Itacare

Right when the world was about to end -- the day before Harold Camping had slotted for the rapture -- Ben and I found paradise. It's in Brazil, in the Northern state of Bahia, in a small town of 20,000 called Itacare. We arrived one day before the predicted judgement day, but it didn't take long for us to wonder if we'd already died and gone to heaven. With curvacious palm trees growing in white sand, and freshwater rivers babbling down waterfalls into the crystal ocean, the place looked like a too-good-to-be-true photoshopped postcard.

We were lucky Sabrina and her friend Carol let us in on the secret of this paradise. Itacare hasn't been established as a major tourist spot, and is even off the map for most Brazilians. I'm not sure how Sabrina and Carol knew about it. But when TAM airlines was having a sale to the region, they said we MUST to go with them. They squealed when we hit the "purchase" button, like they'd just won tickets to Hawaii. Little did I know it was even better than that.

The four of us arrived to Iheus, Bahia, into a small airport. We rented a car and were soon driving out of the city, over rivers and finally along the palm-tree clad coast. After an hour 1/2 of roads that rivaled a roller coaster, we turned on the main drag (and one of the only streets) of Itacare.

Our first taste of paradise was the pousada, a Brazilian bed and breakfast, where we decided to stay. Walking through the wooden gate revealed a little Eden of its own, with lush palm trees and flowering plants draping leaves over a pool and sun chairs. Our room had a balcony with a hammock, where we could hear the chatter of tropical birds throughout the day and night. It was a fitting home base between all the beautiful beaches.

The first of the line-up of heavenly shores was Resende beach. A small path led through towering palm trees to the secluded cove. There wasn't anyone there, except one or two women laying down in the small waves to sunbath (or just look sexy). Standing on a few nearby rocks and tidepools, we had a perfect view of two other small palm-treed beaches. Without much time before the sunset, we drove back to Concha beach, about two blocks from our pousada. We took a dip in the warm ocean waters before enjoying a beer and watching the sunset from a look-out point over the sea. And that was only the first hour or two of being in Itacare.





The rest of the weekend led to one breathtaking beach after the next. We spent most of Saturday at Patizeiro beach, a seemingly endless stretch of black and white sands -- which blew over each other to create swirly patterns -- all set between the rhythmic ocean and lush jungle. The highlight of this paradise was the freshwater waterfall tucked in the corner of it all. Clean water trickled down the black rocks in a fountain more beautiful than you could ever make by hand.




While not every beach had a waterfall, there seemed to be rivers flowing at just about every one we went to. One of them had a reddish orange tint, which Ben said was dyed from the plants in the water, while another one was so deep at points you could dive in. Not only were these rivers gorgeous, but we had a blast splashing in the ocean and then floating in the freshwater.


Along with the first smallish waterfall we found, there were plenty of big ones in the area, too. Cachoeira do Tijuipe was a massive, broad fall in the jungle just near the beach. We heard the roar before we actually saw the water, but it wasn't enough to scare us from jumping in. There was a rope leading across the bottom of the falls. In certain places we had to hold on tight so we didn't wash down the rest of the river. Other parts were more calm, where we could sit on a rock right under the crashing water or jump into a deep pool.




On our second full day in Itacare, the four of us ventured on a "short" hike along a three-beach melody. But this jaunt proved to be an adventure in itself. The path lead us along a river (and a waterfall, which we later played in, of course). It then curved into a windy, narrow path along an ocean cliff. I might have been nervous by the view if I wasn't looking at my feet the whole time. Because of recent rain, the entire dirt path was turned to a muddy slip 'n' slide that had me tense with every step. I took off my sandals for better traction, but had to endure goop so deep it squished up to my ankles. Some surfers had laid palm fawns along the way, but these only added to the icky textures of the journey. It was gross -- but I loved it nonetheless. And it made the end of our hike even that much more rewarding.



About an hour later we were at a private beach. The only people there were a few surfers in the waves and a woman selling coconuts. We spent the morning and afternoon swimming, drinking from and eating coconuts and exploring.


After these long days in the sun, we relaxed at night with walks down Itacare's main drag, which was full of craft shops, restaurants and bars. We ate delicious food for next-to-nothing, and drank huge caiparinha drinks made from fresh fruit on the spot for just a few dollars. The locals didn't speak any English, but in true Bahia style everyone was so friendly and relaxed it's amazing they get any work done at all.



The only downside of our trip was that it did rain a lot. About half the day was sunny and then pouring showers. We didn't let it stop us for a second, though, and would just swim in the ocean (where we didn't care about getting wet) until the sun came out again. The weather was to be expected during the winter off-season, but it was definitely worth fairing. Because when the sky cleared, the sun lit up the amazing oceans, beaches, waterfalls and sand -- which we had all to ourselves. Our own paradise.