Forget about becoming the Girl from Ipanema. I don't want to dispel an international myth, but the best beaches in Brazil are not in Rio de Janeiro. Sure Rio is gorgeous, the beaches are wide, expansive miles of white sand stretching along the length of the city. Unfortunately, Copacabana and Ipanema are not the mystical romantic beaches portrayed in the 1960s song. They are sensational for people watching and ogling of tanned bodies in skimpy bathing suits. For city beaches they are pretty high standard with beach volleyball, strong surf and promenades, but they also serve as hangout spots for gangs of petty thieves who tend to target tourists. High-rise hotels line the strip and much of the quintessential Brazilian beach feel is lost.
Certainly visit these beaches, put on your tiniest bikini (or the briefest swim shorts) and experience the mayhem, but when you are ready for true beach paradise, travel north, and you will experience the sheer majesty and romance of some of the most spectacular beaches in the world.
If you want to see where the locals go, try Buzios, a pretty beach resort about two hours drive (100 miles) from Rio and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Buses run regularly between Buzios, Rio and Sao Paulo. Here Cariocas (natives of Rio) enjoy the splendors of an intimate town but with gourmet restaurants and nightlife to rival the city. Wealth abounds and private villas and boutique hotels attest to the resort's appeal for the upper classes. The peninsula spreads for five miles and Buzios Online is an English language website that provides visitors with useful tourism information about beaches (there are 20 in the Buzios area), accommodation, shopping and nightlife (ladies, I recommend shopping in Buzios for the best selection of Brazilian bikinis). Current accommodation "hot deals" include a seven-night accommodation package at Pousada Porto das Velas, located mere yards from Rasa beach. During the low season from April 1 to December 10, 2005 the price is $240 per room for two people for an entire week and in peak season, from December 11, 2005 to March 31, 2006, the price goes up to $380. These rates include full Brazilian buffet breakfast and all taxes. There are a dozen more budget pousadas and guest houses listed on the website (alongside more luxurious boutique hotels) with prices starting at around $30 per room per night in low season.
Further north, the state of Bahia promises more secluded beaches and eco-tourism resorts. Beaches are generally lined with bungalows and shacks that serve as restaurants, bars and nightclubs -- no high-rises or concrete here. Life is more laid-back, hammocks sway in the breeze and music abounds while locals practice Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) at sunset. The coast of Bahia is so long and varied that it has been divided into five regions -- the cocoa coast, coconut palm coast, oil palm coast, discovery coast and whale coast.
The area of Praia do Forte, 50 miles north of the historic city of Salvador, is almost eight-miles long and consists of squeaky clean white sand along the coast lined with the coconut trees. Natural rock pools formed by reefs appear at low tide and as the natural habitat of rare sea turtles; most of the beach area is protected with development kept to a bare minimum. A medieval-style castle and the Tamar Project, an international turtle conservation program, which runs a small interactive museum/visitor center, dominate a small fishing village. During breeding season, the beaches attract thousands of sea turtles as they come in to nest and lay their eggs. The Praia do Forte Eco Resort is a world-class resort with world-class high prices, starting at approximately $115 per night for a double room in low season. More budget-friendly accommodation is available in town at a variety of small pousadas. Brazil Incentives Travel features a selection of accommodation options in Praia do Forte starting at $26 per room per night plus taxes.
