Ilhabela is Portuguese for "Beautiful Island" - and it definitely is. A resort island with a population of 45,000 (grows to 200,000 with tourism), it is the playground for residents of Sao Paolo. It is clean and lush with many waterfalls and crowded beaches. With our Miami friends we found a taxi for a 2-hour tour of one of the waterfalls and several beaches as well as the town. Again, hot and humid.

Buzios is a beach resort situated on a very attractive peninsula. It has a population of about 20,000 and is a popular weekend and vacation spot for residents of Rio de Janiero. It is the most attractive resort town we have seen. Smaller than some. Its beaches are mostly in secluded bays. Plenty of pricy attractive homes with great views. We were in port with a huge MSC cruise ship so organizing a car and driver took a bit of time. Finally arranged an op...

One of the earliest ports in Brazil (1534) Ilheus reached its peak in the early 20th century as the cocoa capital. Many palatial homes were built by the cacao plantation owners. However, disease set in and production fell off considerably. Now the city of 250,000 is rebuilding with a university and tourism. Like many of the places we have visited, it has plenty of beaches. Ilheus is also one of the places where the famous Brazilian author, Jorge Amada live...

Salvador da Bahia was the first major port and capital of Brazil. it was an early centre of the sugar and slave trade, founded in 1549. The slave trade has left an indelible mark on Salvador as the most Africanized city in Brazil. Current population is about 1.5 million. The city is separated into a lower level (port) and an upper level, the historical area, Pelourinho, with well-preserved colonial architecture, narrow, cobblestone streets and a vibrant cha...

We only had a ½ day in Maceio and made the most of it. Population of 1 million, Maceio has some industry, including a large petrochemical complex, but is mainly known for its beaches. About 250 km. of beaches stretch north and south of the City. Beautiful sand and clean beaches. Indeed the city appears quite clean, even in some of the less developed areas. There are plenty of modern towers, usually on the beaches. It is popular with wealthy Brazillians f...