As we traveled down the Brazilian coast, we cruised through a never-ending line of beaches and beach towns. With the massive size of Brazil, it was difficult to decide which ones to stop at and which to skip, so we put together this handy ranking of five popular beach towns that we visited in Brazil- the ones you shouldn’t miss and the ones whose sole attraction is streetfuls of washed out surfers.
5. Pipa
The popular beach town of Pipa is located in northern Brazil a few hours south of Natal. A surfer’s paradise, it has beautiful beaches and plenty of hostels and restaurants. The best part was the Praia dos Golfinos, where you can rent a kayak and paddle around groups of playful dolphins. We found the town itself a bit too touristy and something about the vibe didn’t flow for us, which is why it’s last on our list.
Where to stay: Lagarto na Banana hostel
4. Jericoacoara
We’d heard raving reviews about Jericoacoara, another northern beach town between São Luis and Fortaleza. Although it was a bit difficult for us to get there from Barreirinhas, the town outside of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, we decided based on everything we’d heard that it would be worth the R$300/person private car.
The sandy town was small and quaint, with a nice beach, and there were several day trips you could take to various lagoons and other landmarks. It’s also a great place for kite surfing. However, after the incredible reviews that people had lavished upon the place, we found it a bit overrated and not comparable to the beauty of Lençóis Maranhenses.
Where to stay: Hostel Tirol
3. Praia do Forte
Praia do Forte, just north of Salvador, is a small but pristine tourist destination. You can take a bus from Salvador and spend the day there- wandering the cute streets with boutique shops, relaxing on the beach, observing turtles at the TAMAR turtle reserve, and taking a boat to go whale watching.
Where to stay: Salvador (much cheaper than staying in Praia do Forte)
2. Praia do Rosa
Praia do Rosa, located south of Florianópolis, is also a popular destination for surfing and whale watching. However, as of a few years ago there are no longer any whale watching boats that will take you out, but if you’re lucky you can still spot the majestic creatures from the beach (which is a lovely, short hike away from the town). The town itself has a good vibe, and in the low season it’s nice and quiet without many tourists.
Where to stay: Warung Guest House
1. Paraty
A few hours south of Rio de Janeiro, the beautiful historic town of Paraty sits on the coast. Apart from a charming old town that will transport you back over a century, there is a lovely, quiet beach and a beautiful collection of islands that you can explore via boat. For only R$60/person, we booked a boat from our hostel which took us around to different islands and kept the free caipirinhas coming all day long. Definitely our top recommended beach town in Brazil!
Where to stay: Canguru Hostel
– Iris & Roi
Have some more Brazil beaches to add to the list? Let us know and we’ll add them!