1) A ferry boat and a simple boat

That’s not a big attraction, to be honest, it’s not interesting at all if it’s not your first ride across the ocean. However, it’s a cheap and fast way to get to an island and meet amazing people. We were lucky to witness a kind of ship performance by students. Everything started with quite songs and clapping. Soon enough it turned into a dancing battle with all tourists engaged in it.

The way back to Salvador wasn’t less exciting. We took a boat from Vera Cruz to the port just next to Elevador. The funny fact about the boat is that it isn’t really stable and flips over a couple of times per week and on an average 10 people die during the year of cruises. We survived 🙂

2) Vera Cruz

If you visit Salvador before, you won’t be amazed but satisfied with beautiful beaches and small restaurants. However, there is always a chance that it will be a city birthday or another holiday. You can attend the concert and listen to Brazilian songs completely for free.

3) Hitchhiking

The island is totally touristic and it means that local taxi drivers really would love to make money on you. So if you’re not old, ugly, weird, have some clothes on you and smile when it doesn’t rain – go and hitchhike to the neighbor villages. My experience was fantastic and we stopped a car after 1 min waiting. Four happy volunteers were brought to Barra do Pote by a local student! What a stroke of luck!

4) Rent a house on Airbnb

We were invited to an Airbnb house for one night. Our friends were allowed to stay there for one more extra night paying… nothing. So that was a beautiful opportunity to cook pasta altogether, open some bottles of wine, beer and play games all night long.

5) Beaches

If you go to Brazil in winter and you are still not tired of rain and wind, you will love the beaches on Itaparica. They are clean, white and empty. We were swimming just after the downpour and what was even better – at night. That was not warm but worth to swim and to climb the fishing boats on the coast.

6) Nature and silence

In winter the island’s life takes a pause and offers all beautiful spots without overpriced menus or crowded benches. You would be a fool to miss such a nice opportunity.

7) Taxi

You can write books about the way Brazilians drive, respect rules or speed limits. “You want to play with death – join me in a taxi today”. We got a minivan and a driver managed to put all of us (we were 12) into this small space of the 20-year-old car. The helper of the driver was just standing twisted all way and some of our friends were jumping happily on the Brazilian roads sitting on someone’s knees.

8) Itaparica is safe

I’m kidding. There is nothing safe in the southern part of Brazil. Everywhere you can be robbed, raped or killed. Try to get the beauty of this danger. You learn very fast how to look around you every 5 meters, you forget you need to listen to music or read an e-book. However, Itaparica gives you a bigger feeling of safety than the capital of Bahia. You just feel more relaxed.

9) Rain

That’s a point “A reason why you should not leave your hotel/hostel/CS while you’re in Bahia”, but let’s have fun even if it is raining all the time. Actually, it’s even more annoying, cause the rain stops and starts every 20 mins and your mood changes with the same speed. Despite it, I recommend you to order pizza, drink wine, cook food, read a book and enjoy your stay on the island.

10) Hmmm, I have no idea what to add to these reasons

The 10th point was, honestly, made for Google SEO and for lazy readers who believe that can start traveling or open an undiscovered beauty of Bahia just after reading 10 points. That’s not like that.
You, my dear traveler, have to look around, try to notice how people sell unripe bananas, dance under the rain, prepare fried acaraje or invite you to the restaurants. Maybe only then you will get Itaparica Island.