FLORIPA CABANA: 'SOMETIMES LIFE IS HARD, BUT THE BEACH IS ALWAYS SOFT'

I badly needed to recharge my batteries and Ted's place did just that. Immaculate cottage tastefully decorated and extreamely comfortable. I would go for long walks on the beach or ride a bike in the morning exploring the surrounds and relax on one of the beautifull beaches in the afternoon. The main beach is a hive of activity with little restaurants and shops and watching the wannabee's learning to surf is very entertaining. The Portuguese love their buffet style of eating and is a wonderfull way of sampling their cuisine. Take a litle boat accross the lagoon and for a set price the seafood dishes just keep coming!! Not to be out done in the sushi department, the Boat Club offers Tues nights 'eat as much as you want'. Just have to get there very early as the diners have no intention of hurring through their meal and one could wait for hours. After a week in Baha I was definitely recharged, so with a stunning tan and a micro bikini in my luggage, I regretfully had to make my way home to Cape Town again. Desiree South Africa

I stayed for nearly three weeks, Mid-August through Sept 6. Very relaxing retreat. Soothing colors, ambience perfect for needed a private getaway. Host Mr.Ted was very gracious, pointing out things to do and helping me with the language. The Kitchen is stunning---even a shiny new tea kettle for those us tea lovers. Highly recommend for You if you are looking to relax in off-season or enjoy the vast outdoor and beach fun.

This is a great place to stay for a couple. The layout and amenities
were fantastic. We had a library of books on Brazil and a good
DVD library to watch at night. The owner Ted really went that extra step to make sure we were comfortable. After a long trip, it was nice to
have fresh food and snacks when we arrived. There was good quality swiss cheese, crackers, 4 different kinds of juice, beer, etc..
The owner also had a good knowledge of the area. He suggested Ponta Das Caranhas for some Moqueca. It was delicious as were the Capirinahs.He also told us of a boat ride to take across Costa da Logoa ($6.40reias per person). On the other side was a waterfall after a 5-10min walk that was beautiful. When walking back there were a few shops and a restaurant called Logoa Azul. We had the Sequencia
de Camarao. It was a seafood meal served family style. It started with
stuffed crab and steamed shrimp. Then it was followed by sauteed
prawns, 3 baked/fried fish filets, a full plate of rice, a full plate of french fries and farafoa, and of course more shrimp (this time fried).
Two days were spent checking out the beaches and towns around
Inglesis. There was a really cheap lunch place (Xis a - Moda Gaucha
Zimmer) that gave us 2 huge sandwiches (6-8"round) with 2 cokes
for about $20 reais. If you go to Inglesis be sure to drive up to Ponta Das Canas. There is a beautiful calm port with a small quaint beach and local fishing/sailing boats moored in the water. Toward the southern end just below the airport is a great area to see oyster &
mussel beds. We observed the local fishermen harvesting the seafood in the morning to be served for lunch/dinner later in the day.
A great friendly place to eat is Restaurante Ostra Da Ihla Ltda in Ribeirao Da Ilha. We had excellent seafood (File De Linguado - a lightly battered fried grouper - 2 filets weighing 1 kg.), with rice, french fries, and farofa. The cost was $85 reais. One place we were not happy with was a small restaurant called Pacai. It is located on the side of the road - I think on 406 near Barra da Logoa. Upon arrival they gave us the "English Menu". They charged us $40 reais for 2 small ham&cheese sandwiches & 2 cokes!
Overall, we were very happy with the advice/info, accomadations that Ted provided. I would highly recommend staying at the Floripa Cabana. It is far better than the "brazilian pousadas" you see for rent.