Exploring the waterfalls and beaches in Itacaré, Brazil

Everything you need to know about the beaches and waterfalls of Itacaré, Brazil.

Itacaré is a famous Brazilian destination known for its beaches and waterfalls. Still, with so many options, we may struggle to define which ones deserve to be added to our itinerary. Many travelers arrive unprepared (I must confess that I was one of them) because they are unaware that a bunch of these spots can be accessed only by hiking trails. To make your life easier, in this article, we share characteristics and relevant information about the best waterfalls and beaches in Itacaré.

Read our complete guide to Itacaré: Where it is located, how to get there, what to do, and more!

Map with the main beaches and waterfalls in Itacaré:

Itacaré’s Beaches

Check out the characteristics of Itacaré’s Beaches and discover how to get into each of them:

Pontal Beach

It is the northernmost beach in Itacaré, separated from the rest of the town by the large Contas River. It has a wide and beautiful view that mixes sea and river and is perfect for watching the sun go down.

If you like to party on the sand, keep an eye out for the Iemanjá Beach Club, a beach hut that has a structure of beds, offers drinks and snacks, and organizes shows and parties on site.

How to get there: To get to Pontal Beach, you need to cross with a boat that lives from Coroinha Beach. The boatmen charge R$10*/one-way per person from 2 people up to R$7* each.

Opening hour Iemanjá Beach Club: Tuesday to Friday – 11 am to 6 pm / Saturday – 10pm to 5 am They usually have forró on Wednesday and Saturday from 4pm to 7pm.

Coroa Beach (Coroinha)

On the shore of the city, Coroa Beach (also known as Coroinha) is a lovely place to walk, practice some sports, and enjoy parties there. It is not suitable for swimming since it serves as a fishing port.

From here, the boatmen can take you to Pontal Beach and Cleandro Waterfall. At night, you can have dinner in one of the excellent restaurants along the shore, such as Tia Deth and Jiló.

How to get there: You can have access by walking or driving.

Concha Beach

It is perhaps one of the favorite beaches for tourists because of its infrastructure. Concha Beach has the combo of being at the meeting of the Contas River and the sea, with very calm waters that are great for children and paddle sports, besides being full of kiosks, bars, and places to eat and relax.

This one has easy access, perfect for those planning to visit Itacaré with children.

How to get there: You can have access by walking or driving.

Resende Beach

Small and intimate, Resende Beach is one of the urban beaches of Itacaré that can be accessed through Caminho das Praias street. At low tide, it forms natural pools, but at high tide, it’s great for surfing. Here you will find shade and a few kiosks to guarantee your cool water or cold beer.

How to get there: Most of the people go walking, which takes about 15-20min from Concha Beach, but you can also get there by car, the problem is that you don’t have much space to park in the region and this becomes an almost impossible task in high season.

Tiririca Beach

Accessed from Caminho das Praias street, this is the most known beach to surf in Itacaré, where championships happen because of the quality of the waves. It’s not a place for beginners to surf.

Besides enjoying the sea and supporting the native traders that work there, on this beach, you can go to the skateboard track or cool off in the freshwater showers of the creek that runs down to the beach.

How to get there: arrive at Tiririca Beach by walking from Concha Beach or Coroa Beach, which will take 20-25 minutes. This is the best option in high season when parking is a problematic task at Tiririca Beach.

Costa Beach

This is an excellent option for those who want a secluded beach in Itacaré without hiking. Costa Beach has no infrastructure, and its water is agitated by the current, making fewer tourists want to go there, making the beach emptier.

How to get there: Costa Beach is about 25 minutes from Coroa Beach if you go walking, but it is also an option to go directly from Tiririca Beach, which is next door. Another way to get there is by car, but there are few parking spaces.

Ribeira Beach

The last beach on the urban perimeter can be reached by car or an easy walk. Ribeira Beach has a structure of tents, a sea with good waves for beginners, and the meeting with the Ribeira River.

If you like an adrenaline rush or if you have children over 1.30m tall and have an adventurous spirit, you can do tree climbing and zip-lining with Conduru Ecoturismo.

How to get there: To get to Ribeira Beach, it is the same logic as in the previous ones of the Caminho das Praias. It is possible to arrive by car, but there are few vacancies. From Coroa Beach to Ribeira Beach, it takes about 25-30 minutes walking.

Siriaco Beach

Little known and with zero infrastructure, Siriaco Beach is perfect for those who enjoy deserted beaches. It is surrounded by many rocks and woods and has a tiny strip of sand.

How to get there: Accessible only by trail, it is approximately a 15-minute walk from Ribeira Beach. According to reports, making this trail with a guide is best.

Prainha

Absolutely gorgeous, peaceful, and well-preserved, Prainha is considered one of the best beaches in Itacaré. It is tiny and surrounded by two mountains mixing coconut trees and forest. Hello surfers! Here you will also find good waves.

With only one food kiosk, our tip is to bring some snacks to eat during the day.

How to get there: To get to Prainha, leave Ribeira Beach and take a moderate trail of about 40 minutes. The trail, which is not well signposted, is recommended to be done with a guide or a trail app. Another option is to go by car or on foot to the Condomínio Villa de São José, on São José Beach, to do a day use at the São José Beach Club and, from there, walk to Prainha.

São José Beach

For those who like to spend the day relaxing on the seashore, reading a good book in the sun longer, and counting on high-quality food and drinks, this Itacaré beach will have your heart.

São José Beach is located at the São José Beach Club & Residence, a place where you can stay or spend the day enjoying a beautiful pool in front of the sea and tasting the local cuisine. Day use includes access to the pool, bungalows, wifi, and parking.

Another advantage of knowing this paradise is that 5 minutes of walking, you find a natural pool, and in 10/15min on the trail, you arrive at the famous Prainha.

How to get there: São José Beach is surrounded by private condominiums, which makes access to the beach difficult, although it is public. The most practical and comfortable option to get there is through day use at the São José Beach Club. But if you don’t want to spend the day there, another option is to get there by a trail that takes 15 minutes from Prainha.

About the São José Beach Club: the beach club is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (5:30 pm kitchen service ends). The day-use price varies between R$250* (Consumption R$200) and R$400* (Consumption R$300), according to the season. It is necessary to make a reservation and give the visitor’s and car’s data for the reception to authorize the entrance. If you need a private transfer, Margueta Turismo offers it for R$170* per couple or R$60* per person if there are more than 3.

Jeribucaçu Beach

If you like wild beaches and lush landscapes, you will love Jeribucaçu, a beach full of forest and crossed by the Jeribucaçu River, which flows into the sea, forming points to refresh yourself with the freshwater. Although it does not have much structure, there are some simple kiosks and options to rent chairs and umbrellas.

On the same day that you visit Jeribucaçu Beach, you can walk until Arruda Beach or, if you have enough energy, walk along the river for 1 hour until you reach the Usina Waterfall.

Important! Keep your eyes on the tide. The ideal option is to visit Jeribucaçu Beach during low tide.

Fox tip 🦊: For lunch, order the grilled fish at Barraca do Buchudo, one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever tasted in Itacaré. The price was R$150*, and it served three people.

How to get there: you will have to park your car and walk for about 30 minutes, going down on the way out and going up on the way back. The trail is not difficult, and it’s covered by trees almost, and the way, but it is not recommended for people with locomotion difficulties. If you prefer, you can also take a tour with Paraíso Turismo to visit Jeribucaçu Beach and the Usina Waterfall.

Arruda Beach

Located a few minutes from the famous Jeribucaçu Beach, Arruda Beach forms a natural swimming pool in the low tide, perfect for relaxing as we see the people in the photo below. In my opinion, this is the most beautiful beach in Itacaré.

How to get there: once you get to Jeribucaçu Beach, you just need to walk about 10 minutes to the left side of the beach. It is a beautiful path where you pass through a little beach called Corais Beach.

Engenhoca Beach

Engenhoca Beach is known for being one of the surfing peaks, perfect even for those who want to start the practice and have surfing lessons for beginners. There, it is also worth going to Burunganda River, which means colored water, and trying the five flavor sugar cane juice or natural açaí sold in the beach huts. 

Hot to get there: the access is from the begginning of the trail on km 12 of BA-001 highway, where you can get there by car or bus, and to an easy trail in the forest that will take about 15-20 minutes. This Engenhoca is part of the 4 Beaches Trail, a route that passes the beaches of Itacarezinho, Camboinha, Havaizinho, and Engenhoca.

Havaizinho Beach

It is a small beach that, at low tide, gains space on the sand strip. The infrastructure of Havaizinho Beach is more rustic, where you can eat directly from local people such as farmers and fishermen. So you can have lunch there and also take advantage of the shower that is offered to remove the sea salt from your body.

Fox tip 🦊: We had lunch at Barraca Cantinho do Céu and I recommend it! But remember, order your lunch as soon as you arrive; if you’re really hungry, it’s worth ordering some fried manioc (aipim) and a cold beer to facilitate the wait for the baked fish that costs R$100*. I loved that they served coconut water and drinks with a straw made from taboca (a type of bamboo).

How to get there: Leaving Engenhoca, you can walk for 10 minutes to Havaizinho Beach.

Praia da Camboinha

Just after Havaizinho Beach, it is Camboinha or Gamboa Beach, as some people call it. There isn’t infrastructure, and the trail’s end is a bit difficult, but the peaceful environment and the natural swimming pool in the low tide make it worth it.

How to get there: Accessible just by trail; you have to walk about 10 minutes from Havaizinho Beach.

Itacarezinho Beach

Despite the diminutive name, Itacarezinho has 2,17 miles of extension. There is only a little infrastructure except for the Itacarezinho Lounge restaurant or Txai Resort. In front of the sea, on the left side of the beach, next to the restaurant, there is a waterfall, and on the other side is the Tijuípe River.

How to get there: Usually, people do this tour around the 4 beaches trail, but if you just want to visit Itacarezinho Beach without a track, it is possible. The entrance is from the Itacarezinho Lounge restaurant, and you will have to pay R$100* to park! If you want to enjoy the place, the minimum consumption is R$450*.

Patizeiro Beach

Closing the list, we have Patizeiro Beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Itacaré. It is an isolated beach, and just a few people get there, but the journey is rewarding due to the beautiful meeting of the Tijuípe River with the sea.

How to get there: It is a 1-hour trail from Itacarezinho Beach.

Itacaré waterfalls

Learn about the main waterfalls (cachoeira in Portuguese) in Itacaré:

Cachoeira da Usina de Jeribucaçu

The Cachoeira da Usina de Jeribucaçu is close to Itacaré, with a 6,21-mile distance. The name is given by the old power plant that was there. In Cachoeira da Usina, you have a well and a fall. A lot of people go there from the Jeribucaçu Beach trail.

How to get there: You have to take an easy trail of about 10 minutes to get to the Usina waterfall. The entrance to the trail is on-road BA-001.

Cachoeira do Cleandro

This is an exciting and unique destination. Access Cachoeira do Cleandro in Itacaré from the water, navigating the Rio de Contas.

Half a day (about 3 hours) is enough to enjoy the mangroves along the way and enjoy the different falls that this waterfall offers. One of them looks like a tunnel, and you can enter under it. A fee of R$15 per person is charged.

How to get there: You can go by boat, canoe, kayak, or stand up paddle. To give you an idea about the prices, the boatmen at Coroa Beach charge about R$60* per person, and if you choose the Hawaiian canoe tour, as I did, the price is R$185* per person (includes the entrance fee for the waterfall, water, and picnic).

Cachoeira do Tijuípe

Although it does not belong to the municipality of Itacaré but Uruçuca, the Cachoeira do Tijuípe is usually on the itinerary of those who travel to Itacaré. A fall of 8 meters high and an extension of 15 meters guarantees plenty of room for bathers.

The waterfall, whose name means “calm water”, is inside a private area and has a restaurant. The entrance costs R$20 per person.

How to get there: Usually visited with an agency during the tour Trilha das 4 praias, the Cachoeira do Tijuípe can also be done alone. The access is easy; by BA-001, at km 46, you must stop the car on the side of the road.

Cachoeira Bom Sossego

In contrast to the other waterfalls, the Cachoeira Bom Sossego has hot water all year. It is in a private area, 5,60 miles from the center. The place offers a park and a restaurant. A maintenance fee of R$10* per person is charged at the entrance.

How to get there: You can go by car. You just have to use the localization in the GPS.

Cachoeira de Noré

In Taboqueinhas, crossing the Contas River, it is the beautiful Cachoeira de Noré. With a 15 meters fall, this is the best waterfall in Itacaré for me. If you like extreme sports, know that you can practice rappeling there, an active offer by Ativa company.

For now, there is no entrance fee (it is a simple place with no infrastructure for tourists), but I recommend that the visitors contribute if Sr. Antônia, one of the owners of the place. Oh! He sells “geladinho de amendoim”, a kind of ice cream served in a plastic bag. It is delicious.

How to get there: This is a complex place to get on your own. In the center of Taboquinhas, you need to cross the river by ferryboat, walk for about 15 minutes, and take a moto cap that will cost about R$7*.

The question is that, when you arrive in the private area where the waterfall is located, you will walk, and they have a lot of dogs (some angry), so I think it is safer to go with a guide that knows the place and the dogs.

I met the Cachoeira de Noré during a day tour in the Fazenda Taboquinhas, a cocoa farm where Sr. Osvaldo presents the whole process of planting and harvesting cocoa and chocolate production. After lunch, we hike to the site where the Noré Waterfall is.

Tours

One of the ways to know the bests waterfalls and beaches in Itacaré with more comfort and security is with the tours organized by the companies. In our article with tips to who to get and what to do in Itacaré you will find tours like:

• Tour Jeribucaçu + Cachoeira da Usina
• 4 Beaches Trail + Cachoeira do Tijuípe

Sustainability

We know that sustainable tourism is the path to continue visiting preserved places. That is why we prepared some tips for you not just enjoy the waterfalls and beaches in Itacaré but also positively integrate with nature:

• Since you are already a lover of nature, how about reducing your waste during the trip and using yours to collect some trash at the beach and dispose of it correctly?
• Remember that stones and shells contribute to the ecosystem where they are found, so don’t take them home as souvenirs.
• Feeding animals seems to be an innocent act of interaction. However, besides our food not being appropriate for them, we are still accustoming the animals to become domesticated and dependent on humans for food, which is a great risk to their safety.
• Did you know that besides disturbing the people around you, loud music also disturbs the nearby animals? When we share the beach, trails, and waterfalls with the animals, the best thing is to enjoy nature’s music. Loud music, besides scaring the animals away, which hinders your experience of seeing, for example, monkeys, can also confuse the animals.

Let’s travel with more awareness and leave these destinations better than when we arrived!

Tips for the Adventurous

• Hire an agency or local guide: Besides generating income for the local community, you will have a richer experience in knowledge and be much safer.
• Make the trails during the day: At dusk, it is much easier to get lost.
• Don’t hike alone: If you get injured or have an accident, it is always better to have a companion who can go for help.
• Get travel insurance: You can count on 24×7 emergency medical assistance.
• Use appropriate hiking clothes and gear: Some items are indispensable for those seeking comfort, even during the most exciting adventures on the beaches and waterfalls of Itacaré. Our recommendations are sun-protective clothing, trekking shoes, a hat, and a hydration pack.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

So, which beach or waterfall in Itacaré are you most excited about? Leave your comment below ✍️.

Fox tip 🦊: Save the pin and access this article anytime during your trip.

* The prices mentioned were collected in March 2022 for reference only and are subject to change.

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