Pousada Mata N'Ativa, Trancoso, Bahia
"totally zen..fabulous chalets with pool & tropical gardens"
| Nearest Airport: | Porto Seguro - 60 kms | |
| Trip Style: | Beach, Eco-tourism, History + Culture, Honeymoon + Romance, Surf + Kitesurf, Yoga + Spa | |
| Pousada Facilities: |
12 bedrooms accepts children, bar, free wi-fi , hammocks, pool |
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| Room Facilities: | 220v; air conditioning, fans, laundry service, minibar, power showers, room safe, telephone, wi-fi | |
| Language(s): | English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | |
| Recommended attractions: | boat trips, buggy trips, diving, indigenous culture, kayaking, local handicrafts, massage, night life & shopping, snorkelling, surfing, swimming, walking, whale watching | |
| Ideal for: | couples, families, friends sharing, gay friendly, honeymoon, solo travellers | |
| Price Category: | $$$ bed and breakfast | |
| Cards Accepted: | Mastercard , Diners, AMEX | |
| Web Site: | http://www.matanativapousada.com.br | |
| Pousada Guest Book: |
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Note: Where pousadas are off the beaten track, Google maps only show the nearest town, and are not an accurate guide to location. |
About the pousada
Mata N'Ativa is located on one of the roads out of Trancoso towards Arraial d’Ajuda and we were not expecting much from the location which is neither super close to the quadrado nor on the beach. What we found amazed us and delighted us. A group of 8 apartments set in chalets dotted around lush tropical gardens, by the side of the Trancoso river.
And what beautiful apartments too. Freshly picked hibiscus flowers strewn on bed and on the fluffy white towels. Polished concrete floors with inlaid tiles, original watercolours of trees by Maruzca Cara , and locally produced shampoos and soaps which put any other products I have tried into insignificance. Some of the apartments have outside whirlpool baths, but for those staying in apartments which don’t, there is another outside whirlpool bath beside the massage hut, close to the river which is great to lounge in at sunset. And if it rains? Actually it is nice just listening to the sound on the leaves, but all apartments have DVD players and there are lots of DVDs available for borrowing.
Of all the pousadas we have stayed in Mata N’Ativa rates superlative for comfort and service and great Brazilian music playing in the background. The feel is that of a super comfortable, exclusive but relaxed private villa and we definitely didn’t want to leave.
About the location
Originally an Indian fishing community Trancoso was founded by the jesuits priests in 1583 and the church at the sea end of the quadrado (the rectangular square which is the focal point of the town) was built on the site of the orginal 16th century church, perched at the top of a cliff overlooking the neverending sea. From here it is just a short walk down to the beaches and beach bars of Nativos, Trancoso and Coqueiros
Trancoso is slightly less accessible than Arraial d’Ajuda and for many years it remained unknown and immune from mass tourism. Unfortunately this is no longer the case, and although the quadrado itself is a conservation area, the original fishermen’s cottages which surround the square now house pretty expensive boutiques, pousadas and restaurants which attract a younger, more chic, type of tourist. You can get away from the noise during the day, but during the night music seems to travel far too well, and you may well need earplugs or airconditioning to drown out other people’s late night/early morning parties. Provided you are prepared for this, the rest is simply paradise.
Not to be missed
- the quadrado at fullmoon when it often rises full red
- chilling in the whirlpool by the river at sunset
- a visit to the Pataxo (Indian)villages
- kayaking with Daniel down the river Trancoso
- a massage in the pousada
Pousada Starpoints
- fabulous service
- lush gardens, with whirlpool bath and massage hut by the river
- details in suites: flowers, welcome card and special toiletries
| Try a different place if... you want to be "seen", or you prefer to be right in the centre |
