History
It may masquerade as a tiny fishing village on Brazil’s southern Bahia coast. But in reality, Trancoso’s reputation as “paradise on earth” has lured visitors from far and wide for centuries. Drawn by its exuberantly green graces, Native American tribes, Portuguese explorers, and free-thinking “hippie” idealists have flocked here in a bid to make their marks on this tranquil patch of seashore.
One of those pilgrims was Wilbert Das, Dutch fashion designer and longtime creative director of Italian brand Diesel, who bought a rambling pousada on a 200-metre hilltop square overlooking the ocean and known as the Quadrado – a UNESCO world heritage site considered the centre of village life.
Working alongside local craftsmen (and the occasional grazing horse) and resisting the constant lure of the town’s wondrous attractions, Wilbert and his team executed their magic on the traditional houses and garden bordering the town square, and after two years, UXUA was born. UXUA – “marvelous” in the language of the local Pataxó Indian tribe – was joined by a spa and scenic beach lounge in May 2009.