itinerary suggestions

i arrive in brazil next week (june 21) into sao paulo. im traveling alone and just looking to get some good beach time in the northeast of brazil. Bahia....trying to determine if i should go to salvador or receife. im female and traveling alone, so i want a place i can enjoy some shopping, pristine beaches and a mellow yet cultural environment! any suggestions will be great! i go to rio on july 6th, so i have about 2 weeks to spend up north!

on the northeast shore we have beachs like "praia da pipa", "jericoacoara", "morro de sao paulo" . these are unforgettable ones.
don´t waste your time on the cities if you don´t have enough time.
once in rio you can go to the south shore towards sao paulo´s north shore - "ubatuba", "maresias" are great places too but a little bit colder during this season than the north.

I CAN GIVE YOU ADVISE ABOUT BAHIA AND SALVADOR, ABOUT THE AREA, BEACHES, COLONIAL TOWNS, ANYTHING YOU DREAM.... YOU WOULD FIND OTHER FEMALES TRAVELLING ALONG OR SOME OTHER PEOPLE... PRAIA DE FORTE IS GREAT FOR A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AS MANY OTHER TOWNS NORTH AND SOUTH OF SALVADOR. BEST,

Best to look at a guide book for details. Larger towns where you will find shopping and cultural amenities will not, of course, have pristine beaches (due to pollution). Fortaleza and Recife are good places for shopping and some sorts of culture (Recife has more options but probably more crime, at least in the downtown area), but beaches in #1 will be better for relaxing. Jericoacoara is popular as a backpackers hangout and, increasingly, for upscale tourists as well. Getting there can be a little tricky, but you can get hints by searching Thorn Tree postings from the past. I assume you are flying from Rio to the Northeast, otherwise you will use up a lot of your time on busses (not always safe, anyway). I would urge you to a) get a guide book, such as the LP guide to Brazil; b) compare air fares between Rio and various cities in the Northeast on www.tam.com.br and www.voegol.com.br. Air fares are higher in Brazil than they are for comparable distances in the States.

p.s. I know Fortaleza and there are many, many options for nice beach areas besides the well-known Jericoacoara and Canoa Quebrada, hence the suggestion for a guide book. Realize that machismo is alive and well in Brazil. My wife was in a country bar once and an older guy (she said he was a truck driver with all gold teeth) asked her to dance. She declined and he asked her why (he was not happy). Her friend said it was time to leave. But if you use reasonable caution you should be okay and have a good time. One other thing: dengue is currently very, very common in many areas of Brazil, including Ceara state. No immunization. Just avoid getting bit by the mosquitoes that carry the disease.

If you want a kick back chill place praia de pipa (3hrs north of recife) is the place to go. There isn't much culture (primarily Brazilian and Argentine tourists) but it is very laid back, with some good dining and decent bars.

Recife/Olinda doesn't have much of a beach environment but Olinda does have a bit more culture...

Jerri, jerri, jerri, it's the best!!