Amazon – creepy creatures & nasty mosquitos

No extended trip to South America is complete without a trip to the Amazon rainforest right? I explored the rainforest by staying in a jungle lodge a few hours away from Manaus, Brazil. I did it during the time when the water level in the Amazon River is at its highest & the surrounding jungle is flooded. Quietly gliding in your canoe through the flooded forest is pretty great & the reason to go when the Amazon is high is it increases the likelihood you get to see super cool land-based animals as flooded forests mean less places for those super cool animals to hangout. The river rises & falls by 12-15m annually so when it’s flooded, it puts you that much closer to the jungle canopy where monkeys & cats hang out & birds like to roost. It can make it more difficult to see water-based animals but that clearly wasn’t my experience.

I was able to tick off the following amazing creepy creatures, among others:

Amazon river dolphin
Caiman (alligator)
Piranha
Howler monkey
Boa constrictor
Tarantula
Giant otherworldly MF mosquito

It was because of the mosquitos mentioned above that will most likely make the Amazon a one-and-done destination for me. You see, I’ve always known mosquitos liked me. Now I know I react to bites a little more extreme than the normal person. Of 20 people staying at the lodge, I was 1 of 2 whose bites swelled up to ½ to 1-inch & itched like a MF. I looked diseased as I was covered head-to-toe in massive bites. This was despite dousing myself with deet, wearing long socks & hiking boots, hiking pants, long sleeves, neck gaiter, etc. in 90 degree heat & crazy humidity, then dousing myself again once fully clothed. I had 30-40 bites just on one knee. Bites on the bottom of my feet despite socks & boots. It didn’t matter what you did to prevent them from eating you alive. You couldn’t deter those MFs. It was really something. But while everyone else was also getting bitten, no one was reacting as I was. So sleeping was difficult as I spent all night either itching or trying not to itch or shooing away other mosquitos that had somehow found their way into my mosquito net. So 3 nights was enough. Am I glad I went? Yes, absolutely. Will I return? Not a chance. But I’ll have permanent bite scars to remind me forever of my Amazon experience.

The “meeting of the waters” at the junction of the Amazon River (whitewater which is really pale sandy-colored) & the Rio Negro (blackwater). The wild phenomenon is due to the differences in temperature, speed and water density of the two rivers.

Arriving to the jungle lodge via boat #2. Traveling from Manaus, we took a van to the port, a small boat, a van & a 2nd boat. All in, it was probably 4-5hrs of travel time.

This was my crew of 5 guests & our guide (in rear). Not pictured was our amazing 18yo boatman. Because rainy season had just ended, I visited during high water which means we did most of the exploring via boat. Yes, we had a motor that was used to cover long distances. Oars were used when we were trying to be quiet sneaking up on something good. Like when we went caiman spotting at night. Supposedly caimans sleep during the day & hunt at night. It’s quite easy to spot them if equipped with a powerful flashlight as their eyes, barely above the water’s surface, glow an eerie red in the light. We came in hot after spotting one & our guide scooped up a little caiman, held closed its snout & steady its tail as he schooled us on the species & then released it when he thought he heard mama making some noise.

Goin in. It was during one of these jungle explorations via boat that we saw (& camped out underneath) a giant boa constrictor wrapped around a tree.

LOVED our multiple daily boat trips exploring the river & jungle. We lucked out & on our first outing, we came upon a massive family of fresh water dolphins. While most were swimming along with our boat, doing simple dives, one decided to show off & came completely out of the water in a dramatic jump & our guide informed us it was a very rare occurrence. Duh.

Swimming off the dock in piranha-infested waters with a nearby sleeping giant caiman. It was hot & humid & apparently (1) piranhas only bite if there’s fresh blood/meat so before jumping in, I did a quick once over to ensure no bites were currently bleeding & (2) caimans sleep during the day so I was assured the giant black caiman I saw the night before immediately in front of our dock while hunting wasn’t going to bother us even while sleeping 10yds away underwater in its “home”. And now I get to say I swam with piranhas & caimans. I didn’t even know that was on my bucket list.

We did do a couple jungle hikes which were great but I was literally eaten alive by massive mosquitos.

Spoils of piranha fishing. Bait was raw red meat. And they loved it.

They are small little fuckers but wow are their teeth sharp. No, I didn’t hold one.

I don’t think I need to eat piranhas again. Lots of bones & lots of work for very little reward.

Jericoacoara, Brazil – Kitesurfing (finally!) & sand dunes North of Fortaleza

Oh Jeri. A 5hr drive North of Fortaleza by transfer van followed by a short wait at a roadside restaurant & then a 1hr drive in a 4×4 over & across sand dunes brings you to the paradise of Jericoacoara, Brazil. It’s nestled in a national park on the Atlantic Ocean featuring massive sand dunes. The town itself is tiny, has restrictions on vehicles & oh yeah, features sand roads, sidewalks, shop floors, etc. The entire town is sand from the dunes to the beaches to the town streets so there’s literally no reason to ever wear shoes – unless you can’t take the heat. You can take buggy rides, go hiking, laze around at the beaches, paddleboard or kitesurf as the area is blessed by lots of wind. I’ve been talking & daydreaming about kitesurfing for some time now so since I was spending a week+ in Jeri, I decided to sign up for a lesson to see how I liked it. Just to get a taste.

My instructor was Andre from Sao Paulo, living in Jeri for awhile now. I knew it was meant to be when he gave me a life jacket which was more of a vest that you pull down overhead & it was made of a black material with this odd white plastic plating on the front. I got it on, looked down & suddenly exclaimed aloud, more to myself than anyone, “Omigod, I feel like I look like a storm-trooper right now” not expecting Andre to recognize the reference & after a momentary look of surprise / amazement passed his face, he started humming the Imperial Death March, I immediately joined in & we devolved into our first fit of laughter. We didn’t stop laughing for the entire 3hr lesson primarily bc it’s a pretty difficult adventure sport & rather than get frustrated as that’s no fun at all, I just laughed at myself. A lot. He was a wonderful teacher, had outstanding tips & was very observant in correcting form & technique, but controlling the kite is damn difficult to learn, especially when you’re doing board retrieval skills & controlling the kite with one hand while using your other arm as a rudder to direct you in the water, chest down, as you’re getting swamped by waves & trying your best not to swallow half the sea. So it’s hard. “Andre, you forgot tip #3: when you’re face down in the water getting dragged by the kite, RELEASE!”. And he collapsed with laughter (bc theoretically it should be obvious to release the kite but I hesitated a bit too long thinking I could manage the situation). So long story even longer, according to Andre, I did fairly well controlling the kite so I graduated to a bigger kite with lines twice as long (i.e. way more power) bc “while the other kite would get me up, THIS one will really let me RIP IT & fly”. Because, you know, RIPPING IT is exactly what I want to do. I just giggled & agreed & we were on our way. I took 4 lessons in all. By lesson 2, I had moved to the board & I actually managed to get up. For maybe like 2-3 seconds. But I felt very accomplished. I figured that was the hard part. I was wrong. The hard part is staying up. Because there’s a lot going on. You have to control the kite with the left hand (while the wind is howling & really trying to take it & you with it) while you put your board on with the right hand, then get in proper position with abs & legs flexed in a position that reminded me a bit of getting a pap smear (but I kept that to myself), make sure the board is out of the water & pointing the correct direction, & then start doing figure-8s with the kite & let it lift you… all the while, you’re getting slammed by waves. So that gets you up. Then, you need to continue controlling the kite, while you get your body & body weight into proper positioning as well as the board. So it’s a lot to think about until it becomes instinctual & that means there’s a lot to go wrong. And when one of those things go wrong, you crash in epic fashion, the board is left behind as you try to control the kite which is dragging you quickly across the water. Once you get your senses, have control of the kite & spit up swallowed sea water, you must then locate your board which by now is 100 ft away. This is when you have to use the board retrieval skills you learned by using the kite to tack back & forth in the water until you can reach the damn board. Which is a lot fucking harder than it sounds bc you have to time the wind & the current & the kite & you inevitably miss it bc you’re new at this so it takes fucking forever. And then you do it again & again for 3hrs. Needless to say, I was exhausted & beat down, bruised, scraped over rocks, etc. after each lesson. And yet I was still laughing my ass off & having a helluva time. So I intend to continue pursuing it as this is one sport that will take a lot of practice.

So my pursuit of kitesurfing dominated my afternoons in Jeri. My mornings were spent hiking, exploring the dunes, paddleboarding & lazing about on the beaches. Nights were spent gorging myself on meals as I expended a lot of energy followed by caipirinhas on the beach while listening to live music. I don’t have a ton of photos of Jeri despite loving it so. Each morning I’d head out the door with only my swimming suit, rash guard & shorts, leaving behind everything else including my phone. It felt real good & a bit like home.

Duna do por do sol – large dune adjacent to main Jeri beach where everyone watches sunset

Caipirinha drink carts line the beach from early evening on

Malhada beach or the “local beach” bc there are no restaurants or services so only locals go. Clearly this was my fave.

Morro Branco & the beaches south of Fortaleza, Brazil – Stunning red cliffs

After a week of paradise in Fernando de Noronha, I returned to mainland Brazil for yet more beaches. I headed to Fortaleza but didn’t spend much time there; rather, I used it as a base from which to explore the beaches to the South. Based on my research, the beaches to the South are backed by these stunning red cliffs while the beaches to the North feature these ridiculous sand dunes. More on the North later. I visited Morro Branco, Praia das Fontes & Canoa Quebrada. Morro Branco is the real standout in terms of beauty but has zero pousadas in which to crash so that’s saved for Canoa Quebrada which is a pretty charming fishing village. I just spent a couple days here as I wanted to head North to the dunes for an extended stay. But my were the views pretty.

Video of buggy ride from Morro Branco to Praia das Fontes

https://youtu.be/JpVsAg9jGZQ

Fernando de Noronha – Not just Brazil’s version of the Galapagos but paradise on earth

I’ve visited a lot of places in this world & seen a lot of things. So I feel somewhat secure when concluding that Fernando de Noronha goes down as one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands, the largest one of which (only 7 square miles) is the only one inhabited with a population of 5k, located 350km offshore from the NE Brazilian coast. The island is home to the most postcard perfect & largely deserted beaches as well as protected marine life as most of the island falls within the boundaries of the national park. There’s a sea-turtle sanctuary & it’s the world’s best place to see spinner dolphins. It’s known as home to Brazil’s best beaches, diving & surfing. And it’s unforgettable. It’s only been open to tourism since 1988 & it doesn’t overwhelm now as access is limited to 2 small flights a day. No new construction is allowed on its beaches, there are restrictions on vehicles, no condos or hotel chains are allowed, no beach vendors are allowed. So for this reason, pousadas are the only lodging option & there aren’t any pousadas on the beaches. Rather, they’re concentrated in the tiny town center.

To enjoy this paradise certainly comes at a cost. They charge you an environmental preservation fee based on the number of days you’re visiting & they also charge you to access the National Park attractions – probably half of the beaches are included as well as any access to the gorgeous aqua-hued sea (i.e. diving). And generally, prices for everything else are on the expensive side.

For someone who loves to dive, there was no way I was missing out on the best dive spot in Brazil. While I didn’t dive in the Galapagos due to my head & chest cold, the snorkeling was sic & of course that’s my first comparison to Fernando de Noronha.

The Galapagos is a LOT bigger – much bigger islands & far more inhabitants.
The Galapagos has been open to tourism for much longer (mid-60s) vs. late 80s for Fernando de Noronha which means the industry & the marketing is far more developed in the Galapagos & far more people visit. There’s a quick blurb in my travel books about Fernando but word of mouth by Brazilians & then subsequent online research is really what propelled me to visit. Fernando felt much smaller to me & very welcoming. There aren’t very many people that live there & by the end of the week, I was constantly running into people I’d met (& some I’d forgotten I’d met) at the pousada, on hikes, at the beaches & at the island’s best dive shop.
My sense is there’s a lot more cool marine life to see in the Galapagos than Fernando. While in Fernando, I dove with 30+ spinner dolphins (awesome!!!), sharks, rays, turtles & eels, while the Galapagos added to that giant manta rays, hammerheads, sea lions, penguins, giant turtles, marine lizards, etc. Beyond that, I was blessed in the Galapagos to see SCHOOLS of marine life whereas in Fernando, excepting the spinner dolphins, the marine life was usually one-off. Add to that the vast wildlife in the Galapagos, including land lizards, tortoises & all the birds, & there’s no comparison.
The marine life in the Galapagos is also very snorkel-friendly. I saw crazy creatures all without diving. No dive I’ve ever done can possibly compare to multiple snorkel trips I enjoyed in the Galapagos. While I had luck when snorkeling in Fernando as I saw sharks, rays & turtles, people I told of this seemed a bit incredulous so I suspect it’s far more rare in Fernando to be able to enjoy the marine life without diving.
However, Fernando de Noronha takes the prize for beaches. Hands down, no question. It has the most stunning beaches in the lushest of landscapes & the most perfect aqua blue water.

So bottom line… I loved them both for different reasons. In the Galapagos, you feel like you’re on a nature tour & it’s constantly paying off in huge dividends. In Fernando de Noronha, it feels like an untouched island paradise accompanied by awesome marine life & feels very small & homey. Which I love. So I’ll return to both. Hopefully sooner than later.

View from atop an old fort near the town center of a couple gorgeous beaches & the island’s “primary rock” which definitely resembles a large phallic symbol

Praia do Meio – the closest beach to my pousada in the center of town; maybe a 10-min walk over cobbled streets & dirt paths

Praia do Conceicao – just past Meio & flanked on one end by the penis rock. I watched many a sunsets here which often coincided with low tide when snorkeling was especially good.

Praia do Leao – what a beauty! I went there a couple times, which involved a 10min local bus then a 15min walk, & there was never another soul there. I’m sure they call in Lion beach bc the waves are fierce, probably scaring away folks.

Baia do Sueste – gorgeous beach, islands, snorkeling & mirantes. Ran into a 2m shark in 2m of water & followed that beauty for 10min as he kept going shallow hunting. I lost him in 1m of water as he was kicking up sand. I couldn’t believe how shallow he was for how big he was. Awesome.

One of my fave days was spent hiking from beach to beach during low tide over & across rocks & through forest, snorkeling & swimming at each beach, then hitting the next. Started early at 8am with the lowest tide as I didn’t want to get stranded on the first 3. Hiked 5 beaches, then into Baia do Porcos for some really amazing views & finally a long hike to Baia do Sancho & it’s beach, which is ranked the number one beach in the world by more than one publication, finishing at Baia do Golphinos. It was a LONG day as I didn’t return til 6 & spent exactly zero time laying around relaxing on any beach.

Praia do Sancho – this beach is within the national park so there are quite a few really nice trails leading to one gorgeous viewpoint after another. Only after I knocked out all of those did I realize the only way to access the actual beach was via 2 massive construction ladders1 after another, slipped inside a crevice in the massive stone cliffs backing the beach. The crevices are son arrow, it doesn’t fit a small backpack but no worries bc they also provide a rope for you to first lower you bag before descending on these ladders from hell. Oh & I didn’t mention there’s rushing waterfalls around you in this deep dark crevice so you must take care to not slip on these massive metal ladders. After the ladders, there are probably 200 big stone steps to get you the rest of the way down. I was at the top listening to this explanation from the park ranger & finally figuring out why there’s no one actually on the beach below. I think most people come to take photos, then decline to descent bc it’s somewhat insane. But of course I did it. And it was amazing. There were maybe 10 other people hiding out in shade on this massive beach that’s the BEST beach in the world. Crazy. To top it off, it also had great snorkeling as I came across 3 turtles hanging out & eating & proceeded to follow those goofballs around for a good hour.

I spent a lot of time diving here which made me a really happy girl. But bc I don’t have a GoPro, I have no documentation of the 30+ dolphins who swam with us underwater 5mins into the 2nd dive (!!!!!), sharks, rays, turtles, moray eels, etc. i considered buying a GoPro before my trip to primarily use for diving but decided against it. I am always so relaxed on a dive – chilled out, zoned out & just focusing on exploring what’s in front of me. I thought perhaps constantly taking photos or videos would alter my zen-like experience. Although one of my fave videos of this trip was one my friend Malene took of the shark den we explored in the Galapagos. I still watch that every so often & giggle with glee. Still considering.

Salvador de Bahia – The culture capital of Brazil

The state of Bahia is located in NE Brazil & its capital of Salvador is the historical capital of Portuguese Brazil. The city is perched high above the bay & celebrates its predominant African heritage with its colored colonial architecture, narrow cobbled streets, incredibly delicious food, nonstop samba music & drums, & proud fun people. I’m writing this after having visited 4 states in Brazil & 3 different locales within Bahia & I can say without a doubt that the Bahia people certainly seem to be the most proud, banding around its Bahia statehood. It definitely feels like a special unique culture & has an electric fun energy. Nowhere is it better on display than Salvador. I felt it as well in Morro de Sao Paulo & Boipeba, no doubt, but I returned for my second stay in Salvador after my jaunt to the islands, to find the locals setting up for Sao Joao festival. It was still a few days away but the city was already bursting with color, the drum beats were never louder as all day long, small drum corps held impromptu street marches to get everyone on their feet dancing, & the main town square in the Pelourinho neighborhood was littered with tables & an even-larger-than-normal stage had been erected for the bands that play nightly as the crowds gathered for music & dancing. Celebrating Sao Joao in Bahia is definitely high on my list of future trips.

Just 2 blocks from my pousada & on a steep hill was a plaza featuring this stunningly ornate blue church surrounded by multi-colored buildings & buzzing with people. While not the main square, it was my fave as I wandered through several times a day. A bit obsessed.

São Joao decorations. My pousada owners said São Joao was just as big as carnival for locals & maybe more so bc it didn’t attract as many tourists.

[caption width="4032" id="attachment_2793" align="alignnone"] The main square with lots more churches

Caju, or cashew, fruit juice is my fave new addition to the traditional caipirinha

I LOVED this lady. I typically steer clear of folks dressed in costume as they’re preying upon tourists who just want to snap a quick selfie. I was minding my own business taking a photo when this lady did a sneak attack & started talking to me before I realized I was ensnared. She started telling me about her “traditional dress” & I apparently was feeling a bit saucy as I told her, in my embarrassing Spanish-Portuguese mix, that her traditional dress didn’t seem very practical bc it was so big. She paused, as it was clear she wasn’t accustomed to being challenged & especially by a smart-ass gringo, looked me up & down & then burst into laughter. She tried to convince me, I remained skeptical. She refused to take any money from me, gave me tips on Salvador to-do’s & made me send her this cool photo I took of her. She was fabulous.

These guys were practicing capoeira in the main square. It’s a Brazilian martial art that incorporates dance, acrobatics & music. I was watching them, mesmerized, when I made the mistake of creeping a little too close to try to capture it on video. Then they went into “tourist performance” mode posing for pics & trying to get me involved which was a whole lot LESS cool than the actual art form they were practicing before.

The elevator, the most famous of transport options between the upper city (historical center) & lower city (port & market but not much else).

Moqueca, a famous Bahia stew, made with seafood, tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro, palm oil, coconut milk & served with the traditional hot sauce called piri-piri (it’s actually hot!!!), rice & farofa, a toasted cassava-flour mixture served all over Brazil with many different meals. Delicious!

Boipeba, Bahia, Brazil – The Morro de Sao Paulo of 20 years ago

Getting to Boipeba in Bahia, Brazil is not so easy. It’s made easier if you’re accessing it from Morro de Sao Paulo as I was. It’s an island off the coast of the state of Bahia in Brazil & is just south of Morro’s island of Tinhare. When I was done playing in Morro, I simply hopped aboard a small boat bound with Morro day trippers for Boipeba & abandoned the trip halfway through to stay put there. Many of the folks I met in Salvador Bahia & Morro suggested I skip Boipeba. It felt akin to the relationship between Arraial do Cabo & Buzios. Boipeba gets no mention in either my Lonely Planet or Rough Guide but I came across it searching online for best undiscovered spots in Brazil as well as best beaches… bc I must be honest, I needed Brazil to satisfy my fix at the end of my trip.

Boipeba certainly fit the bill. It was quiet & tiny with very few people around when our little boat cruised up on shore. One guy did run over to meet our boat donning an “Uber Boipeba” homemade tee-shirt as he was the island’s clever wheelbarrow taxi service. I paid him $3 to carry my backpack & lead me on a winding 15-min walk to my pousada in the jungle. After I settled in, I went exploring & ended up on a beach running into the same uber driver, asked him where the center was & he kindly walked me there & gave me a brief 15-min tour.

The locals are lovely & welcoming, always greeting you with a smile & a “bom dia”. The atmosphere is super chill. No shoes needed. The days are spent lazily wandering & hiking (in flip flops) through the jungle & along the shore from one ridiculously perfect deserted crescent-shaped palm-fringed wide white sand beach to another as well as snorkeling in cool offshore shallow pools formed by rocks & coral.

Once again, the tiny, off-the-beaten-path, lesser known locale vs. a still small, off-the-beaten-path locale turns out to be my fave destination.

[caption width="5192" id="attachment_2777" align="alignnone"] The perfect deserted crescent-shaped palm-fringed white sand beach

Yes this is a boat bar equipped with floating tables anchored to the ground right next to a great snorkeling spot

Morro de Sao Paulo in Bahia, Brazil – An Island with beaches, footvolley & dance parties

I left the Rio de Janeiro province & flew north to the Bahia province where I spent 5 days in the amazing capital city of Salvador Bahia on the front & back-end of a week split between 2 of its offshore islands Tinhare & Boipeba. Morro de Sao Paulo is on the island of Tinhare & is a 2.5hr boat ride from Salvador’s port. I booked the boat the day of departure & thankfully so as it turns out only 1 of 4 previously scheduled direct boats left for Morro & they didn’t decide til the morning of. While I had intended to take the 1pm boat, a 9am phone call inquiring about the status revealed the 10:30am speedboat with a 12-person capacity was the only one leaving that day. In order to avoid a boat-bus-boat combo later in the day that takes 5hrs, I quickly packed & made it to the port just in time to buy a ticket & board (again thank goodness for low season). There is a much more expensive 30min flight option in a small prop plane but there must be a minimum of 5 passengers (or I suppose you pay for the whole plane yourself & if you’re doing that, you should probably not be going to Morro).

So the coolest thing about arriving in Morro de Sao Paulo is finding no cars of any kind allowed in the village. I knew this prior to coming, of course, which is why I was a bit shocked after coming off the boat when asked on the dock if I wanted a taxi. The “taxi” driver settled my confusion when he revealed his “taxi” was actually a wheelbarrow. Hell yeah, I want a taxi. Even if I only have a backpack that I’m very comfortable carrying. Of course I’m paying $5 to have a dude wheelbarrow it to my pousada on the second beach up & down steep but short hills all while giving me a bootleg quick overview tour. I freaking loved it.
The Brazilian people continue to be amazing… I find them to be so fun, friendly & laidback. I did have to laugh at them though bc in Morro de Sao Paulo, they kept guessing I was Argentinian. Umm what? I deduced they could tell I was a foreigner & since most of the people who visit Morro de Sao Paulo, outside of domestic Brazilian tourists, are Argentinians, that was their first guess. I’d laugh out loud & correct them & silently feel somewhat pleased bc my mix of broken Spanish interspersed with key Portuguese vocab has somehow fooled them! At first this happened solely with Brazilian men, who I’ve certainly found to be the most forward in South America but also the funniest, so I wondered if it wasn’t some ploy but then it crossed boundaries.
That brings me to the language. After nearly 5mos in Spanish-speaking countries dealing only with varying dialects within the same language, I was getting more & more comfortable. And then I come to Brazil. I’ve found Portuguese to be a mix between Spanish & Italian. I don’t speak Italian but some words seem similar (bela, for example) as does the thick accent. So I studied a few key words & phrases in Portuguese & essentially speak Spanish with the exception of subbing in key Portuguese words when I know they’re different. It works fairly well – I’ve even had people compliment me on my Portuguese (ha!) – until it doesn’t & I trip over a word either I or they don’t recognize & then we find one that works. Those Brazilians may not want to admit they’re speaking a hybrid of Portuguese & Spanish but I sure appreciate it bc I’ve met plenty of people who speak only Portuguese & it’s much more difficult for me to follow. I conversed wonderfully w one local guy I met on Morro until he turned to his friends & spoke rapid fire to them. I didn’t have a clue what he said to them & told him so. He laughed & admitted he spoke more slowly, clearly, lost a bit of his Italian-esque accent, cut out all of the local slang (folks from other Brazilian provinces claimed there’s a lot of local Bahia slang that even they don’t understand) & sometimes substituted easier Spanish words as he acknowledged Portuguese is a much more difficult language than Spanish. I was grateful. But one thing this trip sure has done is make me want to continue learning other languages. When I return, I’m going to try to find a Chicagoan who I can pay to meet me for coffee for a couple hours once a week & they can teach me Spanish, maybe some Portuguese, who knows. In the meantime, I love learning on the fly. And in such a lovely setting.

View of the town center, beaches 1 & 2 while beaches 3 & 4 are in distance & around bend. Apparently there are more creative names for the beaches but they aren’t used. All locals & even the addresses are 1st beach, etc. Hilarious.

Segunda Praia & lookout point in background

Footvolley takes over the 2nd beach once the courts are shaded. It’s mesmerizing to watch. The most impressive & seemingly difficult sport. Think volleyball rules played with soccer skills. So no hands!!! I love it. And I love the distracting dancing kid in the video below. I was lucky enough to see a few matches played by the reigning island champ who plays professionally in Brazil against his former partner. It was at night & so lighting not conducive to video & I didn’t want to look like a narc. Haha

Footvolley video: https://youtu.be/mrq1kxbwUTk

The 3rd beach which I think really serves the purpose of connecting the 2nd & 4th beaches bc it completely disappears during high tide & the boats still anchored bottom out during low tide.

Buzios, Brazil – Thankfully not so crazy during low season

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

Arraial do Cabo – My (first) small town Brazilian paradise

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.

Praia do Forno is the 3rd ranked Brazil beach let some ranking that locals quote. It’s probably my favorite. To access it, you have to hike 20-30mins up & over a hill on a winding path. No vehicles no thing there. There are some light beach services but nothing more. It’s heavenly & also has some pretty good snorkeling along the rocks (turtle!).

Praia dos Anjos runs along the port on one side of the town

I took a boat one day (definitely the most touristy thing to do in Arraial) to see a couple beaches you can’t access any other way (well one you can by car but I didn’t have one of those).

Praia da Ilha do Farol is supposedly Brazil’s 2nd best beach. It’s an island just off Arraial & facing the beach below & the only way to reach it is by boat. It’s pretty gorgeous.

A crazy cool naturally forming crevice. Nature rocks.

Prainhas do Pontal do Atalaia is on the very SE most tip of Arraial & faces Farol beach on its island. This is a stunner. One half of the beach is pretty isolated. The other half has beach services & a really long wooden stairway up & over the bluff to a road (so you can drive & park if you have a car). The best views are from this beach.

Praia Grande on another side of town. Great for sunsets. Obviously. And also surfing. One of the widest beaches I’ve ever seen.

A hike up to a mirador between Praias Grande & Brava reveals views of all of Arraial & lovely sunsets, even when the clouds aren’t cooperating

Brazil, my last country, & Rio de Janeiro, the coolest big city I’ve visited

So Brazil. I went from planning to skip it entirely in the months leading up to my trip (it’s so big, I think I was intimidated by its size & while I hadn’t yet read about it, I was really excited about other countries) to deciding a month before leaving that I might as well get a Brazilian visa just in case bc I’m going to be so close to about halfway into my trip, deciding I not only had to go, but I was really excited to go, to ultimately spending the last 6 weeks here. So my excitement level was real high going into Rio, my first stop in Brazil.
But I’m not really sure where to start with Rio. I think Rio gets a bad rap primarily bc of safety stuff & IMHO, it’s total crap. Be smart, be safe, don’t put yourself in bad situations & all will turn out wonderfully most of the time. I freakin loved the city. LOVED. I had planned on 6 nights & ended up staying 8 & didn’t want to leave then. I think it’s my fave big city I’ve visited on this trip. It’s just such a unique combination of massive city laid out on rolling green hills that meet the island-dotted ocean at these insanely long stretches of white sandy beach. Then you toss in the vibe, culture, music, nightlife & the nice beautiful people. There’s interesting & must-see tourist to-do’s but it’s also another city made up of different unique hoods & I had a blast exploring a lot of them. My faves, both with a lot of culture, were Lapa, which had great samba & fun parties in its central square, & Santa Teresa, an artist haven in the hills. I of course spent a lot of time in the Zona Sul which is the south zone home to 16km of sandy beaches including the famous Copacabana & Ipanema. I did a foodie tour, went to a couple local samba fests, visited some not so famous but IMHO much better beaches further south & didn’t even make it to the historical center, which is supposedly a bit dodgy outside of normal weekly business hours but includes some famous murals painted for the Olympics. I documented a lot of this but it’s also the city where both my iphone charger & one of the heroes of my trip, my backup phone battery charger, both died within a day of each other so a couple days of my adventures are not photo documented.
The people? They really are as beautiful as people say. Annoyingly in shape & stunningly beautiful. Although the guys really should stop shaving or waxing or whatever they’re doing do to their chests. The women should be parading around in their thong bikinis bc they look ridiculously amazing. And it’s no wonder. You go to the beach & people aren’t lying around. They’re lifting weights, doing pullups on children’s playground equipment, running, biking, surfing, playing football, volleyball or my fave & seemingly the most popular… footvolley which is just freaking incredible. Oh & they’re super nice too.
The food was great. All of it. I ate Thai twice & sushi once. What can I say? I’ve been traveling for nearly 6 months & I’m in need of a little variety & you get that in a big city. The food tour for me differed from my SE Asian food tours in that it was more about the experience of visiting different hoods & interacting with locals than necessarily the food. You know, experiences like bonding w the local guide (+ grad student + film critic) over drinks & finding out his fave movie is Magnolia which blows your mind bc that’s one of your fave movies of all time & then after more drinks, you two start quoting the movie & discussing plot lines before breaking into Aimee Mann songs (“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do…”), much to the dismay of everyone else at the table. You know, those experiences?
But I really did love Rio. All but the traffic. The traffic is atrocious. It prompted me to figure out early on how to transition from taxis to the metro system. And I’m a walker so I put some miles in. I left thinking I could probably be happy hanging in Rio for another 2 weeks or quite possibly, the rest of my trip. But like I said, Brazil is big & I needed to do a bit more exploring. However, I will definitely squeeze it into another future trip to Brazil. And I’m fairly certain there will be plenty of those to come.