Schooner to Ilha dos Frades & Itaparica: Salvador Day Cruise in Todos os Santos Bay
Difficulty
easy
Duration
8 hours
Fitness Level
Light fitness—able to board a small boat, walk short uneven ramps, and swim if desired.
Overview
Sail from Salvador into the expansive Todos os Santos Bay on a day-long schooner cruise that stops for swimming and snorkeling at Ilha dos Frades and a beachfront lunch on Itaparica. Expect forts, coastal panoramas and warm shallow waters ideal for a relaxed island day.
Schooner to Ilha dos Frades & Itaparica: Salvador Day Cruise in Todos os Santos Bay
Select participants and date
The schooner slips away from Salvador’s nautical terminal at first light, the city’s pastel facades shrinking into the glitter of Baía de Todos os Santos. Salted air fills the rigging as the vessel threads past São Marcelo Fort — a round, sea-bound outpost that seems to hold the mouth of the bay like an old guard. From the deck you watch Bonfim’s white church and the low curve of the Itapagipe peninsula pass by, the city offering a slow seaside goodbye before the water widens and the islands start to assert themselves.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Bring cash for island access
Ilha dos Frades charges an entry fee and many stalls accept only cash—withdraw before departure.
Choose reef‑safe sunscreen
Protect marine life and avoid skin irritation while snorkeling in the bay’s clear shallows.
Wear water shoes
Beaches can have cobble or coral; lightweight reef shoes make swim and shore transitions easier.
Plan for an early start and sunset return
Boarding at 07:00 yields gentler seas in the morning and a golden return trip across the bay.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Tropical reef fish (parrotfish, sergeant majors)
- Coastal seabirds (frigatebirds and terns)
History
Todos os Santos Bay was a strategic colonial anchorage — forts like São Marcelo and Monte Serrat guarded shipping routes and remain visible from the cruise.
Conservation
Visitors are asked to use reef‑safe sunscreen, avoid touching corals and to respect local entry fees that help sustain island communities.
Select participants and date
Adventure Hotspots in Salvador
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Reef‑safe sunscreen
Protects your skin and the bay’s coral and fish while you snorkel or sun on deck.
summer specific
Water shoes
Useful for rocky shorelines and shallow reefs at Ilha dos Frades.
summer specific
Quick‑dry towel and swimsuit
Essential for swimming, snorkeling and drying off between stops.
summer specific
Dry bag or waterproof phone case
Keeps valuables and electronics safe from splashes and brief rain.