On the coast of southern Bahia, in the stretch of Bahia that Brazilians call the Costa do Descobrimento, a long beach of pale sand curves away beneath coconut palms and low cliffs, and inland the land rises to a green and misty ridge. It was along this shore, on 22 April 1500, that Pedro Álvares Cabral's fleet sighted the round hill of Monte Pascoal, named for Easter, and the first sight of land in what became Brazil. The Pataxó people who lived on this coast met the Portuguese on the beach, and their descendants still live in the area, with some villages open to visitors who wish to learn about their customs and crafts.
The forest here is the Atlantic rainforest, of which only a small fragment remains, and the forest reserves along this coast were listed by UNESCO in 1999 for their rich plant and animal life, with high levels of tree diversity and many endangered species. Yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys, giant anteaters, sloths and a vast number of birds live in the forest, and the sea off the coast has humpback whales between July and November.
The drive is largely along BR-101, the great coastal highway, a busy road with heavy lorries, so the best riding is on the quieter side roads toward the beaches, where the surface can be patchy and sandy. The tropical climate means hot days and sudden showers, and the wettest months are March to July, while September to February is drier. Beware of livestock and the occasional pothole, and ride early in the day before the heat builds.
Prado, with fifteen thousand people, is a pretty beach town that was an important centre of the whaling and timber trades, and has restaurants serving moqueca, a fish stew with coconut milk and palm oil, and a good supply of fresh coconut water. Itamaraju, larger and further inland, has fuel and basic services, and both are the places to fill up. The ride continues north to the old station of Veracruz, a reminder of the days when a railway ran along this coast to carry timber.