[BAHIA, BRAZIL] — Here’s my overview of Trancoso, the former fishing village, then turned international hippie community in the 70s, then Trancoso turned into an international bohemian beach town on the coast of Bahia in Northeast Brazil. Trancoso sits above some of the best beaches in Bahia and all of Brazil. Trancoso is Brazil’s famous bohemian beach town.

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Trancoso–a Former Fishing Village, Now a Bohemian Beach Town

I’d read about Trancoso for some time, it just kept popping up in the right places. But when I was in a small Uruguayan hotel and met a photographer from Wallpaper who had just come from a week-long shoot there, he said it was one of the coolest places he’d been, I knew I had to go. So I did.

A once-isolated fishing village in Bahia, it was “rediscovered” by hippies in the 70s and has grown over the years into a world-class destination. At the time I was there, it was everywhere in the travel and fashion press, with famous people having houses on the beach and spending their North American winters there. It continues to change and evolve, with new places popping up each year.

The thing I liked about Trancoso was it’s a village first and foremost. I hate going to a foreign country and the town or resort is nothing but selling and catering to foreign tourists. In Trancoso, you feel like you are just sidling up to the local people (and other Brazilians) in their town. I never heard another American accent my whole week in town. I love that.

When I was there in 2010, it was what I call “Peak Brazil”, when their economy was exploding and everyone was traveling to Rio and the beach towns. Every travel magazine had articles on Brazil, no doubt funded by tourism agencies. I went to Brazil several times in five years, hitting Buzios, Rio, Paraty and the island of Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Bahia. Even this article showed up in the NYTimes the month after I was there.

But seems like things cooled off for a while there. I pretty much stopped hearing about people taking vacations in Brazil and Trancoso anymore. Perhaps it was the economy tanking again, overshadowed by the serious crime in Rio and Sao Paolo and the crazy times during Bolsonaro scared people off.

But now I’m starting to see new articles pop up, probably driven by the driven Dutch owner of the best hotel in town UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, which is the main feature of nearly every article you read after it opened in 2009. He seems to be the driving force drawing attention to this laid-back fishing village. That and many fashion and celebrities that have villas tucked under the trees along Brazil’s best beaches.

Bahia Has Some of the Best Beaches in Brazil

Bahia is famous for its outstanding clean sand beaches, its food, its lilting and lyrical music and laid-back beach lifestyle. But when you stay in Trancoso, the best beaches are just a few hundred feet below. Pure sand beaches, lined with perfect palm trees, turquoise waters and DIY beach cafes, plastic chairs and umbrellas, studded in the sand up and down the coast. With hardly anyone in the in-between parts.

Bahia has some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen. Miles and miles of pure sand, with hardly anyone around.

Hang Out in the Quadrado, the Village Square in Trancoso

The village square, the Quadrado, sits several hundred feet above the beach, with a perfect colonial church at the end, and ringed by cool little shops, art galleries and great outdoor restaurants. Hotels are located either in town, or down below on the beach. All depends on what you’re looking for, but I liked the idea being on the beach.

I wouldn’t call Trancoso glamorous, or picture-perfect. When I was there, The Quadrado, for example, was a bit woolly and overgrown, with trash here and there and you have to watch your step for where the stray dogs leave their random droppings. But the setting with the church at the end is magazine-perfect.

Off the Quadrado and going into town, there are more utilitarian retail shops, groceries, electronic stores, laundries and cafes lit by glaring fluorescent lights. Typical Brazil. But that’s also what makes this town so real, not Disneyland. You see mostly Brazilians and villagers enjoying this un-shiny gem. I like that, I don’t want to visit a beach town with nothing but tourists.

It is all about the beach in Trancoso, so come here for the beach. Then come for a nice dinner in town.

I think most of the exuberant press I read of glamour and “bohemian jetset” feel of Trancoso was a bit over-promised. But I loved it, it was a nice town, but nothing like Jose Ignacio, Uruguay. But I expect a lot happens in all the private villas tucked in the palm trees outside of town and along the beach. But think rustic Sayulita Mexico, fifteen years ago. Trancoso still retains its scruffy charm and hasn’t been over-touristed and sanitized. I love that.

You see mostly Brazilians and villagers enjoying this un-shiny gem. I like that, I don’t want to visit an unauthentic beach town with nothing but foreign tourists (like me 😂 ).

Where to Eat in Trancoso

What makes Trancoso special is not just the beauty of the beaches, the nice hotels and people, but also the great food. The whole town is built around the Quadrado, a long square in the center of town with a National Geographic-perfect colonial church at the end.

The Quadrado is the center of the village’s activities and nice restaurants, galleries and shops line its periphery.  Each night, the town promenades around the oval road, so sitting at the tables is just fantastic people watching. My favorite restaurants are El Gordo, Restaurante Vitoria and Restaurant da Silvana.

The Quadrado is lined with giant trees, outdoor cafes under each one. Every tree and cafe with its own personality. Just walk around and find what feels good to you.

It was really picturesque setting, the deep blue sky set off from the candles and lanterns under the trees. Just wander until you find something that looks good. It was peak season when I was there and it was rather unbusy, so you don’t really need reservations most places.

Where to Stay in Trancoso

Pousada Estrela d’Agua

I picked Estrela d’Agua mostly because at the time it was a Relais & Chateaux member, which is always a good sign for quality, service and especially food. The second reason was because it was right on the beach.

This used to be famous Brazilian singer Gal Costa’s house, then converted into a hotel. It’s gorgeous, but I can see why it is no longer a Relais & Chateaux. It’s a nice place, in an amazing location, but not up to the Relais & Chateaux standards. And in Brazil, you the four and five star ratings are usually one star less, in reality.

The food was great, simple. The service, okay. They have a main restaurant and then a beach restaurant. I don’t remember a single thing about service, so that says something. You can read the TripAdvisor reviews. At least they are responsive to those comments.

The first night I arrived, it was late and I was excited to try out the hotel’s restaurant, it being a Relais & Chateaux and all. I was wearing shorts and trying to look at the menu, but kept feeling bugs biting my legs, incessantly, I looked like I was playing a kid’s schoolyard game, constantly slapping my legs between ordering and trying to read my book. Eventually scratching my bites until my hands were covered in blood. I asked if they had any bug spray. “No.” I must have gotten 20-30 bites in an hour.

Bug spray was the first thing I bought.

The room was delightful and had a cool beach vibe. Bring lots of DEET because you’ll need it. Being down on the beach I found, the breeze didn’t come much, particularly at night, so the bugs are pretty intense. And the windows are just slats.

I still have Bug PTSD from my week staying there. Once I left the bathroom light on a few minutes and heard what I thought was intense rain or thinking I left the shower on, but it was actually a million Junebugs covering the window, attracted to the light. You could see their frenzied feet trying to get through the gap in the window. I turned the light off and it instantly stopped. Turned it on, it instantly started again. In the morning, there were mounds of Junebugs dead under the door light.

During the nights, even though the bed had a mosquito net, I barely slept long hearing one mosquito after another trying to get in my ears. I buried myself under pillows and covers and they still kept trying to get to me. I was unnerved by the time I left. And exhausted. I was eaten alive.

That’s why I’d recommend staying at UXUA on top of the hill (see below), the constant breeze of the Quadrado seemed to keep the bugs away. I never was bothered by bugs up in the village.

Other Places to Stay in Trancoso

I’m kicking myself that I didn’t stay at the famous and wonderful UXUA Hotel and Spa, just off the Quadrado. I would definitely stay here next time. The quality is way above everything else, with individual villas and bungalows scattered across the palm trees and their own beach bar down on the praia.

I actually completely missed it when I was booking and didn’t realize they had their own restaurant when I was there so never thought to eat there. I think staying at this place is why everyone walks away raving about Trancoso.

And being up on top of the breezy hill of the village and Quadrado, there didn’t seem to be the incessant bugs biting. I never got bitten when I’d head up the hill for dinner.

I think UXUA is why everyone walks away raving about Trancoso. I’m bummed I didn’t stay here.

(Photos from the UXUA website)

There is a ClubMed outside of town, but people generally say it’s too far, not a typical ClubMed experience.

— Last Visited February 2010; Post Updated December 2024 —

More Information on Trancoso and Bahia

Here’s that article on Trancoso from 2010 in the NYTimes. Here’s a great article on Trancoso from Vogue, always the leader in What’s Next in Travel. And one from Travel & Leisure. And a really detailed and current article on Trancoso from 2024 from Wendy Perrin’s great list. And here’s Condé Nast’s take on Trancoso. And from The Times of London. And another CNT article on the 18 reasons why you should come here.

You have to fly into Porto Segura, then rent a car and it’s about 2 hours south. A fast way inland, or you can take the really bumpy road, REALLY bumpy road, along the coast, then take a car ferry to take in the scenic view.

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