Salvador

Obroni, the web page looks good!! I'm planning a trip to Salvador next April. Where is a nice hotel close to the action?

I see so few posts in this section. Is this city really that dead for the mongering scene or for picking up non-pros?

Hmmmm, maybe I need to re-think visiting here for a few days of fun and relaxation.

The Chacal

Salvador kinda sucks for hobbying IMO -- been there twice and disappointed both times. Great city for culture, though. Read my reports on how to make the most of Sal.

JW

Has anyone on this page celebrated Carnival in Salvador de Bahia? I'm considering taking the tour that's sponsored by Brazil Men's club. Any information is appreciated.

Thanks

Doesn't anyone do any research before they travel to Brazil?

I'm traveling to Salvador for the culture as well as the women. For those of you talking about race ALL the time why don't you start your own web site where you can blather on about race and culture as much as you want!

Boa noite.

Does anyone have information on Carnival in Salvador?

Guys,

I was in Salvador last year and I got bored really quickly there. If you like churches and african music its the place for you. I stayed in one of the youth hostels in the old part of the town (Cidade Alta).

One night I was wondering around in center and came across a place that looked abit strange. Its on a corner in one of the main squares. The doormen are wearing tuxedo's and the entrance is 15 reais. Mostly locals go there. At first I didn't get it. Sometimes you see girls stripping and sometimes they would goto a table and strip for the people at the table.

After asking an italian guy there I got the picture. Anyway, so I spotted this hot looking chica who obviously was a halfblood. She was hot, tight ass, big tits. Smoking. So I asked here to come and sit with me and then she explained. We could go to a hotel, we could go to a room or in a little room basically in the bar. I didn't want to go to a hotel because I didn't trust it. Alot of stories that the boyfriend is waiting there for you. So I chose for the little room.

We went there and there was a chair in it. She took of here clothes and what a body she had. big tits, tight ass. Fantastic. After giving me a covered BJ (first thing she did is put on the condom) I sat down and she rode me reverse cowgirl. Great sex. The whole thing cost me 35 reais. 10 euros.

After that the placed was closing. We went for drink and she showed me the hotel. It looked pretty good and safe. I asked her if she wanted to join to on my trip to Morro de Sao Paolo and she said yes and gave me her phone number. I explained her that I would not pay her but that she could join me and she agreed. She would be my companian as she put it. We kissed a little after that and she took a taxi home. I didn't get a chance to call her as I left very that morning and I wasn't travelling alone.

She said that there were more places like this one and in the newspaper you will find lots of ads from girls looking for companians. salvador has alot of beautifull girls. If you go towards the bus station the city gets better and clubs in the lower part of the city have many beautiful non-pro girls. The brazilians themselves are always very positive about Salvador.

There are mongering possibilities but its not as easy or as centralised as in Rio.

I think Portuguese is a must in this town if you want to have some fun with girls though.

Happy mongering

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Fred A, Leif

I have been to Salvador four times and twice to the Carnaval. Each time six nights out from 8pm to 8 am. I could write for hours about it so please let me know what interests you. Maybe I can be of help.

Palau Pearl

Palau,

I'm planning a trip to Salvador. I would like to attend Carnival 2005, but I'm getting two different dates. I need to know where the hot spots are as far as meeting females and a good hotel, apartment or house in the area. There will be four single men traveling in my group. We're looking to stay a week, chase the females and eat good food. Any assistamts will be greatly appreciated.

FredA

Fred A, Leif

Here is my „wisdom“ on the Salvador Carnaval. IMHO one of the best fiestas around the world, for sure.

The dates

Programe seus futuros carnavais
2005: 03 a 08/Fevereiro
2006: 23 a 28/Fevereiro
2007: 15 a 20/Fevereiro
2008: 31/01 a 05/Fevereiro
2009: 19 a 24/Fevereiro
2010: 11 a 16/Fevereiro

Next year’s Carnaval is scheduled from February 3 to February 8, 2005. Dates up to 2010 can be seen in the table above.

The routes

Salvador’s carnival follows two major routes commonly referred to as (i) Barra/Ondia and (ii) Avenida. Smaller Carnaval events are held in the old part of town called Pelourinho and elsewhere. I would suggest you go to the second half of the Barra/Ondina route which runs by the ocean from the Farol do Barra (Lighthouse of Barra) to Ondina . The Avenida route is in the center of Salvador and considered more dangerous.


How does it work?

You may be aware that the Salvador Carnaval is very different to the one in Rio. So called “Trio Electricos”, large trucks/trailer and support vehicles, ply the major routes with some of the best Brazilian bands playing on their roofs. People that hold a thick rope form large cordoned-off areas around the trucks, called “Blocos”. You can get inside this fenced area and party but must purchase a t-shirt beforehand acting as admission ticket. You can pre-order these t-shirts for example through:

http://www.centraldocarnaval.com.br/index.asp or try to purchase them once you are there. The A Tarde newspaper http://www.atarde.com.br/ has a grey market for them in the days leading up to the Carnaval. If you do not want to walk with the band inside one of the blocos, you can get into Camarotes (elevated tribunes), dozens of which are set up along the Carnaval routes. To gain entrance you will also have to purchase a t-shirt. Alternatively you just hang out along the Carnaval route as most people do – it is completely free. This is my favorite way of spending the Carnaval. My suggestions would be to do a bit of everything and you’ll see what you like best. There is a wealth of information about the Carnaval under http://www.carnaval.salvador.ba.gov.br/index.asp .

Where to stay

I do not have first hand experience about how to find accommodation as I stay with friends. There are a number of hotels along the Barra/Ondia route. The Bahia Othon Hotel is an up-market hotel at the end of the Carnaval route and has a Camarote set up during Carnaval. Other hotels include the Ondina Apart Hotel, the Vila Gale Hotel etc. Whether they are visitor friendly I do not know. There are previous reports about monger-friendly pousadas. Many people also rent apartments. Try the internet for it. My suggestion would be to rent either in Barra or Ondina or along the “Orla” highway leading north towards Itapua along the ocean.

Restaurants

My favourite places are the Churrascerias where you have buffets with appetizers and then eat meat until you explode. Boi Preto opposite the Aeroclube is a good place. At the Carnaval you must try a drink called capeta. A capeta is, literally, a devil. A good capeta is made with chocolate, ground peanuts, condensed milk, vodka (usually cheap, but you can ask for Smirnoff or Orloff and hope that that's actually what's in the bottle), and guaraná. Guaraná is a powder derived from ground seeds and it's an upper, kind of like coffee. Great for chasing after and banging the chicas.

Chicas

At times other than the Carnaval, Casquinha de Siri http://www.casquinhadesiri.com.br/ is the best place to find amateurs / semi-pros. Other good places include the Aeroclube shopping mall – yes shopping mall. It has a good club/ discotheque. During Carnaval, however, these places are likely to be somewhat less frequented as everybody is attending Carnaval. My suggestion would be to get a girl from Casquinha before the Carnaval starts, or try one of the accompanhantes at http://www.cyberclass.com.br/ or from http://www.asninfetas.com.br . I personally haven’t tried them. Less certain in terms of success, but maybe more fun, is to hang out by the carnaval route and just talk to the chicas. My Brazilian secretary calls it the best hunting ground for men she knows. Some Portuguese is advantageous. I just blabber on with my extremely limited Spanish/Italian/Portuguese language mix and give them tons of compliments - it works. Just be very nice. Be prepared to flirt hard though – it’s a must with the regular girls.

A word of caution

Do not (never ever!) take cameras, passports, watches, gold chains, lots of cash and the like to the Carnaval. It will get stolen. I usually put some larger bills into my shoes and have some small bills loose in the front pocket of my pants. Camarotes and inside the blocos are safer than hanging out with the locals in the street.

FredA and Leif,

I can confirm what Palau P wrote as very accurate and a good source of info for attending Carnaval in Salvador. I was there in 2002 and attended the same parades in the Barra district. I also attended both a camarote (I forget the name but it was supposed to be the most 'high class' one in Salvador) as well as a bloco. As Palau stated, both require you purchase tickets and t-shirts to gain admission although some less pricy camarotes do not require a special t-shirt. While attending the parades, do not bring or wear anything you can not afford to lose as there are many pick pockets in the crowds. I never had so many hands in my pockets before in my life as I did there. Those money belts that you can get in airports seemed to work well and you really don't need a lot of money to carry anyways. When a bloco comes through, give them plenty of room and stick to the side of the road that is more lit up. You will see police marching along side of them at times and unless you want to get a billy club over the head, get out of their way. I would avoid going to the Pelourinho district except during the day as it can be dangerous. During the day, there are plenty of police in the area but they leave at 6 p.m. and that's when the hoodlums come out and it's time to go.

The restaurant Palau mentioned, Boi Preto, is excellant in every way. The food is great, a lot of the wait staff speak English, and the service is outstanding. You can eat until explode if you want. There are other places that I don't know the names of offhand that are very good as well. One place served excellant lobster dishes and there was a Mexican place not too far form Boi Preto that was good too.

As for girls, definately hit up Aeroclubbe. That is where I seen the hottest girls hanging out by far. They are in shops, walking around, and in the club there. I think it is called Cafe Cancun. There are some amazing chicas in there. The two times I was in Club Cancun, my friends and I were completely hammered and didn't have too much luck in there. You must be able to speak some Portugese to hit up the girls in the mall. These are normal girls too, didn't see any that looked to be 'working'. There are some SW along the main road in front of Aeroclubbe hanging out by the bus stops and along the streets between there and the parade route in the Barra district. Didn't try any as SW ain't my thing, but seen some stunners. My best luck came just hanging out on the street during the parades. I hit it off with girls every night doing that and took three back to my friend's place out of 7 days of Carnaval.

As with Palau, I stayed with friends while I was there and do not have too much to offer as to where to stay. I suggest a place more upscale as there are some very seedy areas in Salvador. A lot of the girls I met wanted to go to a motel but it was easier (and safer) to take them to my friend's place. I never paid any of the girls either. Just bought them their drinks and maybe some food.

Lastly, I suggest that when you are out and about around town, try to carry small bills. It seemed like no place we went ever had change for anything other than bills smaller than a $10. The $50's we had we almost useless. Also make sure taxis use their meter. If they don't, you'll get ripped off. Make sure you brush up on your Portugese too. To have any chance at all with the normal girls either at a club or in a bloco or camarote, you must know some. I'm sure the SW could care less though as long as you have the $$$. Stay off the beaches too after dark. Nothing good will happen to you on one once the sun goes down.

Hi Friends!

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions of cheap good hotels in salvador?
Searching google you only get rip-off prices!

Cheap is under 20$ with aircon and bath inside the room.

Stayed in RIO during last carneval, and had an apartment in copa for 60 reais anight, just ask around or go to the small travel-tourist agencies who are everywhere (Atleast people with their flyers..)

But on the internet the rate was 60$ anight for same apt. With the help of a friend I found a hotel in Gloria (Has website but don't remember the name.) for 45 reais anight, but when i see how cheap the apartments where i moved.

Now I like to go to Salvador, but desperatly need a nice hotel or apt, I hate going without having arranged it before leaving.

Thankfull for any help!!

By the way; HELP DISCO sucks, total ripoff.

Best places to pick up girls; The "Bailes Do Funk" witch are on different places, ask around..

Some pictures from Bahia. July 2004.

I don't want to add much more than Salvador is a WONDERFUL city for everything. Lots to do, good people, cheap and nice girls of all races and colors. If you don't speak Portuguese, you will be a little lost. Its not the Meia Petaca/Help fishing in a fishbowl scene. But, with a little savvy, some spoken Portuguese (I have Pimsleur I, II & III if you need it) and befriending a taxi driver or two, you can hve the time of your life.

Enjoy. More shots follow.

Bahia photo #2.

Bahia photo #3.