Boipeba Island is located in the south of Bahia, Brazil, and was elected in 2013 by Trip Advisor as the second best island in South America. The island is part ofArchipelago of Tinharé and is located 356 Km (222 miles) from Salvador, the capital of Bahia.
Boipeba is home to a dense rainforest with salt flats, sand dunes and extensive mangrove fields, along with lush coconut palms dotting the beaches and numerous coral reefs. It has an incredible ecosystem and is a world of biodiversity.
The light and soft sand of the track that I have been walking for almost an hour now, creeps into my new Havaianas, burning my feet and forcing me to jump in a sprawling and jolly way in the shadows cast by the tall and slender palm trees, while the fronds are slightly agitated from the ocean breeze.
There are several ways to get to Morerè beach, on the opposite side of the island, and clearly the one I chose, walking along the interior, is definitely the worst, especially because of the midday time when the sun is just vertical above my head.
The sand track winds along a path of about 5 kilometers, in the midst of the green vegetation of the island, from the fishing village where my pousada is located to what according to everyone would be the most beautiful beach on the island. so beautiful that it is unable to stop the irrepressible desire to visit it as soon as possible, despite the fact that the time is not the most suitable for this purpose.
Meetings on the road to Morerè
Finally yesterday I arrived on the island of Boipeba which from the first moment was the most desired destination of this end of winter trip. The expectations, very high, cannot be disappointed by this little gem which, located near the largest, known and frequented Tinharè island, manages to maintain, unlike the older sister, that particular characteristic that every time I embark on a new journey I go to look for: theauthenticity.
There are many pousades for travelers, almost all empty given the non-tourist season, here the motor vehicles practically do not exist, apart from the old and battered tractor that takes you from one part of the island to the other and the fishing boats that wearily, when their work is finished, they swing anchored to the pier on the Rio do Inferno, in front of the entrance to the town.
Boipeba beach
The first sensation I experienced as soon as I landed on the island was that of finding myself as if in front of a huge basket of exotic, fragrant and colorful fruit.
The carts pulled by the donkeys go up and down the cobbled street between the colorful houses, carrying bags of flour, sand and fresh fish.
Children play running back and forth with bare feet chased by their little dogs, of all shapes, sizes and colors, each more funny than the other, while next to the houses the large hibiscus plants provide a rich and tasty dinner to the small, iridescent hummingbird.
The beach of Morerè in Boipeba
The fishing village born on the beach is reduced to a few small houses and some nice pousadas, of the three or four restaurants on the beach, only one is open, it is located right by the sea, and the tables are covered with leafy trees that provide shade savior.
I sit down and wait for the guy from the bar, I gesticulate my order on a menu now worn by time and wear. In the small bay formed by the arch of the beach some old boats are anchored, near me a lady, the only other patron of the place, crosses her tanned legs and adjusts her sarong. After a few minutes my cerveja arrives.
I take a long sip, bringing the frozen bottle to my lips, my gaze is lost in the horizon, in the infinity of the ocean while the only thing I can think is that if there was a perfect place to spend the rest of one's life life, that would be it.
Sunset in Boipeba
Boipeba Island: useful information
How to reach us
Finding the island of Boipeba which is very close to the famous Morro de Săo Paulo, which is the usual tourist destination is not very easy, but it is worth going there and I will never give up even a minute of the time it took me to get there ! I left the city of Salvador and arrived in Valença by bus.
From Valença: Take a bus to Torrinhas then a speedboat to Boipeba. By boat it takes about 1: 30-2 hours, costs R $ 25 (US $ 6) and departs at 6:00, 11:00 and 14:00 (both ways).
To get to Boipeba it took me a day since the ramshackle bus had a puncture and we were 3 hours in the middle of the road waiting to change the wheel.
You can also get to Boipeba of Morro de São Paulo.
From Morro there is the possibility to take a Jeep and then a boat (R $ 90 - US $ 22,50). I did this on my return.
By plane: There is a small airport located on a farm on the island of Tinharé where flights arrive from Salvador. It takes 30 minutes and costs R $ 570 (US $ 142,50) one way.
