Brazil Vacation Package - Porto Seguro (3 Nights)

Porto Seguro, in the extreme south of Bahia – including Arraial d'Ajuda and Trancoso - is another Bahia destination that has been selected by DiscoverBrazil.. Carnival here is especially lively and the town is known for its vibrant nightlife and New Year's Eve celebrations. Pataxo Indians still live near Porto Seguro, fishing and making handicrafts to sell to tourists and the town itself has a historical city on top of the hill with some interesting churches, lovely gardens and wonderful panoramic views. The area around Porto Seguro is a densely forested nature reserve of original Atlantic forest. Across the bay lies Arraial d'Ajuda, which is set high on a cliff overlooking a rugged coastline with idyllic beaches. The town is full of bars and restaurants and has a good nightlife. Further along the coast is Trancoso, a simple little village known for having some of most beautiful beaches in Brazil.

Day 1: At the Porto Seguro airport you will be met by a private driver and taken in an air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel where you will check in. Sometime after lunch you will be taken on a city tour by an English-speaking private guide, first to visit the historical part of Porto Seguro. The tour starts by taking you to the top of the hill where the old city lies, showing you a beautiful panoramic view of the beaches and the lower part of the village. You will visit the very first church, prison, and town hall of Brazil. Then on to the colorful fisherman's harbor and the market at the mouth of the Buranhem River. Your tour then continues along some of the most beautiful beaches north of Porto Seguro until Coroa Vermelha, where a monument to the first Mass in the year 1500 is located.

Day 2: After breakfast today you will be taken on a full-day tour to visit Arraial d'Ajuda and Trancoso. You will be driven in a private vehicle to the exotic village of Trancoso, about 30 km south of Porto Seguro. Trancoso was settled by Jesuits in 1563 in order to protect the Indians from the Portuguese colonists. You will see a church built of bones and whale oil and visit some of the most beautiful and untouched beaches of the region. On the way back from Trancoso you will stop in the picturesque, colorful village of Arraial d'Ajuda, where your guide will give you a city tour.

Day 3: This morning you have a choice of 2 tours: 1. The Jaqueira Indian Reserve - a visit to a nearby Pataxó Indian reserve. Your native Indian guide will take you on a trek through the forest, explaining the traditional hunting methods used, medicinal values of the indigenous plant life, importance of the preservation of the surrounding nature and the history and secrets of the rainforest. Afterwards there will be a presentation of Indian dances and rituals and you will have an opportunity to sample some native cooking, such as fish cooked in leaves. 2. The Vera Cruz Preservation Unit – a visit to an original Atlantic rainforest reserve of over 6,000 hectares (14,830 acres). This reserve has the richest variety of trees and plants in the world; even more than the Amazon. After an introduction about flora and fauna, your guide will take you on a 2 hour walk through the reserve, crossing bridges over the tree tops with views of valleys below, with explanations of the various species and the nature that exists within the forest. (This tour only occurs on Tuesdays and Thursdays) After lunch you will be taken on a snorkeling trip to Recife de Fora, one of the many beautiful coral reefs in the Porto Seguro region. With natural pools and crystalline water, this reef is ideal for snorkeling to see the many varieties of tropical fish, colorful marine life, and coral formations.

Day 4:

Itinerary for Salvador da Bahia - Carnival Celebration Vacation Package Bahia Othon Palace Hotel or Hotel Tropical da Bahia includes 7 days and 6 nights in Salvador at the Bahia Othon Palace Hotel or Hotel Tropical da Bahia.

Package includes 6 nights at hotel, breakfast, private airport transfers. The hotel's Camarote is open on 6 days for watching Salvador's Carnival parade on the Barra-Ondina Circuit.

Optional Abadá available for sale.

4 days and 3 nights in Morro de São Paulo at the Hotel Portalo.

Package includes 3 nights at the hotel, breakfast and transfers by car and boat from the hotel in Salvador to the Island of Morro de São Paulo, and back to the airport.

Boat tour around the island of Morro de São Paulo, visiting the neighboring island of Boipeba and natural pools to observe tropical fish.

Period: From February 16th to February 25th, 2012.