Lagoa da Conceição

Lagoa da Conceição has the most food, bars and hostels on the island and is the easiest district for meeting other travelers. Days are easy and nights are busy, but because of drink spiking and theft around the bar strip, keep your drink close and ride home rather than walk.

Lagoa da Conceição is where most travelers on the island end up, and it is the easiest base for a woman travelling alone. The district wraps around a large lagoon, with a main strip of restaurants, bars, cafes and hostels used by travelers, remote workers, surfers and locals. The main street stays busy into the night, so you are rarely walking alone, and solo diners are common. Beaches such as Joaquina and Mole are a short ride away, and the dunes are a popular day trip. The main caution is nightlife: drink spiking followed by theft has been reported around the bar strip, so watch your drink, avoid accepting drinks from strangers and use Uber or 99 to get home rather than walking dark side streets. Hillside lanes and the lagoon edge are quiet and poorly lit after dark.