Buzios – amusemusings

Buzios was made famous by the French starlet Brigitte Bardot when she visited in the 60s w her Brazilian boyfriend & she declared her love for the little fishing village. Soon after, Brazil’s rich & famous began flocking. Today during high season it’s a pretty ritzy place apparently. Ronaldo has a massive place on the top of a hill w fantastic views. I’m sure there are many glitterati. I of course didn’t visit in the high season & since I went directly from Arraial do Cabo to Buzios & since Arraial is supposedly “the Buzios of 20 years ago”, I feel as if I should compare the two.

Arraial do Cabo vs Buzios

Perfectly wide white sand beaches vs brown sand beaches not as wide or pretty
Accessibility to some beaches is difficult vs easy beach accessibility
Uncrowded beaches vs far more highly crowded beaches
Crystal clear water & good visibility vs less visibility
Beach services spotty vs beach svcs always
No established tourist central vs very well established tourist downtown
A couple nicer restos vs a shitload of really nice restos
Sunset watched after a hike to mirador vs sunset watched at a table in a nice resto
No bar scene, real quiet at night vs an active bar scene
Pousada accommodations vs wider range of accommodations, incl luxury
Feel is chill & laidback vs chill & higher class
Relatively cheap vs more expensive

The beaches don’t compare – Arraial do Cabo wins hands down. Buzios wins as far as service industry goes – food, drinks, shops, etc. – but you pay for that as Buzios is definitely more expensive. Strolling the downtown of Buzios you’ll find a very charming center. This is somewhat missing from Arraial do Cabo – although there are pockets – but this is exactly why I’m sure all the tourists flock to Buzios & perhaps only visit Arraial for a day trip to see its beaches. I loved Arraial do Cabo. I liked Buzios more than I thought I would – enjoying a great meal while watching a stunning sunset was a highlight. But I would never ever visit Buzios in high time (generally that’s a rule of mine) as multiple cab drivers told me my 10-15mins drive from the center to my pousada on Geriba beach would take 2hrs in high season. No thank you. It was lovely now. Relaxing & quiet. But I noted a few joints appearing to be massive clubs that were shuttered for the season. Not that I minded at all… but I could imagine the place turns into something else when it fills up. So visit Buzios during the low season when it’s on the quiet side & you can walk into any restaurant you want without making prior reservations but also make a loop to include the real standout & my fave, Arraial do Cabo.

Praia Geriba, the lovely wide fine sand beach good for surfing & swimming & the one I was staying on

I live in a big city. And I LOVE it. I’m a big city girl. But the opposite attracts me most on my travels. Don’t get me wrong, I freakin loved Rio, but my heart skipped a beat when I first arrived in Arraial do Cabo, via a 3hr bus due East. The bus dropped me at the town’s tiny main square & as expected, I found no taxis waiting so I wound my way through the little streets (thank you offline google maps – an international traveler lifesaver!!!) til I arrived at my tiny little pousada where I was the only one staying.
Side note to head off a mom question… in Brazil the place to stay are pousadas. It doesn’t have a direct translation in English but essentially it’s similar to SE Asian guesthouses, Cuban casa particulares or US B&Bs where you get a room (w a private bath if you so desire) & you have shared living amenities. However, I’ve also since found it can include lodging such as villas & small boutique hotels so the terminology has a wide span.
Lovely small towns in my travels stick out the most to me. Maybe it’s bc you get nonstop interactions w locals but also bc I think the place perhaps hasn’t quite blown up yet as far as tourism goes. In Arraial do Cabo’s case, I really feel that. Arraial gets a tiny half column mention in my Rough Guide but that’s it. I read in some random online blog that it’s the Buzios of 20 years ago (next stop). Buzios, as you may know, is famous as the best beach in the Rio de Janeiro province. So just that statement saying it may be “the next big thing” in Brazil makes me want to go. As does a couple random online articles ranking Brazil’s top beaches – 2 of Arraial do Cabo’s fall number 2 & 3 on the list. I feel as if my past experience has qualified me to be an exemplary judge of beach quality. The fact that every Rio local I asked about it told me to instead go to Buzios, only made me want to visit more. And I have to say… it’s amazing, the beaches can easily hang even with the Philippines & all expectations were exceeded. One potential downfall – it’s real quiet at night (which I think drove the party animal Rio opinions). But I don’t mind that. I exhaust myself during the day & if nothing’s going on at night, then I don’t feel guilty for being “lame” & crashing early while reading my book. Because the tourism industry hasn’t fully developed yet, there’s no “central tourist district” that’s been spit-shined & crowded w adorable restaurants & bars & shops. Those things are just a big more spread out in a tiny little town which is just fine by me. There’s also no proper big hotels as the only option to stay is in pousadas (mine was open air & lovely). If you’re looking to invest in a property in Brazil… this could be the place.
So Arraial is a town of 25k, features some of the best beaches in Brazil yet still flies under the radar. Oh yeah, it’s also considered the 2nd best dive spot in Brazil & I FINALLY took advantage of that so I was a real happy girl here. The town is quite tranquil & relaxing & a stark contrast to Rio. I loved Rio, don’t get me wrong, but this is my kinda place.