Bahia Archives - Caffeinated Excursions https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/tag/bahia/ Blog of a Traveling Coffee Addict Fri, 03 Nov 2023 16:53:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://i0.wp.com/caffeinatedexcursions.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/wp-1555570621336.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Bahia Archives - Caffeinated Excursions https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/tag/bahia/ 32 32 141833777 What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/what-it-was-like-returning-to-the-us-after-spending-the-pandemic-abroad/ https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/what-it-was-like-returning-to-the-us-after-spending-the-pandemic-abroad/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/?p=16319 I lived in Brazil from January 2020 to April 2021, which meant I've spent the entire pandemic abroad until now. This post documents what it was like to return to the US (as an American citizen) during these unprecedent times, and it also includes a preview what you can expect for the blog moving forward!

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What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad

Published April 25, 2021

It’s been a while since I’ve written a new blog post, and there’s a good reason for that: most of my energy lately has been focused on moving back to the US! After living for nearly a year and a half in Brazil, it was finally time to move back to my home country.

Me next to the Tom Jobim statue in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, on my final day in Brazil

In this post, I’ll talk about my final month or so in Brazil. Then, I’ll include a section about what I had to do to fly back to the US under current restrictions. The last section will talk about what I’ve been up to since I arrived, and what you can expect for the blog moving forward!

My Final Month in Brazil (Mar-Apr 2021)

If you check back on my end of 2020 and sneak peek of 2021 blog post, you’ll see that my original plan was to travel along the Brazilian coast from Rio de Janeiro to as far north as Recife. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it so far, but I did get to see some cool cities and towns that weren’t on my original plan. Click or tap the links below to learn about some of them!

As most readers probably know, Brazil unfortunately experienced its worst wave to date in March 2021. My plans to travel along the coast were based on the assumption that cases in Brazil would continue to go down, and they did not. That’s why when I got to the Brazilian city of Salvador in March, I ended up doing a full month of lockdown along with the rest of the city.

I still went out for walks and got to see some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the Pelourinho (historic district), the Lacerda Elevator, and the Barra Lighthouse. However, Salvador is known for its festive atmosphere and hospitality, so seeing all of these attractions without any people was quite eerie.

Pelourinho, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Lacerda Elevator, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Barra Lighthouse, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Salvador is also known for its cuisine, but with so much of the city closed, I was limited to ordering takeout from a handful of restaurants near my rental apartment. What I was able to get was delicious, but I definitely didn’t get to try the full range of flavors and specialties that Salvador has to offer.

Returning to Rio & Departing Brazil

Because of the wave of cases in Brazil and the fact that the US was continuing to open vaccine availability, I decided to buy my ticket back to America in mid-April. After my month-long lease in Salvador was up, I took a 30-hour bus ride from Salvador back to Rio, where my international flight was departing from. Even with masks, the bus ride made me nervous as they didn’t require testing beforehand, and it was just so long.

A rest stop dining area where we stopped for lunch

I had just a few days scheduled in Rio, and really enjoyed walking along Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches one final time. During this time, I also took my very first COVID-19 test, which was required to board the flight to the US.

Getting a test in Rio as an American was easy. Most pharmacy chains appear to offer exams, and I scheduled mine at this branch of Droga Raia after inquiring at a different store and being directed here. The exam cost 120 BRL and results were ready within minutes. The pharmacist then signed and officiated a document for me to give to the airline at check-in.

My "rapid" COVID-19 test, which presented results within minutes.

Finally, I was ready to depart Brazil! After 462 days, it was time to say goodbye. I was honestly pretty nervous that somewhere along the process, an issue would come up. Obviously the biggest challenge would’ve been a positive COVID test, which would’ve prevented me from boarding the plane. I would imagine that if that had happened, I would’ve needed to contact United and move my flight back a couple of weeks. I’m not sure what kind of extra fees would’ve been associated.

A very empty international terminal at Rio's Galeão International Airport

Arriving in Chicago

Part of the reason this process was such an ordeal is that since the Biden administration took office, guidelines for Americans reentering the US have been a bit more strict than they were under the Trump administration. While these requirements are documented on the State Department website, specifics are not so clear.

For example, the CDC recommends quarantine, but as far as I can tell, this is not being enforced by US Customs and Border Protection or any other agency. Nonetheless, I was intent on not giving anyone a possibly virulent variant, which is why I booked a studio apartment for two weeks to quarantine in.

For a week, I did as strict a quarantine as possible. After that, I got another rapid test which came back negative. A few hours later, I got my first dose of one of the two-dose vaccines. At this point, I am still social distancing, but have loosened my regimen of restrictions just a bit. For example, I’ve gone to a few local restaurants and ordered food to go.

What About Seattle?

Another divergence between my original 2021 plan and what ended up happening is where I’m currently based in the US! I was originally planning on moving back to my home city of Seattle, but for a number of reasons that I won’t bore you with right here, I ended up in Chicago instead.

Chicago skyline

This is where I’ll be for the near future, and I’m so excited to start blogging about this city as it reopens for summer with vaccination rates on the rise. I’m especially excited to explore the very international food scene and to find delicacies from all corners of Asia, Latin America, and beyond!

What's Next

My next trip actually starts as soon as I finish up my two weeks of quarantine and social distancing. I’ll be headed to Arizona to see family who’ve all been fully vaccinated. It’s been over a year since seeing them, so I can’t wait for this reunion!

Since that’ll be a family trip, I can’t promise enough content to write an entire post about it, but will nonetheless be trying my best. I’ve never been to Arizona before, so a “first impressions” post might be the way to go.

After that, I don’t have too much set in stone for summer! I have to find a job in Chicago and am really interested in tutoring since that’s what I’ve been doing (remotely) while in Brazil, but will have to see. I’d love to use the summer to explore the metro area as much as possible and then branch out a little bit in fall, assuming that the pandemic situation continues to improve in the US.

Closing Remarks

If I’m being honest, Brazil was probably not the best country to be stuck in for the pandemic. It was tough knowing that case numbers were never low there, even between peaks. However, I’m still so grateful that I got to experience both the joys and challenges of Brazil, even in these unprecedented, crazy times. I absolutely intend to go back someday, because even though I got to know São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Bahia, I only scratched the surface of this massive, super-diverse country.

If you’ve got any questions or suggestions for this next chapter in my travel blogging journey centered around Chicago, feel free to leave a comment! I’m really looking forward to finding my niche in this city and blogging about things that haven’t crossed other bloggers’ radars!

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Check out this blog post to learn about what it was like to move back to the US after living abroad in Brazil for the entirety of the pandemic to date! I'm a US citizen, so this post could be especially helpful to other Americans who are abroad either as expats or tourists and planning to return home soon. Check out this blog post to learn about what it was like to move back to the US after living abroad in Brazil for the entirety of the pandemic to date! I'm a US citizen, so this post could be especially helpful to other Americans who are abroad either as expats or tourists and planning to return home soon.

This post was published on Apr 25, 2021

Hi, I’m Kevin! I’m a coffee addict from Seattle, and my life revolves around traveling! Caffeinated Excursions is a record of my trips over the past seven years. Since I started blogging, I’ve lived in Mexico, Vietnam, Brazil, and the US. I just moved to Australia and plan to be here a full year. Thanks for checking out my blog!

Upcoming Trips

  1. Bangkok (Sept)
  2. Istanbul (Sept)

Support the Blog!

The post What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

]]> https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/what-it-was-like-returning-to-the-us-after-spending-the-pandemic-abroad/feed/ 6 16319 Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/where-to-stay-in-porto-seguro-bahia-brazil/ https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/where-to-stay-in-porto-seguro-bahia-brazil/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/?p=15544 Porto Seguro is an absolutely stunning region on the Atlantic coast of Bahia, Brazil. If you’re wondering whether you should visit Porto Seguro on your next trip to Brazil, the short answer is yes. However, choosing a place to stay can be tricky! That’s because there are about half a dozen small towns spread out along the coast...

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Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil

Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia,
Brazil

Published March 18, 2021

Porto Seguro is an absolutely stunning region on the Atlantic coast of Bahia, Brazil. If you’re wondering whether you should visit Porto Seguro on your next trip to Brazil, the short answer is yes. However, choosing a place to stay can be tricky! That’s because there are about half a dozen small towns spread out along the coast, and it’s not easy to tell which villages have the best beaches using only a map.

This post won’t be a review of individual hotels or guesthouses, but it will discuss which area is best for your individual needs as a traveler.

I personally spent two weeks in the town center of Porto Seguro, then spent two more weeks in another town called Arraial d’Ajuda to the south. I’ll provide as much information as I can about some of the other tourist areas I spent time in. If you’d like to learn more an individual area, click or tap the link below to skip down to that section!

Should You Stay in Porto Seguro?

You might be thinking, “Wouldn’t it make sense to stay in the city center of Porto Seguro? Surely it’s easy to get around from there, right?” Well, not exactly. Directly to the south of Porto Seguro is the Buranhém River, which you have to cross to get to all the best beaches. You can use the public ferry, but this easily adds half an hour of travel time each way if you’re headed south for the day.

Staying in Porto Seguro is a good idea if you need quick, easy access to the airport or bus station. Other than that, I honestly don’t recommend staying here. That’s because the town isn’t so quaint, and in fact there are no beaches anywhere near the touristy boardwalk.

Should You Stay in Arraial d’Ajuda?

Arraial d’Ajuda is the largest village south of the Buranhém River. It’s got a great vibe, and there are lots of dining options to choose from. Arraial also has some stunning beaches within walking distance (unlike Porto Seguro) which you can read more about in my Porto Seguro beach guide [coming soon]!

As mentioned above, I spent two weeks in Arraial d’Ajuda, and I recommend you stay here too. Accommodation prices are generally reasonable, there are lots of restaurant choices, and it’s easy to find transportation and day tours heading to the beaches further south. I stayed in an absolutely beautiful loft that was a short walk to both the beach and the Arraial d’Ajuda town square.

The only problem with staying in Arraial is that you have to take the ferry across the river if you’re coming from the airport or the bus station. If you’ve got a lot of luggage, this can be a bit of an inconvenience. In addition, if you’re interested in checking out the beaches to the north, you’ll have to take the ferry back, then a bus or taxi.

Delicious shrimp with black pasta served at one of the many good restaurants in the Arraial d'Ajuda town center

Should You Stay in Trancoso?

Located about an hour’s drive from Arraial d’Ajuda, Trancoso is the next town south. It’s got wide open beaches that make this another good place to stay. Shuttle vans run regularly between Arraial and Trancoso, but they might not allow you on if you’ve got a ton of luggage. Alternatively, you might have to pay for the seats that your bags take up since the vans don’t have trunk space. It might be easier but more expensive to hire a taxi to get back and forth.

There’s also a famous “quadrado” (public square) here that’s worth checking out. Even if you don’t spend the night here, be sure to organize a day trip to Trancoso to explore the impressive Coqueiros Beach (Praia dos Coqueiros), pictured above.

Igreja do Quadrado (Church of the Public Square) in Trancoso

It’s worth noting that Trancoso is a bit more remote than Arraial d’Ajuda. Another downside is that everything is more expensive. There are fewer lodging options, so prices are higher on average. The same seemed to be true of restaurants. Arraial has dining options for all budgets, but food prices in Trancoso seem inflated.

Should You Stay in Curuípe?

This tiny town is further south of Trancoso. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a regular van service between the Arraial d’Ajuda ferry terminal and Curuípe. If you choose to stay here, you’d almost certainly have to hire a private taxi. It’s also small enough that you probably wouldn’t have most of the amenities that you’d get in Porto Seguro, Arraial d’Ajuda, or Trancoso.

Why consider staying in Curuípe, then? Well, this area is home to Praia do Espelho, which is considered by many to be the best beach in the region and one of the top contenders nationally. It is easy to book a day trip from Porto Seguro or Arraial, but people who want to spend a few days or longer here should expect an all-inclusive resort experience.

Curuípe is great if you want to relax on a truly stunning beach. It’s probably not an ideal place to stay for travelers who want to explore up and down the coast though. I would also guess that this is one of the most expensive areas mentioned on this list for lodging and food, since options are very limited.

Should You Stay in Caraíva?

Caraíva is the little township furthest south that is still considered part of the Porto Seguro region. However, it can take up to two hours to reach by car or van from the Arraial d’Ajuda ferry terminal. Only a few passenger vans run between the two each day, so getting down there and back is not extremely convenient. Day trips are doable but you have to depart from Arraial d’Ajuda very early in the morning.

Once you make it to Caraíva, the town center is actually located across a small river that you have to board a small motorized water taxi to cross. This is pretty straightforward, but could be a hassle with a lot of luggage.

I’m not an advocate of staying this far south for a number of reasons. For one, all of the “roads” in Caraíva are made of sand, and the town has no cars. There were golf carts acting as taxis, but the lack of paved roads is a lot more inconvenient than you might think as a pedestrian, especially since the sand is scorching hot during the day. Hotels here do have WiFi, but cell service in Caraíva is really spotty.

Finally, the beach in Caraíva is nice, but not jaw-dropping. I found Praia do Espelho in Curuípe and Praia da Pitinga in Arraial d’Ajuda to be much more beautiful.

Should You Stay in Coroa Vermelha?

Unlike all the towns mentioned above, Coroa Vermelha is actually north of Porto Seguro. It’s a short Uber ride from the center of Porto Seguro, making it relatively convenient. However, the beach here was pretty unremarkable in my opinion. This area also felt the most like a tourist trap of all the towns mentioned on this post. After spending an hour or two walking around Coroa Vermelha, I was ready to move on.

Should You Stay in Santa Cruz Cabrália?

This small village even further north of Coroa Vermelha can also be reached by Uber, although rideshare availability can be unreliable up here. You might have to hire an old-fashioned taxi to get back to Porto Seguro. Santa Cruz has an interesting vibe and seems to be the least touristy of all the towns on this list. It honestly felt a little too quiet for my taste. However, if you’re looking to get off the beaten path, I would bet that there are some better lodging deals here than in Caraíva.

Tips & Closing Remarks

If this is a lot to process and you’d rather figure things out after you get settled, book a hotel or guesthouse room in Arraial d’Ajuda. From there, it’s easy to arrange day trips to most other beaches in the region. Unless you’re departing by bus or plane at a very early or late hour, it’s also easy to get to the airport or bus station. Just give yourself enough time for the ferry ride!

Although my accommodation in Porto Seguro was pretty nondescript, the loft I booked in Arraial d’Ajuda was such a unique place to stay! It was only a short walk from the town center, but it felt like staying in a jungle resort! I loved the interior design and the breeze of fresh air that flowed through the open windows.

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This post was published on Mar 18, 2021

Hi, I’m Kevin! I’m a coffee addict from Seattle, and my life revolves around traveling! Caffeinated Excursions is a record of my trips over the past seven years. Since I started blogging, I’ve lived in Mexico, Vietnam, Brazil, and the US. I just moved to Australia and plan to be here a full year. Thanks for checking out my blog!

Upcoming Trips

  1. Bangkok (Sept)
  2. Istanbul (Sept)

Support the Blog!

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