Best Things to Do in Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil – 2024 Guide

Morro de São Paulo (Saint Paul’s Hill), or just Morro, is an island located in the south of Bahia, 60 km from the capital, Salvador.

The island is part of the Tinharé Archipelago, which is composed of 26 islands and was discovered in 1531 by the Portuguese navigator Martim Afonso de Sousa.

During the 1970s, the fishing village was still very undeveloped and it did not have electricity 24 hours a day, which only came in 1985.

Since then, Morro de Sao Paulo has been discovered by tourists, starting with hippies and backpackers who spread the word and vacationers from nearby towns who visit the island to explore its gorgeous beaches with clear and warm water surrounded by opulent Atlantic forest.

Nowadays Morro is full of foreigners, especially Israelis and Argentinians, who come to enjoy this so-called “Tropical Paradise”.

I visited the island only once and liked it a lot! In this 2024 practical guide, there’s everything you need to know to plan your trip, including things to do in Morro de São Paulo, the best beaches, how to get there, where to stay/eat and tours.

7 Best Things to Do in Morro de São Paulo

1 – Wander around the village

Morro de São Paulo was founded in 1535 by Francisco Romero and suffered numerous attacks by Dutch and French ships during colonial times because of its importance as a supply chain to the capital Salvador.

The village has a fortress and walls that were completed in 1728, the largest water supply system of colonial Bahia, Fonte Grande, constructed in 1746, and also a lighthouse built in 1855.

One of the best things to do in Morro de Sao Paulo is wander around the village, which today boasts restaurants, bars, stores, and hotels.

Even though the village has changed with tourism it still preserves some old landmarks and is quite charming.

2 – Explore the beaches

One of my favourite things to do in Morro de São Paulo is beach exploring.

The beaches are in numerical order, have crystal-clear warm water and some are surrounded by lush vegetation.

• First Beach

It’s the closest beach to the village, with some natural pools, hotels and restaurants.

I felt like I was in the “middle of the city” on this beach because there were some buildings in the background.

• Second Beach

The busiest beach with lots of restaurants, cafes, hotels and parties.

Everyone gathers here whether during the day to enjoy the pools or practice sports or at night to enjoy live music and beach luaus.

You can practice SUP and even play footvolley with locals.

It’s the most family-oriented beach on the island, so you can expect some children playing around and plenty of water sports.

Water activities:

• SUP: R$ 30 (US$ 5.50) for 30min.
• Kayaking: R$ 20 (US$ 5) for 30min.
• Contact: Moleke Surf School

• Third Beach

From the third beach, everything starts to calm down, with fewer people, less construction and fine accommodations.

This beach has huge pools and it’s very beautiful.

It’s also nice to practice kayaking, SUP, and snorkelling. There’s an island close by where you can go diving.

Water activities:

• SUP: R$ 50 (US$ 10) for one hour.
• Kayak + snorkelling: RS 40 (US$ 8) per person for one and a half hours to Ilha do Caita (a neighbouring island).
• Dive: RS 200 (US$ 40) per tank at Ilha do Caita.
• Contact: Zimbo Dive Tour.

• Fourth Beach

The best beach in Morro de Sao Paulo!

It is very long, 4 km (2.5 mi) and perfect for someone who prefers quiet areas.

The water is very warm like all the others and there are many natural pools.

The best thing is that the only part with construction is the beginning and after that, just lush vegetation and a few kiosks.

This is one of the best beaches in Bahia and you can easily spend a full day here, swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing and resting in the shade of the trees.

Activities

• Snorkelling: R$ 25 (US$ 5), unlimited time.
• Horseback ride for R$ 120 (US$ 23.50) per hour.
• Carriage to the fifth beach, R$ 60 (US$ 12) per person.

• Fifth beach (Praia do Encanto)

A very exotic beach dotted with many mangroves and dead trees. Because of its remote location, around 10 Km (6.2 mi) from the village, it’s basically empty.

It’s a long walk to get there, but the visit is worthwhile.

This beach looks very different from the others.

Just be aware of the tide and that there are very few kiosks (one or two).

• Read next: How to Plan a Trip to Boipeba, Brazil

3 – Go Zip-lining

Morro de Sao Paulo has the highest zip line in South America, 70m (230 ft.) in height and 300m (0.2 mi) long.

If you want to seek out an adrenaline rush while on the island you should definitely do it.

The price is very reasonable, R$ 90 (US$ 18), and it provides an awesome view!

It’s open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and you can get more information on its Facebook page.

4 – Watch the sunset

Watching the sunset in Morro is very popular among locals and tourists alike.

The most famous spot to watch the sunset is the lighthouse and every afternoon dozens of people gather on its hills to enjoy this golden moment.

When you’re in Morro, remember that:

When the sun is setting, leave whatever you are doing and watch it.

Mehmet Murat Ildan

• If you’re a sunset lover, like me, check these sunset captions out.

5 – Dance the night away

Morro is also known for its parties and attracts many youngsters because of that.

The most frequented parties are:

• Beach Luau

Every Monday and Thursday after midnight on the Second Beach.

During the high season, numerous people attend the luaus and everyone is on the beach dancing, drinking caipirinhas and making friends. Smoking weed is also common at those parties.

• Teatro do Morro (The theater)

The most traditional party on the island happens on a hill in the middle of the jungle, every Wednesday and Saturday.

Besides food and drinks, Teatro do Morro also offers a wide variety of shows like live music, DJs, cinema, poetry, capoeira and fire acrobats.

It starts at 9:00 PM and goes all night long.

• Toca do Morcego

It’s one of the busiest clubs in the village with parties every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday during the high season (Fridays and Sundays in the low season).

This club has a very privileged location, on a cliffside, and provides stunning vistas. Because of that, Toca do Morcego also has Sunset parties with DJs, and live music and the restaurant is also open at this time.

• Mama África

Located at the Iate Clube, Mama África, one of the coolest clubs on the island, hosts sunset parties on the weekends with DJs that go until midnight.

• Pulsar Mix

It’s open every Saturday and hosts different thematic parties. The most popular ones are Fantasy Fest, Foam Party, Flashback and Kriptonita.

There’s also live music.

• You may also like my Travel Guide to Ilha Grande

6 – Explore the Tinharé Archipelago by boat

One of the most popular and best things to do in Morro de São Paulo is to take the “Around the Island” tour.

You’ll visit Boipeba (Moreré natural pools, Cueira and Boca da Barra beaches), Canavieira (a boat parked in the middle of the river that serves fresh oysters) and some historical landmarks in the city of Cairu.

The tour departs at 9:30 AM and returns at 5:00 PM.

Price: R$ 250 (US$ 49).

• Suggested read: The Best Beaches in Itacaré, Brazil

Other tours that I also recommend are:

Garapuá: visiting Garapuá Beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Tinharé Archipelago, and its natural pools.

The tour starts with driving through the “Ecologic road” in a Land Rover, followed by a boat to the pools.

From 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (depending on the tide). Price: R$ 130 (US$ 25)

Fonte do Céu hike: a hike through an ecological trail to visit a waterfall and Gamboa. It takes around 1h30min and costs R$ 50 (US$ 10).

Morro Adventure: ATV tour from Morro to Boipeba and the beaches of Garapuá and Pratigi. R$ 500 (US$ 98) for two people.

Contact: Ney Assunção, Agência Miranda Tur, +55(75)9186-7985 (WhatsApp)

7 – Visit the nearby village of Gamboa

Gamboa is a fishing village near Morro de Sao Paulo. The infrastructure is completely different, very simple and primitive.

It’s a good option for those who prefer a more authentic experience.

The beaches are nice and the hot spot is by the cliffs where you can submerge yourself in pink mud rich in sulphur and medicinal properties that make your skin very soft.

Because of its proximity to Morro, it’s very common for people to spend the day there, and during the summer there are also night parties.

You can visit Gamboa by yourself, whether walking by the beach (from 30min to 1 hour), only at low tide; taking a boat that costs R$ 10 (around US$ 1.95) and takes 15min; or booking a tour.

There are also some hotels and restaurants in the village and beach kiosks.

These are the seven best things to do in Morro de Sao Paulo and my suggestion is to spend at least 3 full days on the island.

After your visit, you will understand why it enchanted so many people.

Safe travels and have fun in Bahia.

I always recommend that you buy travel insurance! It can literally be your lifeline if something happens to you, or your luggage is lost or stolen.

Play safe and get yours. Get a quote with World Nomads here or buy your travel insurance now with SafetyWing using the widget below.

Read Next:

• Exploring Bahia Region, Brazil
• Restaurants and Hotels in Boipeba
• Bahia South Coast in 20 Striking Pictures
• Best Hotels in Itacaré
• Ilha Grande’s Best Beaches

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Visiting Morro de São Paulo – Tips

Where is Morro de São Paulo?

Morro de Sao Paulo is an island located in the south of Bahia, 60 Km from Salvador, Bahia’s capital (check the exact location here).

How to get to Morro de Sao Paulo?

There are only two ways to get to Morro de Sao Paulo:

By boat

∗ From Salvador

You can take a ferry/speed boat to Morro de São Paulo. It departs at 9h00 and 14h30 and returns at 11h30 and 15h00. Book your ticket online in advance here.

If you prefer, you can book a private transfer here. It departs at 6h00, 10h00, 12h25 and 15h25. They can pick you up at the airport or your hotel.

∗ From Valença, the closest city to Morro

You can go by the conventional way (boat + bus); it departs at 6h00, 6h30, and 7h00, after that every hour during the low season and every 30min during the high season, until 18h20.

Prices: R$ 17.00 (US$ 3.35), from Mondays to Saturdays; R$ 20.00 (US$ 4.00), on Sundays and holidays.

Travel time: 1:30

The other option is the speed boat, which departs at 9h00, 10h00, 14h00 and 16h00. And returns from Morro at 7h00, 09h00, 11h00, 13h00, 15h00 and 16h00.

Price: R$ 40 (US$ 7.85).

Travel time: 50min

∗ From Ilha de Boipeba

You can also get to Morro from Boipeba by taking one of the boat tours that are not completely full of people (R$250 – US$ 49) or taking a boat plus a jeep (R$ 130 – US$ 25).

Flights to Morro de São Paulo

There’s a new company, Abaeté Linhas Aéreas, flying daily from Salvador to Morro. It’s a very small aircraft and booking in advance is highly recommended.

The flight takes between 15 to 25 min and the cheapest roundtrip ticket costs around R$ 800 (US$ 157).

Best time to go?

The island can be visited all year round just consider two things:

• The busiest time is from Christmas to one week after the Carnival.
• April to July is the rainy season.

The best time for me is from September to December or two weeks after the carnival.

Where to Stay

Some of the hotels in Morro that I recommend are:

• Budget: Farofa Loca Hostel, Che Lagarto Hostel and Pousada Estevão
• Great cost/benefit: Pousada Aquarela, Pousada Caeira and Pousada Bahia Bacana
• Luxury: Vila Dos Orixás Boutique Hotel, Villa dos Corais and Patachocas

Where to Eat & Drink

In the village: Café das Artes, Toca do Morcego, Andina Cozinha Latina and Mediterrâneo MSP.

On the beaches: Sambass Café Restaurante, Restaurante Funny, Restaurante Piscina, Restaurante Varandas and Caipi do Romário.

Taxes

All visitors must pay an environmental fee of R$ 50 (US$ 10.00) when entering Morro.

There’s also a port fee of R$ 2.00 (US$ 0.40) that you must pay every time you take a boat.

Currency exchange

You can exchange dollars and euros on the island, but you can get a better rate if you exchange your money in big cities, such as São Paulo, Rio and Salvador.

Day trips from Salvador

Helpful link

For more information about Morro de Sao Paulo and Costa do Dendê region visit BahiaTursa.