THE TOWN OF SERRA GRANDE
Serra Grande is part of a greater area which is said to have the third greatest biodiversity in the world. The town is built on the top of a green hill looking over the virgin Atlantic forest and the clear blue ocean. Serra Grande has 20 kms of primitive beaches amid clear, warm waters that divide the landscape with the still lingering cocoa farms.
HISTORY
The town of Serra Grande was founded in 1941, when the owner of these lands, Mr Pedro Gomes de Lima, felt isolated in the middle of the jungle. So he decided to donate land to farmers who arrived.
he old settlement founded in 1906 was called the Água-Preta (Black-Water) do Mucambo, because apparently the waters were dark that the locals bathed in. It then became known as just Água Preta.
In 1922 the village was elevated to the status of district, and in 1929 it became it's own municipality. Later, in 1930, the municipality was re-integrated into the greater municipality of Ilhéus.
In 1943, the Serra Grande area was re-established as it's own municipality, called Uruçuca.
In 1997 the State Government created the Serra do Conduru State Park, an integrate part of the Area of Environmental Protection (APA) Itacaré-Serra Grande, as a way of compensating for the construction of the BA001 highway between Ilhéus and Itacaré.
SERRA GRANDE TODAY
Serra Grande occupies the coastal strip of the municipality of Uruçuca (urucu = thick, fat, big and côa = forest, vegetation), between the Tijuipe and Sargi rivers.
The town of Serra Grande is a lovely, relaxing place to visit. The central square is a meeting place for afternoon gossip accompanied by a tasty tapioca (manioc flour crepes with sweet or savoury fillings). It's also great for admiring fine pieces made by the local craftsmen.
The waters of the Reserve of the same name, known for it's therapeutic properties (some also say it is an aphrodisiac) is another meeting place, great for a refreshing swim and also a meeting place for samba rodas on some weekend afternoons.
This region is known for Eco-Tourism, Trekking, Adventure Tourism (Mountain Biking etc) and it is widely researched and studied with the purpose of preserving and reconstructing the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Rainforest). It is in the hills of Serra do Conduru State Park that the Contas and Almada rivers receive the rain water that feeds them and in turn forms the Encantada Lagoon - worthwhile visiting.
WATERFALLS AND TRAILS
Natural water holes interspersed with small waterfalls are found all along the Tijuipinho River in the Uruçuca municipality. Highlights include the Zé Maria Waterfall and the Robalo Spring.
Trails cut through the Atlantic rainforest leading you to watersfalls and lakes, where you can enjoy nature and bath in the lakes formed by the waterfalls.
In the town, about 80m above sea level, you will get a breathtaking view of the stretch of coast that goes all the way to the city of Ilhéus. Tranquility is the word that best describes this rustic little paradise, surrounded by gigantic palm trees, streams and waterfalls.
este site em Português