DEPARTURES TRAVEL URBAN
DEPARTURES TRAVEL URBAN PRIMER 28 Off the Grid Escape from the urban buzz for a long weekend in southern Bahia at the jungle-shrouded Vila Naiá. It’s not easy to get to this fisherman’s village in southern Bahia. But the privacy and untouched beauty of Corumbau (literally “far from everything” in the language of the indigenous Pataxó, who live nearby) amply reward the arduous journey. Vila Naiá, a sustainable architectural and landscape project on the beachfront, is a paradise of four suites and four houses on stilts, an immersive experience in nature that combines experiences like rituals with the Pataxós to romantic dinners under the stars served on Limoges porcelain. It’s easy to slip between days of sheer delight, whether it’s swims in the pool and ocean, drinks and dinners on the beach, schooner trips to visit the corals of Itacolomi, or hiking alongside the river Corumbau and walking among the coconut groves. Owner Renata Mellão is as devoted to the arts as she is in sync with the local culture – and she can help arrange a variety of comfortable transfers after the two-hour flight to Porto Seguro, whether it’s a speedboat or 20-minute helicopter ride. vilanaia.com.br Vila Naia, nestled among palms in Corumbau ALL ABOUT ART From global names to ambitious young locals, the art scene here owes much to the São Paulo Art Biennial, which began in 1951 and continues to be the continent’s most important contemporary-art showcase. But galleries here are worth a visit on every trip to the city: among many others, Nara Roesler (nararoesler.art) boasts one of the most impressive rosters of artists; Vermelho (galeriavermelho.com.br) is always avant-garde, and Luisa Strina (galerialuisa strina.com.br) is the longest-running contemporary art gallery in Brazil. Street art is also worth checking out: head to the boho Vila Madalena district for a stroll through the city’s best open-air museum. JUN SAKAMOTO Japanese restaurants represent six of the city’s 11 Michelin stars, and this diminutive slice of perfection – named after the chef – excels in delicacy and precision. Sakamoto is radical in his demands for the quality of his ingredients, and it’s worth reserving a place at the counter to enjoy the spectacle of the chef at work. junsakamoto.com.br Left: chef Sakamoto; top: street art in the city’s colourful Vila Madalena district CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: JOHN MICHAELS / ALAMY, © JUN SAKAMOTO, TUCA REINES PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST GOVERNMENT ADVICE BEFORE BOOKING TRAVEL OR DEPARTING ON ANY TRIP
YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE SUPERYACHT WORLD BEGINS IN MONACO monacoyachtshow.com MONACO YACHT SHOW 28 SEPTEMBER • 01 OCTOBER 2022
