The biggest and best party on earth!
Rio Carnival is best known due to worldwide media coverage, but it’s just a big show for samba schools with glitzy samba dancers, and boring traditional repetitive music( in my opinion), you buy a ticket to watch on grand stand. I was once there and walked out after 30 min, waste of a few hundred dollar ticket.
All Brazilians know Salvador is THE place for carnival, with 2 million ppl dancing on the street day and night! It’s a huge music festival actually, cross 3 circuits, most popular Brazilian bands and artists perform every day from 3pm till early morning.
The pre and post carnival stay is just as fun. Lots of concerts during weeks leading to Carnival, especially at Pelourinho.
I always go to Morro de São Paulo Island after carnival, an island 20 min on charter flight or 2 hours on catamaran from Salvador, a little paradise indeed! See my review of Morro de São Paulo .
Tips for other travellers
Its so much better than the show in Rio, which is for tourists. Salvador has the real parties!