Trancoso

Trancoso ranks first in the list of the most beautiful coastal towns in Brazil. Mornings in Trancoso, on Brazil's southern Bahia coast, are reserved for a daily trip to the beach, so shops don't open until 3 p.m. What they might consider an inconvenience becomes Trancoso's laid-back charm, and people keep returning for more. The town is about an hour's drive from Porto Seguro International Airport.

This tiny beach town in Brazil's coastal state of Bahia is nothing fancy. There are no resorts, restaurants with Michelin stars, or nightlife. There will be no luxury boutique strip or intimidating marinas with 120-foot yachts. So, what exactly is it about Trancoso that has made it the It-destination for a stylish crowd of international celebrities—Naomi Campbell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé—and fashionable Brazilian jet-setters? According to Wilbert Das, Co-Owner and Designer of Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa, it's the lack of frills that draws people in: "What makes Trancoso special is its simplicity."

With its compelling aesthetics and definitively relaxed atmosphere, this former fishing town has made its name as the Tulum of Brazil as a burgeoning travel destination for the trendy. Walk along the Quadrado 'village green,' past colorful houses and the all-white So Joo Batista Church, which overlooks the beach and sea. Choose between the dreamy Nativos Beach and the equally lovely Coquieros Beach

Tripadvisor rating: 4.5/5.0

Location: Porto Seguro, State of Bahia, Brazil