Blog · Morro de São Paulo

Salvador to Itacaré: ferry, road or flight via Ilhéus?

Updated: October 27, 2026

Short answer: Itacaré is about 250 km by road south of Salvador, after crossing the bay by ferry to Itaparica Island. By private transfer, allow 5 h 30 to 6 h 30 on the road after the ferry, plus the wait to board; by bus, 5 h to 5 h 40 from the Bom Despacho terminal. Alternatively, fly to Ilhéus and drive about 70 km.

🇫🇷 🇬🇧 We reply in English and French, on WhatsApp and by email.

Important: we don't run Salvador ⇄ Itacaré transfers. We do run Morro de São Paulo ⇄ Itacaré. This guide is here to help you plan, especially if you're combining Itacaré and Morro.

Your options at a glance

By ferry and the BA-001

This is the shortest route. The ferry leaves the São Joaquim terminal in Salvador for Bom Despacho on Itaparica Island: about an hour's crossing, with hourly departures from early morning. From there the BA-001 heads south through Nazaré, Valença, Ituberá and Camamu.

The weak spot is the car queue for the ferry, especially in high season and on holidays. Some private transfers avoid it: you cross on foot and the driver meets you on the other side, at Bom Despacho or Mar Grande.

By bus

Águia Branca and Cidade Sol run from the Bom Despacho terminal to Itacaré; their ticket desks are inside the ferry terminal. Direct buses leave from morning to early afternoon and take 5 h to 5 h 40. Book ahead and reconfirm the time the day before, especially in holiday periods. If direct buses are full, take one to Valença and a local connection from there.

Classic trap: to catch the bus, take the ferry from São Joaquim. The boat from Mercado Modelo drops you at Mar Grande, about 15 km from the Bom Despacho bus station.

Around the bay by road

Skipping the ferry means driving around All Saints Bay: over 350 km and, in practice, over 7 hours, even if GPS apps often say less (speed bumps, villages, trucks). It's the most predictable option for a late-night or very early flight, when the ferry isn't practical. If you're driving, stay on paved roads: some GPS apps suggest dirt shortcuts, notably via Ubaitaba, which are much slower.

Flying to Ilhéus

The closest airport to Itacaré is Ilhéus (Jorge Amado), about 70 km away on the BA-001, with flights from Salvador among others. On arrival: private transfer, taxi (agree the fare first) or a Rota bus from Ilhéus bus station, about 4.5 km from the airport. Those buses run roughly hourly from early morning to early evening and take up to 1 h 40.

Combining Itacaré and Morro de São Paulo

Many travelers do both, and you don't need to go back through Salvador. The simplest way is our Morro ⇄ Itacaré transfer: R$ 330 per person, minimum 3 paying passengers. On your own:

1. Itacaré to Valença: Cidade Sol or Águia Branca bus, about 3 h 30, with several departures from early morning to mid-afternoon.
2. Valença to Morro: speedboat from Valença's boat terminal, about 35 to 40 minutes.

To leave Morro afterwards, there's the Morro → Salvador sea-and-land transfer or the Morro → Salvador catamaran. Going the other way, start in Morro with the Salvador → Morro land-and-sea transfer and finish in Itacaré. Boipeba is within reach too: from Itacaré, Valença, Torrinhas and Graciosa are about 115 to 130 km away (see Salvador to Boipeba).

Passing through Morro de São Paulo? See schedules and prices for Salvador ⇄ Morro transfers, or all our transfers.

FAQ

How long does it take from Salvador to Itacaré? About 5 h 30 to 6 h 30 on the road after the ferry, plus the wait to board; over 7 hours around the bay.

Is there a direct bus to Itacaré? Yes, from the Bom Despacho terminal on Itaparica Island, with Águia Branca and Cidade Sol: about 5 h to 5 h 40.

What's the closest airport to Itacaré? Ilhéus (Jorge Amado), about 70 km away.

Can I go from Itacaré to Morro de São Paulo without going back through Salvador? Yes: with our Morro ⇄ Itacaré transfer, or by bus to Valença (about 3 h 30) and then a speedboat to Morro.

Do you offer an Itacaré transfer? Not from Salvador. We do offer Morro de São Paulo ⇄ Itacaré, both ways, at R$ 330 per person with a minimum of 3 paying passengers. Only lap infants travel free; other children pay full fare. Book it in our transfer finder.

Keep reading: Salvador to Morro transfer · Salvador to Boipeba transfer · How many days in Morro · All the answers: Morro de São Paulo FAQ