Air Taxi & Charter Quotes
Traveling to and around Bahia’s Dende Coast can be a little complicated, but always worth the effort. Here we explain the best ways to get to destinations along the Dende Coast by air, including commercial flights, air taxi and private charter plane. We have included Itacare here as well.
As a general rule, you should fly into Salvador (SSA) if you are traveling to Boipeba or Morro de Sao Paulo, and you should fly into Ilheus (IOS) if you are visiting Itacare or the Marau Peninsula (which includes Barra Grande). For those lucky enough to be visiting several destinations, you might be considering flying into one airport and flying out from another. The nice thing about Brazil air travel is that inbound flights and outbound flights are quoted separately, making it easy to book “open-jawed” travel.
Flying to Barra Grande, Marau and Itacare
Option 1 – Fly to Ilheus, with ground transfer to Barra Grande, Marau or Itacare
For most visiting the Marau Peninsula or Itacare, you will want to book a flight to Ilheus, not Salvador. You may be tempted to fly into Salvador (SSA) because of cheaper flights and more direct connections, but don’t be tempted – you’ll end up spending more time and money overall due to transfer costs and longer distances. A car transfer from Ilheus to the Marau Peninsula takes between 2 and 3 hours (depending on road conditions), whereas a transfer from Salvador takes at least 7 hours total.
From Ilheus, you have the option of an airport transfer to Barra Grande, Marau or Itacare, and if you are on a budget, you can check out options for bus travel from Ilheus to Marau, Itacare or Camamu.
Several years ago there were scheduled flights to the airstrip in Barra Grande, but these are no longer offered. A privately chartered plane is currently the only option for those who want to get to the Marau Peninsula quickly, enjoying some beautiful scenery along the way.
There are two options for charter flights to Marau Peninsula:
1 - Depart from Salvador Airport (SSA) - Ideal for those landing at Salvador SSA and want to fly direct to the peninsula with no layover and no waiting.
2 - Depart from Itaparica Island - Convenient for those coming from the Pelourinho or downtown Salvador. Instead of going back to the Salvador airport, you just take the short and scenic ferry boat across Salvador's bay, where the pilot will be waiting to take you to take you to the airstrip. This option is far less expensive since the airline does not have to pay the expensive fees of the Salvador international airport.
Travel Tip! Frequently, one of the private planes are empty on their outbound or on their return flight, and the charter company will offer a deep discount. Fill out the quote form with your dates and put "empty leg" in the comments section, and we will let the charter company know that you are interested.
Flying to Morro de Sao Paulo & Boipeba
Salvador (SSA) is the closest major airport to the archipelago of Tinhare, in which lies Morro de Sao Paulo and the island of Boipeba. Because of Bahia's growing popularity, the number of international flights to the Salvador airport are increasing every year. Flights to Salvador from Rio and Sao Paulo are also on the rise, with more direct connections and lower airfares.
There are several ways to get from Salvador to the Tinhare coast, but here we only cover air travel to Boipeba or Morro de SP.
Air Taxi to Morro de Sao Paulo & Boipeba
Flying to Morro do Sao Paulo or Boipeba is by far the most comfortable, scenic, and fastest way to get the Island of Tinhare. The air taxi flights to Morro de Sao Paulo & Boipeba leave from a private terminal at the Salvador Airport. There are an average of three flights per day that serve both Morro de Sao Paulo and Boipeba on the same route, with additional flights during the high season. The flights are short but very scenic, with an average 30 minute flight time from Salvador international airport (SSA).
The airstrip that serves Morro de Sao Paulo is located on Beach Three (Terceira Praia) in the heart of Morro, just a short walk to the Vila and most hotels. Many of the hotels and resorts along beach four and beach five provide transportation to and from the airstrip, and you can arrange a pick-up directly with them.
Flights to Boipeba land on a private airstrip on the southern tip of Tinhare Island, from where you'll take a short boat ride across the river to Velha Boipeba, the main village on the island of Boipeba.
Private plane charter is also available to both Morro de Sao Paulo and Boipeba... just write "charter" in the message area of our quote form.
Flight Time: 25 minutes (for non-stop flights)
Private Plane Charter: Salvador to Itacare
Private plane charter service to Itacare is available on a limited basis, weather and conditions permitting.
Please get in touch for availability and pricing.
AIRCRAFT
Below are just a few of the aircraft in use for both air taxi and charter service.
Seats up to 6 adult passengers
Seats up to 12 adult passengers
Seats 3 adult passengers and one child
Marau Travel & Tour – Book with Confidence
Marau Travel & Tour Agency are agents for the only air taxi charter service that currently flies to Barra Grande and the Marau Peninsula. You pay nothing for our services – we receive a commission from the air taxi charter companies. We also specialize in ground transportation in southern Bahia, with ground transfers from Ilheus and Salvador to Barra Grande, Marau, Itacare and the Dende Coast.
We offer several advantages over trying to book directly with the charter company, especially if you don’t speak Portuguese. We will:
- Arrange all the details with the charter company, including your reservation, scheduling, payment, final confirmation and any changes made.
- Coordinate with flight control at arrival airstrip, including the filing and airport fees.
- Arrange transportation from the airstrip to your final destination (not included in air fare).
- Maintain direct contact between you and the air taxi service until your arrival
The Charter Company and Safety
We understand the safety concerns when traveling abroad, especially when traveling with your family. Chartering a plane in a foreign country is no exception. In Brazil, plane maintenance and records are carefully observed and reported to the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), and pilots are trained and certified with the same high standards as in the U.S. or Europe. The air taxi and charter companies that we use, along with their pilots, have a excellent safety records.
