Santa Cruz Cabrália and Jaqueira Pataxó village in Brazil

About 10 minutes north of Coroa Vermelha (25 km north of Porto Seguro), Santa Cruz Cabrália is a delightful small town at the mouth of the Rio João de Tiba. It has a lovely beach, river port, and a 450-year-old church with a fine view. It is believed to be the site of the first landing in Brazil by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. A good trip from here is to

, a reef 50 minutes away by boat. It passes along the tranquil river to the reef with crystal waters and good snorkelling.

A 15-minute river crossing by ferry to a new road on the opposite bank gives easy access to the deserted beaches of

and

. As yet, few tourists make it to here, but the new road is certain to change this. Hourly buses run between Santa Cruz and Porto Seguro (23 km).

Some 8 km north of Porto Seguro, the beautiful and inspiring

indigenous reserve of Jaqueira is well worth a visit. Its traditional houses lie in the heart of a stand of native-owned rainforest. All the food is either grown or hunted using traditional techniques. And a small craft shop selling beautiful ceramics, sacred incense and art provides extra revenue. The project was conceived by two impressive

sisters who despaired at the loss of

culture in the villages of southern Bahia. Their eco- tourism and cultural recuperation model has completely rejuvenated

culture. Young people are speaking their own language again and rediscovering their identity. It is possible to visit or even stay in the village. Trips can be organized with

, www.portomondo.com, who work closely with the

. For further information visit www.rabarsa.com/pataxo.