Following a hectic six weeks in Rio de Janeiro, I made my way to Bahia to volunteer for about four weeks. I ended up in Serra Grande, a place that nobody I knew had ever even heard of.
That was exactly what I needed.
My goal was to slow down, barely spend any money, and recenter myself after a difficult stretch of long-term travel. Mission accomplished.
Serra Grande is a small coastal community in southern Bahia, located between Ilhéus and Itacaré and surrounded by the Atlantic Forest. It’s part of the municipality of Uruçuca and sits along the protected Itacaré–Serra Grande coastline, where dense forest meets some seriously beautiful beaches.
This isn’t the place I’d recommend if you’re looking for nightlife or a packed sightseeing itinerary. Serra Grande is somewhere to slow down—go to the beach, swim in a waterfall, eat fresh food, be around community of health conscious individuals, stargaze, spend time in nature, and give yourself some space.
For me, that was the entire point.
Getting to Serra Grande, Bahia
Serra Grande is roughly 30 kilometers south of Itacaré and can be reached from either Itacaré or Ilhéus.
I arrived all the way from Rio de Janeiro by bus, which turned into a journey of roughly two days.
Once you arrive, the village itself is small, and many of the places below can be reached on foot or with a short bus ride.
For accommodation, I personally stayed at Guava Hostel and would recommend it for an affordable, laid-back place with good vibes.
Things to Do in Serra Grande
RELAX AT PRAINHA
Prainha is one of the closest beaches to the village and feels like a secluded little paradise.
From the town square, it’s roughly a 15–20 minute walk, eventually taking you downhill toward a small cove surrounded by huge rocks. Waves crash against the rocks while the protected shape of the beach creates a much more intimate setting than the long stretches of coastline nearby.
The water was shallow when I visited, although you can venture farther out if you want to play around in the waves. There’s also a grassy area that’s perfect for simply lying down and doing absolutely nothing.
That’s kind of the point of Serra Grande.
TRY THE LOCAL GELATO
For such a small place, Serra Grande has some seriously good gelato.
Two places I enjoyed were Gelart and Gelado da Praia.
Gelart had a large selection of affordable artisanal flavors. My personal favorites were doce de leite and coco com abacaxi.
Gelado da Praia had more of a small-batch feel, with specialized flavors and excellent ingredients. It was more expensive, but the quality reflected it.
SWIM AT CACHOEIRA DO TIJUÍPE
I loved Cachoeira do Tijuípe.
The water was the perfect temperature, the current wasn’t too strong, and the surrounding scenery was incredibly calming. There’s even an area where you can kayak near the waterfall.
I reached Tijuípe by catching a bus from Serra Grande and telling the driver where I was going.
Transportation fares and entrance prices can change, so I’d ask locally for the current bus schedule and admission fee rather than relying on an old fixed price.
Stargazing on the Beaches of Serra Grande
One of my favorite things about staying somewhere this quiet was how dark the surrounding coastline could become at night.
I chose Praia do Sargi and Praia do Pompilho because I’d already explored the area and found them more practical for what I wanted to do. Some of the other beaches involve trails and elevation changes that I wouldn’t recommend navigating for the first time in complete darkness.
PRAIA DO SARGI
I had no idea how visible the stars were going to be here.
I arrived about an hour after sunset and tons of stars were already shining brightly. I could even make out part of the Milky Way.
Unfortunately, my camera wasn’t good enough to capture what I was seeing.
Praia do Sargi is a long, quiet stretch of coastline south of Serra Grande. Under clear skies around a new moon, I’d imagine the view could be even more impressive.
PRAIA DO POMPILHO
Praia do Pompilho is another extremely quiet beach where I spent time during the day.
I literally had the entire beach to myself.
The section I visited required a short trail through the vegetation, and the surrounding forest made the area feel remarkably isolated. I think it has excellent potential for stargazing, but there’s an important catch: getting back after dark.
The trail and much of the surrounding area can become extremely dark, with little or no street lighting.
If you’re considering doing what I did, I’d recommend arriving before sunset, knowing your route beforehand, bringing a proper flashlight, and being prepared for the walk back.
Experience Sarau Serra Viva
Sarau Serra Viva is a community cultural event held in Serra Grande on the second Saturday of each month.
The event brings together local arts and crafts, food, cultural activities, and live performances around Praça Pedro Gomes.
The atmosphere is wholesome and relaxed and, for me, really exemplified the personality of Serra Grande.
It’s a great time.
Wellness & Slow Travel in Serra Grande
Serra Grande has a noticeable wellness culture, with meetups and services centered around physical and mental well-being.
While I was there, flyers advertising different services and gatherings were posted around the main square, bus stop, stores, and restaurants. Combined with the beaches, surrounding forest, fresh food, and slower pace of life, there’s a health-conscious and alternative side to the community that fits naturally with the setting.
That atmosphere was particularly meaningful to me because I hadn’t come to Serra Grande looking for an action-packed vacation.
I needed somewhere to recover.
After spending months traveling and dealing with some of the anxiety and sleep deprivation that can accompany long-term travel, Serra Grande gave me somewhere quiet to reset. Beaches, nature, simple routines, and having fewer things demanding my attention were exactly what I needed at that point.
Sometimes traveling isn’t about seeing as much as possible.
Sometimes you need to stop.
Fresh Food, Fruit & Cacao
There are several small fruterias around town where you can stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables.
I also liked Empório, a small health-food store selling everything from cacao products and bulk nuts to dried fruit, pastries, teas, refrigerated foods, and bath and body products.
Cacao is particularly appropriate here. Southern Bahia has a long connection to cacao cultivation, and Serra Grande sits along Bahia’s Costa do Cacau, where Atlantic Forest, beaches, small communities, and cacao agriculture all come together.
It’s another little detail that gives this part of Bahia its own identity.
Volunteering in Serra Grande
I didn’t come to Serra Grande simply as a tourist. I spent about four weeks here while volunteering, which gave me considerably more time to settle into the rhythm of the community than I would have had during a normal beach trip.
Volunteering has been part of some of my longer trips—including experiences here in Brazil and in Chile—and it can be an excellent way to travel more slowly, reduce expenses, and spend more time getting to know a place.
In Serra Grande, that slower routine was exactly what I was looking for.
Is Serra Grande Worth Visiting?
Serra Grande isn’t somewhere I’d tell everyone traveling through Brazil that they absolutely have to visit.
That’s part of why I liked it.
If you’re already traveling through southern Bahia—particularly around Itacaré or Ilhéus—and want a quieter beach destination where you can slow down for a few days, Serra Grande is worth considering.
Come here for beaches without massive crowds, Atlantic Forest, waterfalls, fresh food, wellness, stargazing, and the opportunity to temporarily remove yourself from the intensity of traveling around Brazil.
I came here after six hectic weeks in Rio needing to recenter myself.
I left feeling like I had.
Sometimes that’s enough reason to go somewhere.
