Bahia Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
state in the Northeast Region of Brazil
About Bahia
When the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil (April 22, 1500) they landed on the soil today known as Bahia. In Portuguese, the word "bay" is translated "baia". Salvador, Bahia's capital, was founded by Portuguese explorers in 1549. The city lays on a peninsula located in between "All Saints Bay" and the Atlantic Ocean. Every time people talked about Salvador, they referred to it as, "the province with the bay in it". Later on, the province would be officially named "The Province of Bahia" (the province of the bay). The spelling of the word "bay" (baia) was changed in order to make the province's name unique. Salvador-Bahia became Brazil's first capital back when the country was one of Portugal's colonies, and remained like that for 214 years (until it was transferred to Rio, and finally to
Top Attractions in Bahia
Explore the best things to see and do in Bahia:
- ★Discovery National Park
- ★Monte Pascoal National Park
- ★PAU Brazil CEPLAC Experimental Station
- ★Pau Brazil National Park
- ★Una Biological Reserve
- ★Veracruz Station
Bahia Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 14 sections including: