A Surfer's Paradise in Itacaré, Brazil

Oh yes, now this is the life... 

We choose Itacaré, a surf resort on Brazil's northeast coast, mainly based on the fact that the weather might be a bit more reliable than that of rival surf paradise Florianópolis, in Brazil's South, but still with great waves. We are completely wrong, of course, and it rains pretty much every day of our trip to Itacaré, but only in small amounts that don't affect the holiday too much.

The view from my hammock at Pousada Hanalei

We stay at Pousada Hanalei, a guest house conveniently set just off Praia da Tiririca - the best beach for hard-core surfers in Itacaré. Our room, at the top of the pousada, is split over two levels, with a double and a single bed downstairs and another single mattress on the floor of the mezzanine level. We have a balcony with hammocks, though this is right next to the reception area, so not exactly private, and the view from the balcony and mezzanine look right out onto beautiful beach views.

The view of Tiririca beach from our penthouse room at Pousada Hanalei

The atmosphere at Hanalei is as you'd expect from any Bahian pousada - so relaxed it's almost horizontal. No rushing, no dressing up. It's all board shorts and Havaianas and the only rule is that you take your shoes off to walk on the perfectly polished floors of the breakfast area. 

Breakfast itself is something to look forward to: two fresh white bread rolls each with the customary Brazilian rolled-up slices of cheese and ham, a plate of fruit (often fresh watermelon, melon and papaya) a plate of packet-baked cake, and a plate of something different each day (which could be pão de queijo, or pancakes). The fruit juice is disappointingly from a packet, as is the cake, but the café com leite is exactly as it should be in Brazil (strong and milky) and this breakfast certainly sets you up for a day of surfing.

We booked our surfing with Local Surf, a school I found through www.itacare.com.br. It's not easy to find out about surf schools in Itacaré on the internet, and we choose Local Surf mainly because it's much cheaper and more relaxed than its main competitor, EasyDrop. 

We manage to arrange with Felipe, the helpful chap at Local Surf, to stay for 8 nights at Pousada Hanalei, with 3 days of surfing lessons, board and equipment hire and a transfer to and from Ilhéus airport for the grand total of R$2,700 for two people. It's expensive compared with what it used to be, but you can't do anything for cheap in Brazil these days.

We spend the next few days surfing the beaches of Resende, Pontal, Jeribucaçu and Engenhoca. It's a surfers paradise - great waves, beautiful beaches, a chilled vibe. But, in hindsight, I probably wouldn't have chosen Local Surf. The two instructors are very friendly and they're great people, but they're perhaps just a little too relaxed and they don't push me to try harder. After a couple of falls and a bit of scary water, I could do with a lot more encouragement to improve. They are, however, pretty flexible when it comes to lesson timings and locations, and I get the feeling things at EasyDrop would be the exact opposite. By the last day, though, we find our own instructors on seasoned-surfers beach Tiririca and pay by the hour, which is perfect if you're not a complete beginner.

The nightlife in Itacaré consists of just one main street, lined with restaurants and bars. Most of them are half-empty, even in high season, so I dread to think what it's like in low season. Our favourite place is Espaço Brasil, a funky surf-shack type pizza restaurant that also serves grilled fish and steak. Our waiter is the chattiest guy on earth and uses every opportunity to practice his English.

Inside Espaço Brasil

Be warned, though, Bahia is one of the worst places for bad food hygiene in Brazil. Within days, I find myself projectile vomiting on the street outside a petrol station after eating some dodgy salad and feijoada (Brazilian meat and bean stew). We spend an hour or so waiting in the blistering heat, flies swarming around us, at the tiny local hospital, but at least I am seen eventually and the service is decent and - more importantly - free!

Caipirinha on arrival at Espaço Brasil

Despite the minor food poisoning incident, Itacaré is an amazing, relaxing place and I'd recommend it to anyone. But by far the highlight of the trip is discovering Jeribucaçu beach. This place really is paradise on earth. It takes a 25-minute drive from Itacaré and then a 25-minute trek through rainforest, but eventually we arrive on the most breathtaking, secluded beach. At lunch time, we break from surfing and tuck into freshly fried fish, tapioca and delicious cocktails.

By the end of the afternoon, the tide comes in, covering the entire beach and making way for the freshwater pool where we bathe until sunset. Now, if only I could stay here forever...

The sign speaks for itself