The Great Brazilian Road Trip gets lost but ends up in paradise.
Caraíva
When people ask me to name my favorite stop on our road trip, the answer is easy: Caraíva.
Why?
It's the whole vibe. It's magic.
Let me explain:
It's remote. To get there, you have to drive, then catch a row boat, then a walk or ride a horse-drawn cart to get to your hotel.
However, it's not so remote that you sacrifice creature comforts. The little river peninsula has several bars and restaurants and some hotels even have air conditioning.
Despite these creature comforts, the Caraíva crowd maintains a free-spirited, down-to-earth feeling. These kinds of people are my kinds of people.
Finally, it's simply beautiful: the beaches, the river, the village hidden amongst the trees. How could you not fall madly in-love?
Things to Do
1. Play in the River – the touristic part of Caraiva is partially separated from the “main land” by Rio Caraiva. The river mouth is a popular hang-out for couples and families alike. For those feeling slightly adventurous, the middle of the river has a gentle but fast-moving current. If you lift up your feet and lie on your back, it will whisk you past the sunbathers on what feels like a natural water slide.
…. It may not look “cool” but it’s guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again.
2. Kite Surfing – While we are not kite surfers, we enjoyed watching a few catch some waves. We're adding this to the list of things to try "one day."
3. Relax – If you’re in a mellow mood, Caraiva has plenty of options that provide maximum enjoyment for minimal effort. Our hotel included top-notch live music in their beachside café every afternoon which was phenomenal. At the very least, we recommend enjoying a cocktail on the beach.
4. Buggy Tour – We had big plans to actually do this on this leg of the trip, but never got around to it. Apparently, there’s much more to explore than the absolute paradise of Caraiva.
Getting There
In short: Don't trust Waze.
After some car trouble caused some delays, we were eager to get to Caraiva. We collected REX from the mechanic in Porto Seguro and quickly typed "Caraiva" into Waze. The directions seemed straight forward so off we went. It wasn't until much later that we realized Waze had sent us the long (wrong) way around, via the BR-101 freeway. The locals tell you to go via Trancoso instead.
As it started to get dark, we found ourselves on a farm road between eucalyptus plantations (see blue dot on map).
A rusted, dusty sign suggested Caraiva was to the right, but Waze instructed us to stay left. Since we had no cell signal, we had no way to check the map and decided once again to trust Waze.
After 30 minutes of driving in circles around a tree farm, we admitted defeat and returned to the sign.
Of course, as we did, we passed a family who looked just as lost as we were. It seems we aren't the only ones to blindly trust Waze.
The whole trip was supposed to take 2.5 hours. When we finally arrived at the Caraiva ferry, we'd been on the road for almost 4.
Lesson Learned: Use Google Maps.
Arriving in Caraiva
The touristic part of Caraiva is car-free which means you have to park your car before catching the "ferry." Depending on where you park, you'll likely need to hike up, over, and down a hill in order to reach the "ferry" loading dock.
Unlike Morro de Sao Paulo, there are no luggage porters to help you with the journey. Pack light. Really light.
The "ferry" into the village of Caraiva is actually a row boat. Each boat can seat roughly 8 people, assuming each person is carrying luggage no larger than a backpack.
By the time we arrived, it was completely dark. I wanted to arrive in daylight so I could properly appreciate the magic of the place, but I'm so glad we didn't.
We boarded the boat and our captain put his oar in the water, quietly pushing us across the river to the lights on the other side. I looked up to see we were surrounded by stars. For a moment, it felt like we were floating through the sky.
Although I didn't get a picture, this memory will stay with me forever.
~* MAGIC *~
On the other side of the river, you have the option to walk to your hotel or pay to ride a horse-drawn cart. After discovering our hotel was a 20-minute walk from the ferry (in the dark), we decided to spring for some horse-y help. Honestly, I don't know how we would have found the place without him as there are no street signs. Well-worth the investment.
Overall
Caraiva is our favorite road trip destination for a reason: it's magic.
The village, the people, and the stunning natural beauty all conspire to create paradise.
The journey to get there requires good directions and patience but, in the end, is half the fun. Use Google Maps, and, when in doubt, ask a local for advice.
The important thing is that you go. Just go. You'll see what we mean when you get there.