iam going on my first trip to brazil in november for a week, and was wondering about what i should do and where i should go in salvador.

Casquinha de Siri is a music club which often has big name performers on Mondays only. This is also when muitas garotas are there. I went there on a Wed when the house forro band was playing, and the pickings were slim, although I did manage to find a young mullata to take to a motel after dancing in the club. We went to Le Plaisir, and I spent a grand total of R50 for the room for about two hours. Girl asked for R250. Prices in general for garotas seem to higher than Rio, although most other commodoties seem to be slightly cheaper.

There are several bars, in the Amaralina area which are venues for picking up garotas. They are Eros, Free Night and Tche. All are within about a mile and a half of each other on Ave. Mangabeira. According to a local cab driver who was my source of info, all have cover charges and expensive drinks, and Free Night has the best selection of girls.

VIP Clube across the road from Aeroclube Plaza Shopping was also recommended to me for quality of girls. I did not try any of these venues, as I dont like paying the cover, expensive drinks before ever getting the girl home.
There are several escort agencies which have photos of girls on their websites. I tried one, called www.sexomais. Its not really an agency, all girls are independents who just advertise there. Price range from R200-300 per 2 hours. ( I will post more details when I do my trip report). HOtel Del Rey is Salvador's answer to Rio's VIP MOtel. Afrodite Suite has a pool, retractable roof, two bedrooms, hot tub, and huge lounge area, with a karoake machine. It was R155 for 3 hours.

Aeroclube Plaza Shopping is a mall with several clubs which have live music, including Rock in Rio, and the Plaza Show, which has free music and a dance floor in the middle of the mall. Lots of normal girls there, in late teens to early 20's. I also was approached by two pros there as I was leaving the concert area in the mall walking toward Rock in Rio.

Also along Ave Mangabeira going toward the direction of Aeroclube, are lots of music clubs and discos where local girls hang out. French Quartier, and Fashion Show are in the same strip mall next to the Colegio Integral. The first is a jazz club, the second a disco. Evenings about 9:00 classes at the college adjourn, and there are lots of college girls hanging out in the parking lot having tailgate parties. If you speak Port and have good game, perhaps you could pick up someone here. Or go into Fashion Show. I hear that a certain number of ladies of the evening also frequent these clubs.

I assume your question about what to do and where to go was in reference to mongering activities. I could also suggest touristy things to do, beaches, and music clubs if thats more what you had in mind.

thank for the info, i think it will help a lot

You should try the "CUTIA" or "PACA" meat at Pelourinho inna place where you can eat for a penny and eat an older "cachaįa" called by the local people as CRAVINHO! its a must!

I'm planning a trip soon. Where is the best place to stay for four or five days?

bahiaonline.com has ads for hotels and apartments for rent. Best place depends on what youre planning to do. Most of the boites are in Amaralinha, which is also located not too far from Casaquniha de Siri, and Aeroclube Plaza Show. Many low price casas and freelancers are downtown. Barra is the best beach, and is not too far from Pelorinho Square, the principal touristy area.

"Bahiaonline.com" is not an existing web site. Any other suggestions, my Q is the same as Sbronx's? I'm leaning towards early December. What am I planning to do? Monger my ass off, of course (and a little tourism in between). Since I'm 50-something with minimal Portuguese skills (can talk a little, thanks Pimsleur, but not understand much)--I'm expecting to pay, not pick up.

Does anyone have any info on hotels there, whether they are guest-friendly?

I'm going to stay at the Mar Hotel in Salvador (http://www.marhotelbahia.com.br). Don't know much about it other than it seemed nice and it looks like like have a good price. Have no idea if they are guest friendly I figured I could always go to a love hotel if need be. I am there December 2 - 6 (back to Rio on the 6th). I plan on mongering but also plan on spending a lot of time doing some tourist type stuff while there.

Eu falo e entendo Portuguese mais ou menos.

Thanks BB2. How did you hear of this place?

Anyone else have info/tips on places to stay?

I'll be there the same time, also want to be a (part-time) tourist for a change.

E eu falo um pequeno portugues tambem, mas nao posso endender muito falado portugues.

Ah. The correct address is http://www.bahia-online.net.

Lots of info on Bahia!

Hello Sbronx77!!!
I was in Salvador in April and I can to
recommend the Hotel Patamares in the Patamares
beach.I believe,is the best option if you wish
to visit the club "Casquinha de Siri" or
to eat in the "Aeroclube Plaza".Very near.
Any taxidriver charge about 10 Reais from those
hotel.
In the other extreme,if you wish to visit the
Pelourinho neighborhood,the best option is
Hotel Porto da Barra (telephone 71-264-7711)
who has their web www.hotelportodabarra.com.br
This hotel is near the beach and from here
is possible to get buses toward the Pelourinho.

I stayed in Salvador a few days last month, at the Monte Pascoal Hotel in the Barra district. It is quite far from Casquini de Siri and Aeroclube Plaza (like a R$35 cab ride, seemed like a half hour), but I really didn't have much time to determine what was where as far as the best place to stay, Salvador seems to be pretty spread out. The hotel was excellent, about R$150/night, across the street from a beach, garota-friendly.

A full report will be posted by end of January.

I checked into the Patamares hotel last night. It is a very basic hotel with no safe or much of anything else. It is cheap at $70R. But not too many store near this hotel such as internet cafe. It is right across the road from the beach.

Update on Patamares hotel - There is no hot water in the rooms. They have a device attached to the shower head that you switch from summer to winter. No affect so far, just cold showers. There is only a resturant/bar across the hotel that opens at night. The rest is residental area. You would want to stay Pituba area. That is where Tche, Eros, and Free Night are located. I recommend staying at the Belmar Hotel in Costa Azul which is about 1KM norht of Pituba. E-mail reservas@belmarhotel.com.brī. You should be able to get it for less than $120R they quoted me off the street. I saw a bill for $103R rate. You can have Blame it on Rio check for you for free. They made the reservation at Patamares $15R less than posted rate.

Casquinha de Siri is closed for remodeling. There are some action at the Aeroclube shopping center. Local girls looking for some extra cash. Not like some of the hardcore girls in Help Disco. They have some entertainment in the resturant/bar area. It is around 10pm and on. Tche wouldnīt let me look in the club before paying so I passed on the club. I was in Free Night last night and things donīt start getting started until after 11pm. Best time to show up is midnight or you might be sitting in a empty club for a while like me. the entrance fee is $30R for tourist and exit fee for a girl is $40R. I paid the girl $200R for TLN. I could have gotten her down some if wanted to but she was so nice I said what the hell. Keep in mind these club are nothing like the Sao Paulo, or Rio, POA, or Curitiba. They are kind of run down looking and not many personnel in bar.

It is pretty easy to get around Salvador without a taxi. Taxi cost as much as SP. Just get a map and look at the list of areas where the bus goes and hop on. The list is written on the windsheild of the buses and on the side near the back door where you enter. You can get from the airport to your hotel for $1.60R. Cheapest of any town in Brazil that I have been.

Varig is screwing me up since they are cancelling lots of their flights and everyone is going to other airline, I canīt get back to SP on TAM. I think TAM is honoring their ticket or something. But all flight out of Salvador is book for days except BRA airline. So it is exta $379R, I am ready for SP. Donīt want to spend 7 more days here.

I stayed in the Barra neighborhood about 8 years ago (don't remember where) and met some pros as well as a hot non-pro on the beach and in the restaurnats in that area. I also liked it because it was more central (closer to Pelourinho) which meant less time/money for buses and taxi.

Try Gol

BS, I did try all the airlines and the only one with seats weas BRA. TAM is book until 2 Aug. I even try Ocean airline.

It is easy to use the buses here in Salvador. Most of them run up and down the coast. So all you have to know is where you want to go and if it is listed on the bus. There are lots of them so you only have to wait a couple of minutes. I took the bus to airport for $1.60R. Canīt beat that. The buses are only a little slower and most of the time are not crowded.

Thanks for the advice, my wife (!!!) will be in SSA on Sunday on business for us, I'll tell her how to save on the R$100 taxi run from the airport. Not that she'll listen to me, but what the hell, at least I can FEEL like I'm being smart.

BS