With over 7,000 miles of coastline, Brazil boasts some of the world’s most stunning tropical beaches. This South American beach destination offers year-round sunshine and soft, golden sands. But which are Brazil’s best-kept-secret strands, where spinner dolphins and sea-turtles outnumber sunbathers?Here are our top 5 picks for the best chic-exotic beach hideaway destinations in Brazil.
Trancoso, Bahia
Trancoso is a former fishing village that has turned into a super-trendy getaway for Brazilians and fashionable jet-setters willing to pay St.-Tropez prices for rustic accommodations on an unspoiled beach. Trancoso still looks like the hippie getaway that first made the town popular 20 years ago, with its uneven cobblestone streets and dirt roads. The town is in a rectangular shape, with houses in the original style. Trancoso continues to retain its rustic charm, with its extensive pristine beaches, exuberant nature and friendliness of the locals. It offers a wonderfully warm and sunny tourist destination for its diversified visitors from Brazil and abroad, a place to slow down and relax. Overlooking the ocean is the grassy Quadrado, the heart of this rectangular town, which is framed by colorful houses in the traditional style. Here you will find many historical sites plus several trendy restaurants, small shops selling local arts and crafts, pleasant pousadas and bars. Lit by torch and candlelight at night, you are sure to enjoy a stroll along its car-free streets.
Where to stay: UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa
Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco
Fernando de Noronha is the largest and only inhabited island of the 21 islands that make up an archipelago some 200 miles off the northeastern coast of Brazil, which is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a 9,321-mile underwater volcanic mountain chain. Declared a marine national park in 1988 and therefore protected by strict regulation, only a lucky 420 guests at once are welcome to experience the magic of this heavenly retreat above and below: its stunning terrain of towering rocks, rushing falls, the white sand beaches—some elected as the best in the world—and their warm, crystal waters which are home to a most vibrant and diverse marine world of flora and fauna, teeming with colorful fish, birds, coral reefs, big sea turtles, stingrays, a large dolphin population and friendly sharks. World-class diving, snorkeling, swimming, and some of the best surf spots on the planet are sure to be enjoyed. You can also find shipwrecks to explore, hike well-maintained trails, or visit fortress ruins on horseback.
Where to stay: PousadaMaravilha
Búzios
About a 3-hour drive from Rio de Janeiro lies the once sleepy fishing village of Armação de Búzios (or simply, Búzios). Discovered by French starlet Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s, Búzios has since enjoyed the reputation of Brazil’s most sophisticated beach resort town. The European touch afforded by the narrow, cobbled streets and architecture still intact since Portuguese colonization contribute to its claim as the Brazilian Saint-Tropez. Though Búzios’ real beauty lies in its more than 20 magnificent beaches whose crystalline waters flow in perfect harmony with the sculptured landscape and exotic vegetation. The opportunities for surfing, scuba diving, fishing, kite surfing, even golf, mountain biking, eco-tours and horseback riding are endless. The town’s cobbled street of Rua das Pedras is the peninsula’s cultural hub. An array of sophisticated restaurants, designer shops, even art galleries, and a lively nightlife scene with some of the best nightclubs in the world run this street towards Orla Bardot, the town’s pretty beachfront promenade.
Where to stay: Casas Brancas Boutique Hotel & Spa
Barra de São Miguel
Located in the state of Alagoas, just 20 miles south of the state’s capital Maceió, a lush natural beauty of nearby white sand beaches (among Alagoas’ best); warm, crystalline waters; natural pools amidst coral reefs; and small islets cloistered with mangroves, makes Barra de São Miguel one of the most attractive and tranquil locations on the Brazil’s northeast coast. Occupied by the Caetés Indians up until the 16th century, when it was discovered by an Italian sailor and transformed into a fisherman community, Barra de São Miguel today is a small and peaceful village. It’s primarily used as the gateway to Praia do Gunga, a popular tourist site and one of Brazil’s most beautiful beaches, boasting coconut palms, unique green and blue tides, and reputedly over-priced restaurants. Though it does offer a tourist infrastructure with hotels and boutique posadas, as well as a few bars and restaurants. The village center sits on a riverbank, directly facing the more secluded Praia do Gunga, its local beaches sheltered by a large offshore reef, which finds the waters relatively calm. Kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, and kite surfing among other activities, can be enjoyed.
Where to stay: Kenoa Exclusive Beach & Spa Resort
Florianópolis Peninsula
Florianópolis (locally known as Floripa) is the capital of southern Brazil’s state Santa Catarina, a top tourist destination with a wonderful variety of superb beaches—42 in all, each with its own unique neighborhood personality, and all offering endless opportunities for adventure such as scuba diving, parasailing, hiking and nature trail walks. The north of the peninsula is by far the busiest area, particularly during summer, its warm waters boasting the best beaches such as Jurerê and Brava. While the southern end is the least developed of the island, where you will find isolated and unspoilt beaches, but with few options for entertainment. The east is inarguably the crowning jewel of the island, boasting some of the best surfing beaches like Praia da Joaquina, Moçambique, and the most beautiful, Praia Mole, which has several beach bars. You will be stunned by the natural beauty of the area, verdant mountains, soft white sand dunes, and the pretty Lagoa da Conceição lagoon, where you can enjoy activities such as boating, wakeboarding, and fishing.
Where to stay: Ponta dos Ganchos Resort
Plan a chic-getaway to Brazil incorporating any of these trend-setting beach hideaway destinations. Contact our Brazil Destination Specialists at sales@alluringamericas.com or call 800-701-4278.