It takes an adventurous spirit to start a new life thousands of miles from home. But that’s exactly what Celtic couple Philip and Marina did. While travelling in northeast Brazil, they chanced upon Boipeba and immediately fell in love: a tiny car-free utopia with beautiful empty beaches, backed by Atlantic forest and fringed with shallow reefs. Seduced by the castaway lifestyle (and delicious local food!), they sold their European home and moved out here with their 3 young kids. The result is this unique beach house.
Two years in the making, this gorgeous family villa is set on a lush tropical hillside just above Moreré beach (voted second-most beautiful in Brazil). All building materials were sustainably sourced – from the hardwood veranda overlooking the ocean, to the quirky driftwood art and furniture made from old fishing boats. But roughing it this is not. As well as airy beach-chic interiors, you get 2 full-time staff dedicated to making your stay comfortable. Lucinede keeps the house spotless and can prepare fresh home-cooked meals, while Rocky can arrange anything from scuba diving trips or horse riding along the beach, to surf expeditions and shrimping. With 4 double bedrooms and masses of space, it sounds utterly idyllic for families or friends looking for an off-radar adventure.
Highs
- The elevated position means wonderful sea views from the hammock and a welcome cooling breeze
- A short walk through the trees to one of Brazil's best beaches, still wonderfully quiet and unspoiled
- Fantastic for families with a treehouse, slide and swing, a tropical garden, and surfboards and kids' sailing boat to borrow
- Rates include 2 kind staff who can arrange island adventures and prepare delicious home-cooked meals if you don't want to self cater
- Well priced and no minimum stay
Lows
- The house is closed for refurbishments until April 2025
- No swimming pool, but the warm sea is just 70m away and full of colourful fish; great for snorkelling
- Unless you take a hopper flight here the journey from Salvador takes 6 hours by taxi and speedboat, but that's part of the adventure
- Don’t expect 5-star facilities or a buzzing nightlife; Boipeba is still largely undeveloped and all the more lovely for it
Best time to go
Boipeba is warm year-round, with temperatures of 20-35C. Our favourite times are spring (September to December) and autumn (March-April) when it’s warm with occasional showers and few other visitors. Christmas until Carnival (February) is peak season (though the island never gets crowded) with hot summer days and little rain. The rainy season is May-July when it can rain heavily for days at a time, or there might be weeks of sunshine. You’ll have the beaches all to yourself.