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La ligne verte, Brazil

Also known as the Coconut Coast, the Green Line stretches for some 200km north of Salvador de Bahia and includes Praia do Forte, an old fishing village-come-tourist resort, and the huge Costa do Sauipe hotel complex with its six hotels. The road that follows the coastline for some 200km runs through many eucalyptus forests and is therefore of some ecological interest.

Costa do Sauipe is located 85km north of Salvador de Bahia and is a gigantic hotel complex incorporating five resorts, as well as the Breeze Costa de Sauipe hotel. The complex stands facing a huge fine sandy beach and includes a water sports centre, a spa, an equestrian centre, a fitness centre, a golf course and many other sports facilities. Vila Nova da Praia, the artificial village located at the centre of the complex and featuring typically Colonial architecture, is also home to many bars, restaurants and shops, as well as a pharmacy, a bank and a post office, among other things. The hotels are spread across an area of 170 hectares of impeccably-maintained gardens, along a mangrove and a 6km-long beach. A range of events and activities are also available.

The fishing village of Praia do Forte, just 70km north of Salvador de Bahia, is one of the cradles of Brazilian civilisation and is named after its castle - the only feudal building ever constructed in Latin America - built in 1556 by a Portuguese colonist. This is also where the first Brazilian farm was built, and the restored ruins can still be visited, offering beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding forest and the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to the constant Atlantic breeze blowing in off the sea, Praia do Forte ('fort beach') offers ideal conditions for surfers and windsurfers, with natural swimming pools forming at low-tide, the crystal clear waters perfect for swimming. The village is intersected by a very busy shopping street where you'll find many bars, restaurants and shops. Don't miss the Tamar project, either, an eco-museum allowing visitors to observe sea turtles and sharks gliding through large outdoor tanks. The centre also helps protect a number of endangered species of sea turtle, including the Leatherback turtle, which can grow to lengths in excess of 6ft and comes here to lay its eggs on the beach from September to March. If you're lucky, you may even get to witness this moving spectacle for yourself! From August to November humpback whales can be spotted from the 12km of beaches lined with 100,000 coconut palms, with fishermen organising boat trips to see them close-up.

The superb coconut tree-lined beaches

cons

The lack of authenticity

Visit La ligne verte

To see

The Tamar project for the protection of turtles and Fort Garcia d'Avila, built in 1556 by a Portuguese settler and the only feudal building in the whole of Latin America! This is also where the first Brazilian farm was built, and the restored ruins can still be visited, offering beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding forest and the Atlantic Ocean. It is also worth visiting the little church and magnificent centuries-old tree from the fig family.

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To do

A trip down the Imbassai River to a deserted beach and a walk on to the fishing village of Santo Antonio, where you can visit the Tamar project for the protection of turtles, and fort Garcia d'Avila at Praia do Forte, from which the village takes its name. You might also think about exploring the gorgeous Caravellas reef, a great spot for diving as you can swim along a 30m-long coral reef amongst unique marine flora and fauna. The excursion to the Chapada Diamantina, some 400km from Salvador, will give you an overview of the former diamond region, now a spectacular natural park which is great for walkers, complete with rain forests, canyons and waterfalls you can bathe in.

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To think about

Comfortable and lightweight (cotton or linen) clothes are a must. Sun protection and anti-mosquito products are always useful. If you come in June, Praia do Forte is all done up for the St John's festivities, which are the most important after the carnival, with bangers, music and folk dancing to entertainment young and old alike in the evening. The atmosphere is friendly, joyful and incredibly authentic. From August to November humpback whales can be spotted from the 12km of beaches lined with 100,000 coconut palms, with fishermen organising boat trips to see them close-up. From September to March, turtles come to lay their eggs on the beaches here.

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To avoid

The sheer scale of the Costa do Sauipe undeniably takes away something of its authenticity. Those who like the more traditional pousadas, hotels with a picturesque charm and notable cultural heritage, should thus avoid staying there.

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To try

Bahian specialties include its regional cuisine, which is renowned throughout the country and consists largely of fish, shrimps or even chicken with coconut cooked in dendê (palm oil) making for a truly delicious dish or 'moqueda de peixe' (a sort of fish stew) and 'mariscado' (seafood stew). There are two Brazilian dishes, 'cozido' and the 'feijoada' prepared using beans, rice and manioc flour and meat. All dishes are served with 'pirao' (a thick manioc sauce), 'farofa' (a mixture of manioc flour, warm butter and salt) and a hot sauce to spice things up a little. During your stay in Brazil you'll have plenty of chance to sample local banana, mango, watermelon, pineapple, orange, papaya, passion fruit and guava, as well as less known fruits such as cashew, star fruit and Brazilian cherry. Alcohol from sugar cane, cachaça or pinga, is drunk neat or mixed. Combined with sugar, lime and the right mixing technique, this becomes caipirinha. Mixed it with fruit juice and you get a 'batida'. Finally, Brazilians are in the habit of drinking a can of guarana with their meals, a popular soda based on Amazonian grain and which offers a great exotic alternative to Coca Cola!

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To bring back

Fashion enthusiasts won't be able to resist bringing home a pair of Brazilian flip-flops, Havaianas, as they are half the price here that they are in Europe, whilst other popular souvenirs include a bottle of Cachaça, Brazilian rum (an alcoholic sugar cane drink), a hammock, wooden sculptures, trendy hippie jewellery and more hammocks. Capoeira trousers are also very light and comfortable to wear, or maybe you'd prefer to bring back a wooden samba whistle, if you manage to find one!

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Brazil, All you need to know!

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Loaded with history and tropical fauna, Brazil is a mythical destination where adventure is the norm and the culture shock is welcomed with open arms. You will find the colonial cities of Salvador de Bahia and Paraty, miles of sandy beaches devoid of people from the fisherman's village of Praia do ...

Sofitel Costa do Sauipe© Easyvoyage
Sofitel Suites - Costa do Sauipe© Easyvoyage

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