Things to do in Praia Do Forte
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Sabor da Vila
One of the top Bahian restaurants in town, Sabor da Vila serves excellent moquecas, picanha (tender seirloin steak), grilled fish and other mouthwatering dishes.
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Castelo do Garcia d’Avila
The Castelo do Garcia d’Ávila, dating from 1552, was the first great Portuguese edifice in Brazil. Today, it’s an impressive ruin with great views. Desperate to colonize as a way to control his new territory, the king of Portugal had set about granting lands to merchants, soldiers and aristocrats. For no apparent reason, a poor, 12-cow farmer named Garcia d’Ávila was endowed with a tract of land that extended inland all the way to the state of Maranhão, with Praia do Forte as its seat. Overnight he became the largest landholder in the Northeast. For the site of his home, Garcia chose an aquamarine ocean-view plot studded with palm trees. It’s a 7km walk along the only …
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Reserva da Sapiranga
A turn-off from the road to the Castelo do Garcia d'Ávila leads down a dirt track to the Reserva da Sapiranga, where local student guides take visitors along trails skirting through 600 hectares of secondary Atlantic rain forest. Hikes range from 30 minutes to five hours, with one of the more popular hikes leading down to the Rio Pojuca (bring your swimsuit).
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Tamar Project Station
The extremely worthwhile Tamar Project station is located on the beach next to the church and lighthouse. Tamar, an abbreviation for sea turtles (TArtaruga MARinha), is a highly successful nonprofit organization (Fundação Pró Tamar; www.tamar.org.br, in Portuguese) dedicated to saving five species of sea turtles in Brazil.
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Portomar
A professional outfitter that handles hiking and bird-watching treks, canopy tours, kayaking and whale-watching (in season), and runs popular excursions at low tide to nearby piscinas naturais (natural pools), where you can snorkel or scuba dive around colorful coral reef.
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Souza Bar
Inside the Tamar Project station complex, this laid-back bar-restaurant enjoys a dramatic setting along the rocky coastline – sit too close to the cliffs and you’ll be splashed by big waves as you feast on fresh clams and caipirinhas.
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Vila Gourmet
This stylish tropical-style eatery (connected to the centrally located Pousada Sobrado da Vila) serves regional cuisine that’s a cut above the rest – thanks to organic vegetables and eggs sourced from a private farm.
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Centrotur
Worthwhile tours in the area include hiking and bird-watching treks, canopy tours, kayaking, and whale watching (in season). Centrotur is one of a handful of professional outfits in Forte offering excursions.
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Restaurante do Castelo
Located at the Castelo do Garcia d’Ávila, this elegant, breezy restaurant serves a small selection of seafood, grilled steak and Brazilian favorites to marvelous views.
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Casa da Nati
A longtime Forte favorite, Casa da Nati spreads an excellent self-serve lunch buffet, with tasty a la carte dishes by night.
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