Praia do Forte Bahia Brazil.

Salvador is just a 9 hours flight from Lisbon – only 8 and a bit for the return – I’ve always thought the flight back to Europe should take longer than the flight down, it is all uphill after all! Praia do Forte is just a short 45 minute drive up the Linha Verde.

praia do forte church bahia brazil

Praia do Forte is a small fishing village 50 miles north of Salvador along the coast road called Linha Verde.

The village takes its name from the castle built in 1556 by a Portuguese settler called Gárcia D’Ávila. The fortified castle was to be the headquarters of his massive farm, the first farm in Brazil. He brought the first heads of cattle to Brazil and introduced the "slash and burn" technique of deforestation as he cleared the virgin forest for pasture land. In a less destructive manner, he was also responsible for the introduction of the coconut and mango trees to the region.

Fort at Praia do Forte

 

 Praia do Forte is now a tranquil resort with a strong emphasis on the preservation of flora and fauna.
Inland from the coast there is a forest that grows on sandy soil with a very delicate ecosystem and near the village there is a small pantanal, a marshy area that is host to some of the most abundant bird life in Bahia. Early morning and late afternoon the pantanal resounds to the calls of snail kites, kingfishers, cormorants and chattering parakeets.

sea turtles brazil

The Tamar Project was set up in 1980 to preserve the sea turtles, which traditionally lay their eggs on the beaches and were in threat of extinction. One of the most successful preservation projects in Brazil, Praia do Forte is now the headquarters of the extensive national turtle preservation project which receives funding from the World Wildlife Fund.

Beach praia do forte

For a relaxing and casual beach holiday close to Salvador there is no better place than Praia do Forte. The perfect 13 km (8 mile) stretch of beach is thickly lined with palm trees, and the clear blue waters reveal coral reefs and natural pools at low tide. Strict environmental guidelines have kept the beach largely pristine and development very low-key. From December to March thousands of turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, and with the right timing visitors can witness the miraculous hatching of the tiny turtles. In February a turtle nest hatches out almost every day.

Fort praia do forte


Praia do Forte's history begins in 1549 with the arrival of
Garcia D'avila, quartermaster for the Portuguese crown. Here he built a medieval like castle to protect the country from foreign ship attack. Known as the tower house "Casa da Torre" or "Garcia D'avila" castle, it gave it’s name to "Praia do Forte" (the Fortress beach) . Nowadays the castle is undergoing some restoration work and archeological studies, but is still worth a visit.