What to do

Brazil Beaches

Where to head to for Brazil's best beaches...

If there’s one thing that Brazil is famous for, it’s its fantastic beaches. With a coastline stretching from the border with Venezuela, right down to its southern border with Argentina, Brazil’s beaches range from open stretches of white sand to windswept coves and are some of the best in South America. With most beach destinations being just a short hop from a major city and international airport, they are some of the easiest to access in South America and can easily be combined with a short city break or a trip into the interior. Whether you’re looking for a cool beach resort with buzzy nightlife for the evenings or a secluded retreat with no-one else around, Brazil’s beaches have something to suit every taste.

Brazil’s beach destination of the moment is definitely the old traditional flshing village of Trancoso, which is a short one-hour flight from Salvador. Celebrities and travellers alike have fallen in love with the laid-back charms of this sleepy village on the Bahian coast with its colourful fisherman’s houses and pretty Quadrado. The beaches around Trancoso are spectacular in themselves, Praia do Trancoso being a short walk down from the village’s grassy square and Praia da Barra, which is accessed through the grounds of Txai Resorts and Terravista Residences, is a beautiful spot for lunch. An hour’s drive or boat ride down the coast is the remote Praia do Espelho at Caraíva, known for the mirror-like effect created in the water at low-tide and considered to be one of the best beaches in the whole of Brazil. For those looking to combine beach and activities, here you can do horse riding, kayaking, walking and even practise the martial art of capoeira! As if this wasn’t enough, visiting between July and November, will give you a chance to spot humpback whales off the coast, making their way south to Antarctica.

Moving down the coast, are the beaches around Rio, which are only a short hop from the city. The town of Búzios has a long-standing reputation for being one of Brazil’s most sophisticated beach resorts. Set on a Peninsula which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, a three hour drive north of Rio, Búzios is made up of chic pousadas, fine restaurants and beautiful beaches. Once a small fishing port, the town was made famous in the 1960s by Brigitte Bardot and is considered to be South America’s very own St Tropez.

A couple of the closest beach destinations to Rio are the town of Angra dos Reis and the forest-covered island of Ilha Grande. Ilha Grande is home to Lopes Mendes beach, which has been voted one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world for its calm turquoise waters and its pristine white sands, fringed by half-a kilometre of coastal forest. The best way to get around here is by ferry or by private boat, while you can try your hand at a range of water activities including surfing, snorkelling, diving and paddle-boarding.

Another of Brazil’s most popular stretches of coastline is the Costa Verde between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Characterised by small sandy islands, dense Atlantic forest and vivid turquoise waters, the Costa Verde is one of the prettiest beach destinations in Brazil and works perfectly as a side-trip from Rio. The charming UNESCO listed town of Paraty with it’s cobbled streets, terracotta-tiled roofs and cachaça distilleries provides a perfect base for exploring this coastline, either by boat or by foot.

Brazil’s southern beaches are some of the most beautiful and rugged in the country. Mainly centred around the University town of Florianópolis in the state of Santa Catarina, these beaches are a great stop off between visiting Iguaçu and heading home and can also be reached with weekly flights from Argentina. Some of the most spectacular include Praia Mole and the crescent-shaped Praia do Rosa, with their untouched sands, sheltered by grassy cliffs and sand dunes. Popular for surfing, sunbathing and whale spotting - between the months of July and November - these beaches should not be missed.

Finally, for those looking for the ultimate in beach paradise, the answer has to be Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago 250km off Brazil’s north-east coast. With a tiny population and a strict policy on the numbers of visitors to the island, these volcanic islands are a haven for beach-lovers and diving enthusiasts. No less than three of Brazil’s best beaches are located in Fernando de Noronha, including Baia dos Porcos and Praia da Conceição, and the islands’ protected waters are home to turtles, octopuses, dolphins, sharks and a huge variety of fish making it one of the best places to dive in the world. There are luxury hotels on the island but nightlife here is low-key in keeping with its reputation as an eco-destination.

For more information specific to each area and a few hotels to look at, have a look at our where to go pages below. If you'd like to speak to us directly, then give us a call any time or send us an email and we’ll be more than happy to help!

When to go to Brazil:

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    At a glance…Brazil

  • Population: 201 million+
  • Location: Central South America
  • Recommended time to go: 3 to 14 nights
  • Time to visit: Year round
  • Go here for: Beaches, culture, nature and wildlife, activities
  • Further reading...

  • › Family Holidays to Brazil
  • › When to go
  • › Itinerary Finder
  • › Brazil Beaches and Falls
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    Our Top Five Beaches Hotels in Brazil:

    1. Ponta dos Ganchos - Aerial View

      Ponta dos Ganchos

      The Ponta dos Ganchos resort near Florianópolis is one of Brazil’s most exclusive beach resorts. The perfect getaway for couples and honeymooners, it guarantees complete intimacy and privacy.

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    2. Insolito Boutique Hotel & Spa - Swimming Pool

      Insolito Boutique Hotel & Spa

      The Insolito Boutique Hotel & Spa is a stylish beachside retreat in the chic town of Búzios. Nestled into the hillside on the opposite side of the Peninsula to the town, the hotel has been carefully decorated by its French owner with modern artwork and furniture, which reflects Brazilian... More...

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    3. Pousada Estrela D'água - Swimming Pool

      Pousada Estrela D'água

      The Estrela D’água is a real beachside retreat and perfect for those looking to be able to walk directly out onto golden sands from the hotel. Surrounded by well-kept gardens and with a two large pools and a large sweeping deck looking out towards the beach, this hotel is ideally suited to those... More...

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    4. Villas de Trancoso - Swimming Pool

      Villas de Trancoso

      The Villas de Trancoso is a small luxury boutique hotel, which has won awards for its comfortable accommodation, excellent service and fine dining. Perfect for families and couples looking to enjoy more privacy, this is a peaceful hotel set within private gardens, separated from the beach by... More...

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    5. Pousada Picinguaba - Beach

      Pousada Picinguaba

      Pousada Picinguaba is a luxury guesthouse, in a secluded area of outstanding natural beauty along the Costa Verde. Placing an emphasis on simplicity, hospitality and helping guests to immerse themselves in their natural surroundings, the Pousada offers a unique opportunity to escape to a little... More...

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