Marau, state Bahia

Марау, штат Баия См. Фото-галерею

Maraú was founded in 1705 by Italian Capuchins monks on a site of and Indians settlement called "Mayrahú". No one knows about the disappearance of this Indians tribe nor to which branch it belonged.
In 1717 the district of Mayrahú was officially created and the chapel constructed by the Capuchins was raised to the category of parish, under the name of "São Sebastião de Mayrahú", by the archbishop Dom Sebastião Monteiro da Vide. The parish was raised to the category of village in 1761.

March 30, 1938, the village became an independent county and received the current name of "Maraú". In 1860, England obtained the right to install a kerosene destillation factory in Maraú. The factory functioned during 4 years on the banks of Rio Maraú. It employed approximately 500 workmen and had an internal railroad with two locomotives. It produced kerosene, but also candles, soap, sulfuric acid and waxed paper to wrap food. The ruins of the factory and the tracks of the railroad have remained until today.

The town of Maraú is an good starting point to explore Rio Maraú, which is the part of the Camamu Bay that separates the Peninsula and the rest of the continent. Rio Maraú is rarely visited by tourists who prefer the beaches of the Peninsula. By the way, there are many beautiful landscapes to be visited in the Rio Maraú area, with mangroves, forests and waterfalls.

The small fishing village of Tremembé is almost at the end of Rio Maraú. The great attraction of this place is a great waterfall that falls directly into the water of the bay (photo below). The village and the personality of its inhabitants is worth spending a moment there. Few places on the Brazilian coast have succeeded in preserving their charm and their environment. Barra Grande is one of them. Far from the most famous tourist centers, this peaceful village and its splendid beaches fascinate everyone who goes there.

Because of the difficult access this place has preserved the typical atmosphere of an old fishermen village. Simple charming houses are surrounded by gardens with many flowers, coconut palms and mango trees. Children play on the sand in the middle of the street. Few cars circulate there. The quiet life of the population is rythmed by tide and bird songs.

The way of life of Barra Grande is contagious. It is not rare to find people who fell in love with the place and decided to stay. There is now in the village an international community who lives in harmony with the local fishermen. The cultural diversity of Barra Grande is reflected in the variety of bars and restaurants.

The longest beaches are located on the ocean side of the Peninsula. With strong waves, good for surfing, they have white sand and coral reefs which form natural swimming pools at low tide. On the other side of the Peninsula, facing the Camamu Bay, beaches are smaller, with calm and not very deep water.

From Barra Grande, a short walk by the beach takes you to Ponta do Mutá, which is the northest point of the Peninsula, facing the ocean. There are beautiful rocks that arise above-water. A lighthouse marks the entrance of the bay where a Portuguese fort existed in the past. There are some pousadas and a camp-site here.