Baía Da Traição: Coast, Culture and History

Baía da Traição combines a distinctive town center with coastal and natural sites across the municipality. The white, square Farol da Baía da Traição stands in the town of the same name. The reinforced-concrete lighthouse was the second to be built in the state of Paraíba. There is also a central square that serves as an important meeting place, along with several sites that reflect the region’s history and culture.

Finding your way around the town center

The central square is an important meeting place for locals and tourists, especially younger people. The town center is also home to Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora da Penha, the most important Catholic building in Baía da Traição. Capela Santa Cruz do Belo Amor is also located in the center. Together, the square and churches provide clear landmarks for anyone who would first like to explore the town itself.

Another event on the annual calendar is the festival in honor of Nossa Senhora da Penha, celebrated on the second Sunday in January. If you plan your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in advance.

Coast and waterscapes across the municipality

The municipality’s coastline is crescent-shaped and includes curving beaches, multicolored cliffs, dunes and a reef chain. It includes Cardosas, Coqueirinho, Giz Branco, Trincheiras, Tambá, Prainha and Forte. Multicolored cliffs and powerful waves characterize these beaches, which are popular with surfers. An Indigenous village is located on the cliffs at Praia do Forte, offering views of Baía da Traição.

Rivers and lagoons are also part of the varied landscapes. Rio do Gozo is surrounded by a preserved stretch of riparian forest. The Potiguara often use its calm, crystal-clear waters for swimming and cooling off. Near Aldeia Perdida lies a secluded lagoon surrounded by vegetation.

Lagoa Encantada is one of the best-known lagoons in the municipality. Surrounded by clear water and preserved vegetation, it is described as a protected area suited to relaxation. A 2014 report describes access via a roughly one-hour journey on foot or by buggy. If you plan to take this route, check in advance whether the access option described is currently available.

Indigenous culture and historic traces

Aldeia Forte is home to the Indigenous association Toré Forte, which received the Prêmio Cultura Indígena in 2007. Toré dancing and handicrafts are part of its cultural offerings. Tourists can also experience dancing and handicrafts in Aldeia Galego. A path leads from the other side of this village all the way to the sea. Cultural offerings and a link to the coastal landscape are thus found side by side, without becoming a single visitor experience.

The original studio of Ateliê do Índio Severo is located in Aldeia Tracoeiras, eight kilometers from the center of Baía da Traição. If you plan to visit the studio, check in advance whether visits are possible.

The coast also preserves traces of earlier conflicts. Near Trincheira, dunes served as trenches for Portuguese troops fighting the Dutch in 1625. The Canhões do Forte, historic cannons from the fort, are now located at Praia do Forte. The fort built by the Portuguese at the historic site of Alto do Tambá served to monitor and defend the river mouth and the bay. It was garrisoned by soldiers from Forte de Santa Catarina in Cabedelo and was probably equipped with iron cannons from Portugal around 1625.

The ruins of Igreja de São Miguel Arcanjo stand in Vila São Miguel. Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, the church is considered a symbol of the Portuguese colonizers’ Catholic presence. Its ruins were listed as a historic monument in 1980 by IPHAEP, the Institute for the Historical and Artistic Heritage of the state of Paraíba.

Choose the right focus for your holiday rental

When choosing a holiday rental, you can first consider which aspect you want to shape your stay: the town center with its square, lighthouse and churches, or the coastal and nature-related attractions across the municipality. Base your choice of location on the specific destinations you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Areia, Teixeira, Salgadinho, Esperança, Pitimbu, João Pessoa, Olho D'água and Lucena.

Return to the main travel overview: Paraiba.