heat up and by November the weather is tropically humid and hot with short, heavy showers.
Top Things to do in Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
Bahia offers a rewarding blend of culture, wildlife, beaches, gastronomy and outdoor adventure.
Enjoy a high-energy performance by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia dance troupe in the heart of historic Salvador.
Explore the unique limestone cave system in the Chapada Diamantina of northeast Brazil and its vivid blue pools.
Delve into a landscape of table mountains, waterfalls, grottoes and lagoons within reach of bustling Salvador da Bahia.
Amble through Salvador’s past on a walking tour of its well-preserved historic centre.
On a small sea-going open boat, get up close to the benign humpback whale to watch a magnificent display of joie de vivre.
Learn how to cook a few of Bahia’s exotic dishes at a traditional family home in the port of Salvador.
See a different side to Bahia on this day trip through the back-country to the historic port of Cachoeira, now a sleepy riverside town.
Accommodation in Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
Our options here range from colonial boutique hotels in Salvador to luxury beach retreats and characterful lodges in Chapada Diamantina.
Charming hotel occupying a colonial building in Salvador’s historic centre with high quality accommodation and excellent service.
Beautiful neo-colonial hotel set in delightful landscaped grounds in Lençóis.
Porto da Lua is a small, attractive hotel with a breezy, tropical feel and prime location right on Praia do Forte beach in Brazil’s Bahia.
Delightfully secluded and welcoming guesthouse in tropical foliage on the Bahia coast with simple, charming accommodation.
The beachfront Tivoli Eco-Resort has top quality rooms, pools, sports facilities and gardens dotted with palm trees in Brazil’s Praia do Forte.
Uxua is a quirky boutique hotel which has been designed to blend seamlessly into the historic centre of dreamy Trancoso
The tropical hideaway of Vila dos Orixas is located on the beautiful beach of Praia do Encanto.
Beautifully appointed hotel formed from two adjoining colonial buildings, offering a haven of calm and relaxation in the heart of Salvador’s historic Pelourinho area.
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.
Tailor-Made Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Active Brazil: Remote Bahia and Fernando de Noronha
Places visited: Recife, Olinda and Fernando de Noronha · Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
15 days from £3,975
Signature Brazil: Brazil at a glance
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · The Brazilian Amazon · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
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FAQs about visiting Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- 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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