At the age of 16, a group of foreigners asked him if he could show them the island of Tinharé (where Morro, Gamboa and Boipeba are located) because they were unhappy with the guide they had chosen. They spent their entire holidays with him, during which he not only showed them the most beautiful sights and attractions of the island, but also told them the history of Morro, accompanied them to all the parties, and even climbed coconut trees while climbing the morro (hill) so they could drink the water when there were no bars around. He had never been a guide so he charged them nothing, but the tourists rewarded him well and recommended him to their friends who would visit the coming year. After that he was always sought after by foreign tourists in need of a guide, marking the beginning of this career with tourism.

He has always been self-employed, renting horses or working as house-keeper at the homes of foreigners who lived in Morro in the summer. He has also been both body-guard and house-keeper of many Brazilian businessmen and TV stars on their holidays in Morro and Gamboa, and security and doorman in the parties in Morro in the summer.

Irritated with the way in which tourists were exploited when trying to buy land or look for a home in the region, he also started offering help in the searching, sales and building processes, including finding the right people to do the job.

At one time, tourists were being robbed in Morro and he offered his help to capture the assailants. Few knew the area like he did and no one, not even the police, have the courage to enter the forest where the assailants were hiding. With the help of a friend, he managed to catch them and turn them over to the police together with the stolen objects.

Six years ago, he decided to leave the island and get to know the rest of Brazil.

Jeni has been a capoeirista since he was 8 years old and has been practising Muay Thai for 2 years. He is a contra-mestre (graduation that precedes the mestre in Capoeira), graduated in the Águias de Liberdade academy in S ão Paulo. He is also a percussionist and was a member of the band Max-DBlack when he lived in Florianópolis, SC. In Valença, he works as a guide, organizes parties in the region, and is responsible for advertising in www.valença-bahia.com.

He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Valença.

What Jeni can do for you as a guide

- Accompany you to and from Salvador airport to the hotel or pousada in which you will stay, in Valença.
- Take you for a tour around the city of Valença (on foot) and all the surrounding areas, including trails, beaches and waterfalls.
- Recommend the best hotels, pousadas, bars, restaurants and services, and help you get advice or information.
- Accompany you to parties in the region (Morro, Gamboa, Valença and Guaibim) and make sure you get to your pousada or hotel safely.

To contact Jeni, write to him directly or click here.