Backward Glance: Trancoso, Brazil

Backward Glance

In these bleak winter months where night overshadows day and the rain seems endless I find myself daydreaming of tobasco-hot beach rides. Memories of lazy seaside canters where the salt water licks your skin,  after a day’s ride quenching your thirst with a crushingly sweet cider and sultry summer evenings where the  sea breeze tickles your skin to sleep, pepper my daydreams. Without question, my favourite beach ride that we offer in our Globetrotting portfolio is in the Bahia region of Brazil. It’s here in this oasis where sapphire blue waters lap coconut tree shore lines that I fell in love with the beachside village of Trancoso.

It was love at first sight when I rode into Trancoso on dusk as a crescent moon crept above the sea. I melted into the village’s intoxicating coastal vibe with its sandy streets, lolly-coloured buildings and grinning, olive-skinned locals. Almond and mango trees littered the streets with heart-shaped leaves, their branches adorned with candlelit baskets that danced in the sea breeze. I trotted past loved-up couples swooning in deck chairs while sipping on caiprinhas.

The next morning before our ride, I explored barefoot with camera in hand and watched the village wake up. This is what I saw:

A white-washed church stands with its back to the ocean in the town’s village square.

Chipper fisherman padded past me with a string of fish so fresh their scales shimmered in the sunshine.

Children lazily made their way to school. With sticks in hand, they scribbled patterns in the sand.

I wandered past shops and hotels painted bougainvillea pink, sunflower yellow and parrot blue.

I’m curious to know what your favourite beach riding destination is?