Riacho de Santana, Municipality in southwestern Bahia, Brazil
Riacho de Santana is a municipality in southwestern Bahia, located at an elevation of about 486 meters. The land spreads across rolling hills covered with tropical savanna, dotted with small rural villages and farmland.
The territory was originally home to the Canindé people who lived along the São Francisco River. It became an independent municipality in 1878 after separating from the nearby administrative region of Palmas de Monte Alto.
The name comes from a sacred spring dedicated to Saint Ann, a reference that echoes through local traditions today. The community blends indigenous, African, and Portuguese influences in how residents celebrate and mark important occasions throughout the year.
The region becomes cooler after sunset, especially during the months from April through August. Most services and shops are found in the town center, while the surrounding villages are mainly focused on farming and rural life.
In the 1970s, the local economy shifted dramatically when cotton farming collapsed due to crop-destroying pests. The region then turned to charcoal production, which remains an important source of income to this day.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
