Salvador de Bahia

Advantages: Fantastic atmosphere and culture
Disadvantages: Expensive to get to, dangourous in places

...but in the case of Salvador it is an understatment. In all my travels (109 countries on every continent) I have never visited such an electrifying city and that includes Rio. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Christmas but the city was alive with music, you hav'nt lived until you have heard "White Chrismas" to a samba beat. Salvador is unlike any other South American city, it was here that the black slaves were bought over from Africa to work ...
...well as the well known zest for life. It is indeed rare to see a Brazillian that is'nt smiling. In summary if you have a desire for something a very different but engagingly interesting then Salvador is a place to go. Unless you are already an alcoholic that is. ... Read review

Advantages: We got out alive.
Disadvantages: The whole place.

We arrived in Salvador in the middle of a strike. But it seems there's always a strike in Salvador. The electricity workers were on strike for a 140% rise because they hadn't had one since April and it was now August. The hotel workers joined them after a couple of days for similar reasons, and we had to clean our own rooms and make our own beds, we even had to cook our own breakfasts if we wanted something hot. The management put the food out at ...
...The guided tour of Salvador was quite interesting - it seems the African slaves, way back when, were forced to abandon their beliefs in Voodoo gods and adopt the Catholic faith. So they renamed their gods after the Catholic saints and carried on worshiping them. Many still worship them today and you can, by special request, attend one of their ceremonies if you really want to. The evening trips they arrange to such events are strictly re-enacted ... Read review

Advantages: friendly people,very cheap,and such a pleasant laid back feeling,even the ant leave you alone...
Disadvantages: all inclucive,airport imigration very slow,the government said they were trying to speed things up,but after the horrendous tragidy in america.i think slow imigration and security is something we will all have to get used to.which can only be a good thing

...dance.sometimes all night,and locals from salvador will travel to praia at the weekends,so things get really lively..they love it when holiday makers or travellers get up and have a go ,also sample the local food.it's a miss conception that bad stomaches come from local food.dehidration and too much sun play more of a part.we ate from a stall at the side of the sand path leading through praia,and had to keep going back to see if it was cooked yet..he ... Read review