Where life rolls with the tides

WE stood, soaked and shivering, under the awning of a roadside bar. The vibrant colonial city of Salvador was two bus trips and a ferry ride behind us, and the nearest town was miles away. As the rain crashed around us, we were beginning to wonder whether the speedboat that was to pick us up for the final leg of our journey would show.

You don’t come to a place like Boipeba island -- a place of alluring, empty beaches, where you can stroll along the turquoise water for miles without running into many people -- without a little drama.

There are no cars on this outpost in the Brazilian province of Bahia. The only road is a sandy tractor path. The place is accessible only by boat. And apparently, ours had been expecting us an hour earlier.

But soon enough, a man using a garbage bag to shield himself from the rain grabbed our bags and waved us toward the docks. My wife, Erin, and I hopped onto his boat and zipped off into the lush mangrove as the rain clouds yielded to a silvery blue horizon. The occasional heron loitering by the riverbanks glanced our way.

We eventually landed on a white sand beach, where a handful of huts served the day’s catch. A group of children played soccer on a sandbar in the distance. Some fellow backpackers swung in hammocks outside a handful of colorful cottages at the edge of the beach. Any regrets I may have had about not joining the hordes at one of the more easily accessible beach destinations in northeastern Brazil melted away.

We had been skeptical about our choice. We had been lured more than once to supposedly cool ocean-side resorts that seemed, to us, more like packed theme parks. The most recent disappointment was a trip through Mexico’s Yucatan that ended in Playa del Carmen, where we crowded onto the sand with what felt like half of New Jersey.

This was different.

We walked down a path through the tropical foliage about a football field from the beach and entered the Pousada Santa Clara, a tranquil inn run by American brothers Charles and Mark Levitan.

Guests stay in tiled cottages patterned with cheerful mosaics, bright shutters and soft hammocks swinging from private balconies. Ours was a duplex encircled by large banana trees with a view of the sea from upstairs.

At night, you can go to the elegant outdoor dining room, under a palapa, where Mark serves phenomenal dishes, such as Vietnamese chicken with green papaya salad and fresh crab and coconut stew.

Not bad for a place with a brochure rate of $45 a night.

We did share our room with a few small lizards, the occasional crazy-looking bug and even an unidentifiable small mammal that poked its head in the window one night. Think of it as luxury indoor camping. TV and air conditioning? Out of the question.

Not that you will miss them. The climate on Boipeba is balmy most of the year, with temperatures in the 80s and a steady ocean breeze.

Most tourists come here on day trips from nearby Morro de Sao Paulo island, which is jammed with backpackers and vacationing families. They have lunch on one of the two main beaches and leave. The rest of Boipeba is nearly deserted. That leaves miles of shoreline to explore on your own.

Walking along the long stretches of beach, you might pass the occasional sunbather or surfer. Or you might go for miles, soaking in the stunning scenery and pausing here and there for a dip in the warm ocean water, without passing anyone at all.

At one point, after walking a few miles, I was sure I had reached the end of the line. The beach came to an abrupt end into a shallow river. On the other side was a fenced-off patch of land with a few horses and cows. I waded across the river to take a closer look. And there was a sign inviting me to walk right into the farm. A path took me to another spectacular beach, and I continued my hike.

On the way back to the village, I met Guido, who has become a legend among travelers. Guido, an enterprising sort, lugged plastic furniture and a grill to one of the most scenic corners of Boipeba a couple of miles from the main village. He cooks fresh lobster for whomever happens upon him.

A giant lobster dinner, complete with rice, beans, drawn butter and coconut juice served in its shell, will cost you about $7; it’s all served on a table he sets up right at the high tide line. Farther down the island, he and his wife have a shack of a restaurant with a more complete menu that includes fried fish and ice-cold cans of Skol, a beer popular in this part of Brazil.

Though I could have easily passed my time in Boipeba strolling the beaches and chilling out in the hammock outside our room, there are plenty of activities.

Horseback riding, diving, sailing and hiking excursions can all be arranged. You can expect the small band of guides, or guias, who lead these adventures to find you.

At breakfast one morning, a young guy wearing a tank top that said “Adriaino: Guia Local” approached us and asked, with translation help from the innkeeper, whether we wanted to go to the tidal pools farther out in the ocean to snorkel. We had heard this was a trip not to be missed. An expat British couple sitting near us had gone to the pools on an earlier visit to Boipeba and offered rave reviews. We gave Adriaino the thumbs up, which is what people still do in Brazil, and negotiated a rate of $18 for both of us.

Half an hour later, we were boarding a rickety fishing boat. Another couple from the inn hopped on with us, and we then began collecting all of our captain’s friends, including a 20-ish guy with bloodshot eyes whose tropical island attire included a wool knit hat.

By the time we headed out to the open sea, we had picked up a tattooed couple who smelled like a Grateful Dead concert, a guy wearing nothing but a Speedo with a pack of cigarettes tucked into it, his thong-clad girlfriend, a yelping mutt with a puppy. There were four life preservers for the 12 of us.

Did I mention that Boipeba is extremely laid-back?

We never made it to the tidal pools. Rough seas forced the boat back to the island, where we all hopped out in front of a snack bar that happened to be owned by Adriaino’s friend. Adriaino promptly claimed a hammock in the back and went to sleep. We didn’t see him again until he came to collect his money.

No matter. We would still have an adventure.

A walk on the wildflower side

IT was a stunningly beautiful day and a nearby hiking path beckoned. We set out with our new friends from the pousada to make the few-miles trek back. The trip took us to the top of a small mountain with gorgeous views. We ran into an old man carrying a few bags, who told us we had about an hour walk ahead of us but to leave three hours so we could stop to enjoy the wildflowers.

“God bless you,” our friend said to him in Portuguese. “God bless you twice,” he replied.

That’s the way people are in Boipeba.

One day we had to stop in the office of the island’s only doctor so Erin could get a skin rash checked. The doctor, a pleasant woman from Bolivia, wrote up a prescription and sent us on our way with no charge. Later that night, we saw her working the oven at the town’s pizza joint, which was owned by her husband. She came out to greet us and follow up on Erin’s health.

As we hiked back to the village, a tractor pulling a cart behind it came rumbling down the path and stopped right in front of us. The field workers aboard waved for us to hop on. So we did. We all grabbed on to the side rails and braced ourselves for what became a memorable -- if bumpy -- ride back into town.

They let us off near the town landmark, a weedy soccer field where intra-island matches routinely attract the entire community. The first day we were on the island, we pulled up a chair on the deck of one of the small bars surrounding the field and settled in to watch the game. Now the field was empty, save for a few small children who dribbled a ball into our path. After passing it back to them, we got a hearty thumbs up.

We strolled over to a beach cafe, ordered some coconut juice and settled in for another fabulous sunset -- and for a brief moment wondered why anyone would go to a place like Playa del Carmen.

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Brazil, vivacious and laid-back

GETTING THERE:

From LAX, connecting service (change of plane) to Salvador, Brazil, is available on American, Continental, Delta, Copa and Lan. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $1,286.

Getting to the island of Boipeba is trickier. For a price, innkeepers can arrange private transportation from Salvador by small plane or boat. The less-expensive route begins at the Sao Joaquim ferry terminal in Salvador, where you take the 25-minute catamaran ferry to Bom Despacho, Itaparica ($2.50). From there, hop on a bus to Valenca or Graciosa ($5), a two-hour trip. Boats leave Graciosa at 2 p.m. daily for the 2 1/2 -hour trip to Boipeba ($5). Or your inn can arrange for a speedboat to get you there faster (from $125 for up to six people). If you land in Valenca, catch the bus to Torrinhas (11 a.m. or 2 p.m. every day but Sunday; $5), which connects to a boat waiting to take you on a one-hour ride to Boipeba.

TELEPHONES:

To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code), 55 (country code for Brazil) and the local number.

WHERE TO STAY:

In Salvador

Pousada do Boqueirao, 48 Rua Direita do Santo Antonio; 71-3241-2262; www.pousadaboqueirao.com.br. Ricky Martin filmed his “Jaleo” video in one of the 10 rooms, which have sheer curtains that flutter when the bay breeze comes through the French doors. Rates begin at $85 for two, including breakfast, except at peak times (Dec. 26-Jan. 4 and during Carnival).

Pousada Redfish, 1 Ladeira do Boqueirao; 71-3243-8473; www.hotelredfish.com. This 18-room hotel, a 10-minute walk from the main square, offers modern amenities -- air conditioning, refrigerators and Internet access -- and authentic regional charm: 12-foot-high ceilings, plantation shutters and balconies with bay views. Doubles from $112. Includes a full breakfast.

Vila Gale, 320 Rua Morro Escravo Miguel; 71-3263-8888; www.vilagale.com.br. This 200-room hotel with cookie-cutter rooms but ocean views is an easy walk along the mosaic-stone boardwalk to the Barra’s restaurants and bars. Doubles begin at $177.

In Boipeba

Pousada Santa Clara, 75-3653-6085, www.santaclaraboipeba.com, is tucked among the banana trees and other tropical foliage a short walk from the beach. Mosaics, ceramics and other artwork on the grounds complement the brightly painted bungalows. The dining room is a giant palapa in the middle of it all where the dishes and drinks are divine. Doubles begin at $40, depending on season and room size. Entrees in the restaurant: $12.

Pousada Vila Sereia, 75-3653-6045, www.ilhaboipeba.org.br/en/vilasereia.html. Best option if you want to stay right on the beach. Four two-story cabins with patios, hammocks and sea views. Some have outdoor showers with a view. Pretty garden. Doubles from $89.

Pousada Sossego, 75-3653-6009, www.ilhaboipeba.org.br/en/sossego.html. Threadbare rooms in the village at rock-bottom prices. Friendly atmosphere. Tours and guiding services available from Marcos. Doubles from $28.

WHERE TO EAT:

In Salvador

Maria Mata Mouro, 8 Rua Inacio Accioli; 71-3321-3929, www.mariamatamouro.com.br. The dining room has dark wood panels and a handful of tables with crisp linens. I chose the covered patio to sit among the vines and enjoyed a glass of Casa Valduga wine and fish stew. The cost was about $32.

Sorriso da Dada, 5 Rua Frei Vicente; 71-3321-9642. Known for its authentic Bahian cuisine. Entrees $12-$41.

Villas Churrascaria, 2326 Avenida Otavio Mangabeira; 71-3240 2546. Unlimited amounts of quality food and condiments at this busy churrascaria. Entrees $14-$40.

Trapiche Adelaide, 2 Praca dos Tupinambas; 71-3326-2211, www.trapicheadelaide.com.br. This elegant restaurant in the ritzy Bahia Design Center, which houses fine-art galleries, wine shops and boutiques, dishes up a luscious bay view along with Italian and French cuisine with a regional twist. Our group of six started with a bottle of Brazilian Dom Candido Reserve Merlot and three appetizers: fresh salmon carpaccio with toasted almonds, filet mignon carpaccio with truffle oil and a pear salad with goat cheese. For entrees, we ordered succulent prawns, shrimp, beef filet, quail, duck and risotto. Rich desserts of caramelized walnut terrine with mango, whipped papaya with cassis liquor and melted chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream had to be shared. About $40 a person.

In Boipeba

Guido’s is on one of the island’s prettiest beaches. Just keep walking until you get there. Guido pulls down one of the plastic tables he stores on the branches of a shade tree, sets you up at the tide mark and gets to work on his portable stove cooking fresh lobsters. Lunch for one: $7.

Mar e Coco is a place to sit on a beach chair, order a beer and enjoy the catch of the day prepared any number of ways: stewed Bahian style in coconut milk and palm oil, fried or grilled. One of many such places. This is the best in Morere, a nice long walk from Boipeba village. Dishes for two: $18-$22.

Barraca Brilho do Sol is the best beach seafood joint in Boipeba. Similar menu to Mar e Coco. Dishes for two: $18-$22.

Panela de Barro in the heart of the village, near the pharmacy, simple Bahian home cooking. Not fancy, but hearty. Open for lunch and dinner. $8 per meal.

WHAT TO DO:

In Boipeba

Grab one of the guys walking around the island wearing “guia turista” shirts. Or have your hotel recommend a guide. They can arrange most any activity for you. Prices negotiable.

Take a day-long hike into the more remote parts of the island ($15), snorkel in the tidal pools ($15), or have a harrowing jeep journey to the more developed party town Morro de Sao Paulo ($50). Horseback riding can also be arranged, as well as sailboat cruises. Or you may opt for a tractor on the sandy mountain path that serves as the island’s de facto road.

Long walks on beaches, lazing around in hammocks and gazing at the ocean while sipping the juice out of a coconut are fine ways to pass the time. Or stroll into town to watch a soccer match.

TO LEARN MORE

Bahiatursa Information Office, 12 Rua Francisco Muniz Barreto, 71-3321-2463; www.bahia.com.br or www.braziltourism.org.

Assn. of Residents and Friends of Boipeba, Rua Comendador Madureira, www.amabo.org.br.

Brazilian Consulate, (323) 651-2664, www.brazilian-consulate.org.

-- Janet Eastman and Evan Halper