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Itacare

Contents

Recent History

Until the asphalt road from Ilheus was built in 1998, Itacaré was a sleepy fishing village and well kept secret known only to a handful of Brazilian surfers.

However, with the opening of the new road, word soon spread about the fabulous beaches and the first tourists started arriving from instate cities such as Salvador. The second wave was the “Paulistas” from Sao Paulo the capital and more recently European tourists and investors in small but increasing numbers.

Location

Itacare is located in the state of Bahia, at the mouth of the Rio Contas on the Atlantic ocean.

Distances from main Brazilian cities:

Rio de Janeiro	1290km
Sao Paulo	1610km
Salvador	440km
Brasilia	1430km
Recife	1140km
Belo Horizonte	990km
Porto Seguro	370km
Ilheus	70km

The climate is tropical. Temperatures vary between 25°C and 30°C but may go as high as 40°C in summer (December – March). The wettest months are May to August which is the southern hemispheres winter. It is never cold!

How to get there

For most international tourists the entry to Brazil will be through Sao Paulo, Rio or Salvador international airports. There are daily flights operated from domestic airlines TAM and BRA to Ilheus which is the closest airport to Itacaré.

From Ilheus you can rent a car or catch a taxi to Itacaré. The 70km drive takes approximately one hour.

Town

Itacaré still retains the charm of its colonial past. The streets are cobbled; the buildings (many with the original Portuguese influenced façades) are currently going through a process of gentrification.

In the last few years many new restaurants and bars have sprung up. As well as offering the excellent Bahian cuisine, the town can now boast French, Italian, Spanish, Thai and Japanese restaurants.

Beaches

The closest beach to the town is Concha. Here you will find the biggest concentration of pousadas and beach bars, serving the traditional spicy Bahian dishes of lobster and shrimp and some very cold beer! Protected by the ocean breakwater the sea is calm and ideal for families with young children.

Following the main street as it leaves the Pituba neighbourhood we come to Resende beach which has big coco trees and waves suitable for both surfing and swimming.

Because it is a protected area there are no beach bars. Next is Tiririca which is Itacaré’s main surfing beach. Here the waves are at their biggest and is the location for the many competitions held every year. There are some pousadas and a few beach bars.

Following the road we come to Costa which is not frequented much due to the dangerous undertow off the beach, but it’s pretty nonetheless!

At the end is Ribeira where there is a small car park. It’s a beautiful beach, surrounded by a rainforest and with a freshwater stream running into the sea. It is good for both swimming and surfing. Whilst there are no pousadas there are a few beach bars serving seafood, snacks and drinks.

The more adventurous can take a 30 minute walk through the rainforest from Ribeira (guide advisable) to Prainha Beach. Rated in the top 10 of Brazilian beaches, its easy to see why. The bay is almost perfectly symmetrical with two identical hills at each end topped with lush forest, coco palms, white sand and the crashing surf round off this picture postcard idyll.

Other beautiful beaches such as Jeribucaçu, Engenhoca Havaizinho and Itacarézinho have to be accessed from the main Itacaré – Ilheus road, where there are various trails down to the beaches which takes between 20 to 30 minutes to walk. Most of the land you have to cross is private and a small fee R$5.00 is usually charged.

Real Estate

Because much of the area surrounding the town is environmentally protected, all recent hotel and residential development such as Itacaré Eco Village and Txai resort have been limited to a maximum height of 7.5 meters. There are no unsightly high-rise buildings and herein lies the area’s unique appeal and value.

At present, new development around the town has been limited to the area behind Concha Beach. There are still plots available from R$120 per m² a few minutes walk from the sea. The sizes vary from 300 to 400 m² and are suitable for both residential and commercial (i.e. pousadas) properties.

On the seafront and centre of the town there are many old colonial buildings which are a good investment especially for commercial purposes e.g. bars and restaurants. The majority need some for of renovation/modernisation. Prices start from as little as R$85,000 for a 2 bed townhouse needing some work, to R$250,000 for a completely renovated 3 bed townhouse on the seafront.

Further out of town is the exclusive Villas de São José development which is part of Itacaré Eco Village resort. Overlooking Praihina and São José beaches and set amongst Atlantic rainforest, it is a truly spectacular location.

Minimum plot sizes are from 1000m². The development company can provide architects and builders, so that your villa is tailor made to your needs. There are also 2/3 bed bungalows with pools which are aimed at the rental/investment market with prices starting from R$485,000. The properties can be delivered fully furnished and owners have the optional service of rental administration, maintenance, cleaning etc, provided by the Itacaré Eco Village.

For more information visit: Properties for sale in Itacare, Useful websites on Itacare