Getting around by boat and ferry Brésil Nordeste

Between Salvador and Morro de São Paulo, it is necessary to take a boat to reach either destination. Biotur is one of the agencies responsible for catamaran crossings from Salvador to Morro de São Paulo. You can contact them via the Internet to purchase tickets. When sailing to Morro de São Paulo, it is compulsory to pay an eco-environmental tax of R$20 per person, which is paid on boarding at Morro de São Paulo. Departures from Morro at 11.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and from Salvador at 9 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.

Boats to Morro de São Paulo leave every 30 minutes or so until 5.30pm. Conventional: approx. 2-hour journey. Lancha rapida : approx. 50-minute trip. Please note that about one boat a day (conventional) circumnavigates several islands before arriving at Morro, and the journey becomes very long (about 4 hours), so check before boarding. These means of transport are always very pleasant, but, as we specified for journeys between Morro de São Paulo and Salvador, the boat trip is longer.

The towns of São Luís and Alcântara are close together, but separated by the waters of São Marcos Bay. Boats link the two towns.

Alcântara: either on a large ferry-type boat, or on a catamaran, operated by the Barraqueiro and Luzitana companies: 1.5-hour crossing, sometimes rough, costing R$20. It's a good idea to buy your ticket in advance, as boarding can sometimes be slightly disorganized! Depending on the tide, the departure can be transferred from Ponta d'Areia. Departures for Alcântara at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., for São Luís at 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.

You'll need to take a ferry to get from Porto Seguro to Arraial d'Ajuda: in summer, boats leave as soon as they're full. Out of season, they leave every half-hour. Service can be chaotic. Ferries are sometimes overwhelmed by demand. The queue is long, and the short distance you have to travel seems interminable. We've been told that prices change frequently, and some users report prices that vary according to the mood of the staff. Plan ahead if you have a tight schedule (bus to catch...).

Open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm, the terminal serves several destinations, including Itaparica Island (Mar Grande), Morro de São Paulo and Maragojipe.

Mar Grande: every 30 minutes from 6am to 7.30pm.

Morro de São Paulo: four departures per day (8:30am, 9am, 1pm and 2:30pm). Two types of boats depending on the schedule and the company; 2.5 hour trip. During the summer, other departures are scheduled.

During Carnival and Christmas, it is better to buy tickets in advance

This terminal serves the island of Itaparica exclusively. On weekends and during the high season, a large number of Soteropolitanos go to the island. It is therefore necessary to anticipate well.

The first departure for Bom Despacho (Itaparica) is at 5:00 am (6:00 am on Sundays and holidays), then it leaves every hour until 10:00 pm. The last departure of the day is at 11:30 pm (1h30 between the second last and the last one).The trip lasts about 45 minutes.