A. Most beaches in the city aren't suitable for swimming, although an extensive cleanup program has been going on for nearly a decade. Even so, beaches like Ondina and and Porto da Barra are very popular and always full of tourists, so presumably they're not all that bad. Then there's Itapuã, further up the coast. The best beaches are on the Litoral Norte (north coast), although the swimming and surf aren't all that great (very shallow for about a mile out). You can always take the ferry out to Itaparica Island (they have a Club Med out there so presumably the beaches are good). As for health issues, for short-term stays the biggest one is intestinal parasites (mainly from unfiltered water and unwashed salads). Also, go easy on "yellow food" (anything made with or fried in "dendê" or palm oil). It can devastate the strongest stomach. Hepatitis jabs are a good idea. No need for yellow fever shots, though, unless you intend to visit the Amazon jungle later on - it's nowhere near Bahia.