A brilliant day exploring Ilhéus and swimming under the Tijuipe Waterfalls, followed by karaoke, cocktails, and a lively night back onboard the Costa Favolosa.
Arriving in Ilhéus.
I woke up in the port of Ilhéus and headed to the atrium bar for a coffee. I saw Rosa, who had cancelled the tour, and Gail, who planned to explore Ilhéus on foot. When it was time to leave, I made my way to the departure area and boarded the coach. Gary, a passenger I’d met a few times, joined shortly after. We chatted briefly before the tour began.
Exploring Ilhéus.
Our first stop was a square featuring a statue of Ruy Barbosa, a Brazilian polymath and defender of civil liberties. We then visited the Church of São Jorge and the San Sebastian Cathedral. The two guides leading the tour quickly revealed themselves to be a hilarious double act, informative, lively, and genuinely entertaining.
We had a short wait for the coach to return, and I briefly worried this might turn into another Salvador‑style disaster. Thankfully, once we were back on board, the tour ran smoothly.
We stopped at an artisan market for 40 minutes. The goods were impressive, but I didn’t buy anything.
Leaving Ilhéus, we drove along the coast, passing beautiful beaches and clusters of houses that looked like paradise. I imagined myself living in one of them, peaceful, quiet, and surrounded by palm trees.
We stopped at the Serra Grande Viewpoint, which overlooked the coastline. The view was stunning, and I found myself daydreaming about winning the lottery and buying one of the beach houses below.
The Steep Descent to the Waterfalls.
We soon arrived at the Tijuipe Waterfalls. The walk down was steep, muddy, and rocky, about half a kilometre through the trees. It was hard work, but I was determined to swim in the falls. I met Gary on the way down, and we agreed to film each other swimming.
At the bottom, I headed straight for the water. I climbed across the slippery rocks, lowered myself into the pool, and swam to sit directly under the waterfall. The water crashed down onto the rocks beside me, and it felt incredible. I stayed there for about half an hour, completely relaxed.
When I climbed out, Gary arrived, so I filmed him swimming. Then he filmed me. Afterwards, I dried off with my Costa Favolosa towel and sat at a table near the open‑air restaurant.
The Best Steak I’ve Ever Had.
Gary returned with another Englishman and asked if we wanted a beer. A few minutes later, he came back with beers, and food. I expected crisps or nuts, but the waitress brought out three steaks, roasted potatoes, and rice. The steaks were the best I’ve ever eaten anywhere. We were joined by an American man from Ohio, and the four of us sat chatting until it was time to climb back up the steep path.
Gary powered up the hill, but the other Englishman and I struggled. We weren’t alone, many people had to stop and rest. After a short break, I pushed on and made it to the top, breathless but proud. It took me about 20 minutes to recover, but it was worth every step.
Chocolate Stop and Return to Ilhéus,
On the way back, we stopped briefly at a chocolate factory. The guide got free chocolate for bringing us, which explained the detour. The chocolate was overpriced, so I didn’t buy any.
We retraced our route along the coast and returned to the Costa Favolosa.
Back Onboard the Costa Favolosa.
I showered and changed before heading for a beer and then dinner at 19:00. Rosa asked how the trip was, I hated telling her how good it had been, but she was happy for me. For dinner, I had shrimp cocktail, chickpea soup, braised beef in red wine with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and all three desserts. Rosa even shared hers with me.
Karaoke Night.
During dinner, Rosa and Ann talked me into singing karaoke with Marcus. After dinner, we went down and put our names in. Marcus let the DJ choose our song, and we ended up duetting “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”
Marcus danced around the floor, and I hobbled about with my walking stick. We weren’t the best singers, but we finished our song, which was more than many managed, and our little group gave us a big round of applause.
The White Party and a Quiet Finish.
After karaoke, we went to the White Party around the pool. It was packed, loud, and chaotic, not my thing, so Ann and I slipped away to the quiet bar.
Gary joined us later, very lively and very loud. He’d apparently annoyed the staff earlier, and when he tried to order a drink, the barman refused and told him the bar was closed, then made two cocktails for Ann and me right in front of him.
We finished our drinks and headed back to our cabins. Gary, if you ever read this, get in touch. I want to see your photos and videos.
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