Diogo

Even more bucolic and less visited than Imbassaí [1] is Diogo, 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north. In fact, Diogo is so small that it barely rates as a village. It is reached by turning off the Linha Verde [2] highway and following a mostly sandy track (if you are traveling by bus, this means walking a couple of kilometers).

Its most sophisticated accommodation option is the Pousada Too Cool na Bahia (tel. 71/9952-2190, www.toocoolnabahia.com [3], R$90), with eight simple, but comfortable bungalows set in sand dunes and shaded by large fruit trees. You’ll have to walk 15 minutes through a stunning white dunescape to reach the beach of Santo Antônio, which—aside from a couple of simple barracas serving fresh fish, seafood, and icy beer—is inevitably deserted.

From Diogo onwards, following the BA-099, the unspoiled beaches continue north without interruption. The tiny settlement of Massarandupió (115 kilometers/71 miles from Salvador) is famous for its nude beach. Baixio (150 kilometers/93 miles) has a lovely crystal blue lagoon as well as wonderful beaches.

And Sítio do Conde (200 kilometers/124 miles), which is accessible from Conde, on the Linha Verde [2], is a lazy spot flooded with white sand and coconut palms. From here, you can access the remote beauties of Siribinha and Barra de Itariri beaches.