Santo André and Belmonte: A Coast Still Being Discovered

Most visitors to southern Bahia head south from Porto Seguro, to Arraial d’Ajuda, Trancoso and Caraíva. Fewer go north. That is a large part of the appeal of Santo André and the coast towards Belmonte: long beaches, little traffic and villages that still feel lived in rather than built for tourism.

Santo André

Santo André sits on the north bank of the João de Tiba river, opposite Santa Cruz Cabrália. You reach it by a short ferry crossing, which keeps it quiet. It has a small village centre, river beaches on one side, open Atlantic beaches on the other, and a growing number of pousadas and private homes set among the coconut palms. It became briefly famous in 2014, when Germany’s national football team based itself here during the World Cup.

Towards Guaiú and Belmonte

North of the village, the coast road runs past Guaiú and a long run of almost empty beaches and mangroves before reaching Belmonte, a historic town at the mouth of the Jequitinhonha river. Offshore lies the Royal Charlotte Bank, a section of continental shelf that attracts large ocean fish and has made the area a known destination for blue marlin sport fishing.

Why buyers look here

For buyers who want privacy and frontage on the sea or river, this stretch of coast offers larger plots and lower prices than Trancoso, with Porto Seguro airport still within easy reach. Infrastructure is simpler, so it pays to check access, utilities and documentation carefully. That is where local advice makes a difference.

Explore Santo André and Guaiú, see Belmonte, or talk to us about properties on this coast.