Porto da Barra, Salvador, Bahia
In many ways, Porto da Barra is to Salvador (capital of the state of Bahia) what Bondi is to Sydney and Venice Beach is to Los Angeles.
Tiny fishing boats bring in the day's catch, there's beach volleyball and plenty to see at the Fisherman Colony Manguinhos, a traditional fish market in Buizos.
This is one of the few beaches in the lively city of Salvador that faces west, so you can catch great sunsets.
Praia da Pipa, Rio Grande do Norte
A backwater fishing village until backpackers discovered it in the 1970s, Praia da Pipa is a favorite weekend retreat for locals in nearby large cities.
A number of international visitors came here and never left, staying on to run small restaurants.
The attractions are obvious -- a beautiful natural setting, with steep pink cliffs rising above the sand and remnants of the great Atlantic Forest that once draped this coast still alive and verdant.
There's plenty to do -- surfing, dolphin-watching, sand-boarding.
At night, Pipa village is packed with cafes and bars where you can meet and greet and knock back caipirinhas.
