Itacaré is quite a distance from the major cities in Brazil, with the closest being Salvador, a seven hour bus or car trip away. However, it is well worth the extra effort to travel to Itacaré as it is situated in one of Brazil's prettiest regions, with tropical rainforests, a magnificent coast and stunning beaches. The nearest airport is in Ilhéus which is only an hour away from Itacaré by road. Getting around Itacaré is easy by foot or local taxi.
Getting around or lazing around, you certainly won't regret your decision to come to Itacaré!
Our Itacare Transportation Guide below will give you all the transport advice you need for getting to, from and around Itacaré. Taking one of the exciting Itacare tours we have available is a great way to get your adrenaline fix, as well as learn about the surrounding region and culture. See our Brazil Transportation Guide for general information about travelling in Brazil.
Itacaré Transportation GuideGetting to Itacaré By Air
It takes around 15 hours by air from the US to reach Itacaré and involves some travel by road as well. The good news is that you don't get jet lagged reaching Itacaré at all. You can take non-stop flights to São Paulo from New York City, Houston, Miami or any other US city.
Flights to Itacaré usually take off in the evening and land in the morning. Time-wise, São Paulo is an hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
From
São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, you need to get to
Congonhas Domestic Airport; this transfer takes approximately one hour by taxi. There are options of flights from Guarulhos, too. The flight into Ilhéus takes two hours. Itacaré is a seventy minute drive from Ilhéus. You could request your local connection to arrange a pickup from here and watch the monkeys cross the road on tiny overhead footbridges on the drive to Itacaré. A stay in São Paulo may become essential depending upon your arrival time. There are also other options to take flights from Salvador to Ilheus.
While the closest airport to Itacaré is Ilhéus, the nearest international airport is Salvador and Porto Seguro. Flights arrive into Ilhéus daily from Salvador and Sao Paulo. Brazilian companies GOL and TAM operate these.
Ilhéus Airport is 70 km away from beautiful Itacaré. From here, you could either take a transfer for about R$120,00 or take a taxi to the Ilhéus bus station for around R$20,00. A bus from Ilheus to Itacaré would cost just R$8,00.
For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.
By Bus
Once in Ilhéus, Itacaré is just a 1 hour and 40 minute bus ride away. If you are flying into Salvador, it would take 7 hours to reach Ilhéus by bus. Rota to Itacaré from Itabuna would take two and a half hours by bus. From Salvador, you could find two weekly buses which would take a journey time of 8 hours to reach Itacaré.
If you are coming from Barra Grande, Camamu or Morro de Sao Paulo, you need to reach the south of Marau Peninsule and cross the river Contas by ferry. Your local operator, Eco Trip, operates in this sector and can help you with your journey to Itacaré from Marau Peninsule or Barra Grande.
Though the bus journey may take time and stop at a few different places, the camaraderie and banter with fellow passengers would make it thoroughly enjoyable!
By Car
If you are travelling by car, you can take the ferry boat from Salvador to Itaparica Island. Then drive on BA 001 through Nazaré-Valença-Camamu and Travessão. At Travessão, follow BR 101 south until you reach the road to Ilhéus via Uruçuca. Once in Ilhéus, follow signs to Praia do Norte (North Beach) and take the road to Itacaré, which would be approximately 65 km.
If you are driving in from the south, take BR 101 to Itabuna. From here, follow the road to Ilhéus and drive ahead to Praia do Norte (North Beach). This is where you will find the road to Itacaré.
Getting around Itacaré
If you choose to rent a car in Itacaré, you can work out your own timetable. Hotel shuttles have limited services, usually operating around dinner time. With a car, you can shop for groceries anytime and wouldn't be stranded for transport at night. Also, you could beat the daytime heat and pick and choose between the wide varieties of beaches in Itacaré. A small car would cost R$ 100 per day. The flip side would be missing the convenience of being driven to your hotel in a private taxi!
If you choose against renting a car, Itacaré is quite a small town and most places are within walking distance or a short taxi ride away (not costing more than R$ 10,00). If you are daring enough, the locals may give you a free ride on their scooters! Most tourists prefer to rent bikes for a couple of dollars and ride anywhere and everywhere.
