Year-round sunshine, turquoise blue water, breathtaking scenery and affordable prices.
These are just some of the reasons why Arraial is one of the most popular beach destinations in the state of Rio!
If you are planning a family vacation there and trying to figure out what to do in Arraial Brazil, check out this list we have prepared with 10 must-see tours in the «Brazilian Caribbean».
What to do in Arraial do Cabo Brazil
Travel tip: If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, avoid the peak of summer, as the city is very crowded and tumultuous.
It is still perfect to enjoy your next vacation in Brazil.
As Arraial is a relatively new town (it was founded in 1985!) and grew very fast due to tourism, it can be a bit stressful to visit on weekends in January and February.
If you can go during the week, you can enjoy it with more tranquility.
What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Before proceeding with the list of must-see tours in Arraial do Cabo, another tip to make planning your trip easier.
It is very convenient to drive and makes your trip to the Lake District much easier. The combo: Arraial + Cabo Frio + Búzios is a must.
For this it is best to rent a car and enjoy your trip in a more relaxed way, without having to incur the tremendous wear and tear of the «25 cities in 2 days» packages.
How to get to Arraial do Cabo
Arraial do Cabo is located 165 km from Rio de Janeiro, in the area known as Região dos Lagos, where the cities of Búzios, Cabo Frio, Araruama, Saquarema, São Pedro da Aldeia and Iguaba Grande are also located.
That said, let’s start with images about Arraial do Cabo by taking a look at this video:
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The best way to get to Arraial do Cabo is from the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Cars and buses are the most common transportation options.
The car trip has an average duration of 2h35, while the bus route takes three hours.
Accommodations in Arraial do Cabo
Accommodation in Arraial do Cabo is not among the most expensive in the Lake District.
With R$ 50 it is already possible to book a bed in a good hostel. And since there are no big hotels, prices do not reach stratospheric levels.
Arraial do Cabo Booking map:
Arraial do Cabo mapa Booking:
Booking.com
Hostel where to stay in Arraial do Cabo
For those who need to save money but still have fun, a good option is the Books Rehab Hostel (600 meters from Praia Grande).
You will feel at home and you will be sure to stay in one of the best rated hostels in Reservas.
Other good budget options are the cozy Arraial do Cabo hostel Villas Boas (700 meters from Praia dos Anjos), A Coroa hostel and Praia Brava hostel (300 meters from Praia Grande).
Arraial do Cabo hotels and apart
If you are looking for hotels or apartments to enjoy more privacy, luxury and comfort on the beaches of Arraial do Cabo, the ones recommended by hundreds of tourists are:
- Sophia II Residence Inn, Arraial do Cabo all inclusive: located on Avenida Doutor Hermes Barcelos Orla Flávia Alessandra S/N, Praia Grande. Note: 9
- Apartamentos Portal para o Sol e o Mar: Security, parking, comfort and very good service. Note: 10!
- Le Bon Vivant apartments : One of the bestsellers in Arraial do Cabo! All the comforts and a very good price quality. Score 10!
- Arraial do Cabo Orlanova hotel: A beautiful place in front of Prainha beach. Comfortable rooms, excellent service and the best scenery of Arraial do Cabo for you.
Beaches Arraial do Cabo Brazil
Have you found where to stay in Arraial do Cabo, now the sea is the big star of Arraial. It’s hard not to get excited when you see the first landscape of the city. Even on the road, you’ll fall in love with the endless shades of blue and green.
Yes, Arraial is known as the Brazilian Caribbean. And the fame is confirmed on every beach visited.
In total, there are eight small portions of paradise available for the delight of sun lovers, the best beaches and the sea.
There is a beach for all tastes! Learn more about the beaches of Arraial do Cabo and the details of each one of them.
- Faro Beach
- Prainha
- Horno Beach
- Pontal Beach
- Pontal do Atalaia Beach
- Praia dos Anjos Beach
- Praia Grande
- Brava Beach
1. Boat trip to Praia do Farol (Arraial do Cabo)
This is, without a doubt, the tour you can do in Arraial do Cabo. If you only have one day in Arraial do Cabo city, you can bet on the Arraial boat tour, which passes by Praia do Farol, Prainhas do Pontal do Atalaia and Praia do Forno for snorkeling.
Praia do Farol is located inside a reserve and is only accessible by boat. The sand is white, the water temperature in Arraial do Cabo is perfect and of a unique blue.
The great advantage of Arraial VIP, and the main reason why I recommend it here, is that the boat leaves very early and arrives when the beach is still deserted. In other words: you can enjoy this little piece of paradise just for yourselves!
Booking is done online, the price for the summer is around R$100 per person, and the meeting point is near Praia dos Anjos.
2. Arraial do Cabo beaches: Prainhas do Pontal do Atalaia
This is perhaps the most famous tour of Arraial do Cabo. The beaches of Pontal do Atalaia are simply amazing!
And that’s exactly why it has visitor control. The parking lot (R$20 per day) has a maximum capacity of 250 spaces.
Going in high season? Arrive early – be early! Many people arrive at 6 am (opening time of the place), take a cooler with cold drinks and stay there all day. It’s worth it! Just don’t forget your sunscreen and hat to protect you from the sun.
If you’re not in a car, other options to get there are by boat-taxi (the stretch costs R$20 per person) or cab (R$20 per person – only goes with maximum capacity).
And you’ve certainly seen some photo on Instagram of this staircase that gives access to the arena. Impossible not to stop and take a little picture there!
3. Arraial do Cabo Season: Gruta do Amor (Grotto of Love)
The Grotto of Love (Gruta do amor) has become a true temple of love and is visited mainly by couples who go in search of the promise that «the couple that enters there will be in love forever», as the locals say.
The cave is located in Prainhas do Pontal and is accessible by walking along the sand to the right corner of the beach.
If the tide is high, it may be necessary to go through the water. Curiosity: the cave cavity reminds the map of the state of Rio de Janeiro!
4. Arraial do Cabo things to do: Forno Beach
Praia do Forno is accessible by a trail of about 15 minutes. The walk is quiet and suitable for people of any age.
As you go along the path, don’t miss a lookout point that you will find on the descent on the right 😉.
When you reach the sand, you’ll find a calm water beach ideal for taking the kids and perfect for snorkeling.
There are also street vendors and makeshift kiosks so you don’t have to worry about food and drink.
Oh, don’t bring loudspeakers, because this item is not allowed on this beach.
5. What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Diving
Arraial do Cabo is one of the coolest diving destinations in the Lake District.
The transparency and good visibility of the water is what attracts professional and amateur divers to the region.
If you have never dived, this is a good opportunity to do a diving baptism and explore the marine life more fully through scuba diving.
6. What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Praia Grande
Another fascinating place to watch the sunset in Arraial do Cabo is Praia Grande! The extensive stretch of sand of this urban beach is the setting for a wonderful sunset.
If you want peace, walk to the right corner of the beach. On the left corner you will find the buzz, some bars and restaurants offering live music at happy hour and many tourists eagerly awaiting the last ray of sunshine of the day.
7. What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Lago do Amor
It is impossible not to include Lago do Amor in this list of things to do in Arraial do Cabo.
This natural emerald pool has recently become famous on social media and is really worth a visit!
Although it’s a half-hour hike, we recommend you go with a guide, as the hike passes through slippery and steep rocks.
8. Brazil Arraial do Cabo: Sunset at Pontal do Atalaia.
You know that clapping sunset? That’s one of them. The Pontal do Atalaia is, without a doubt, the most famous place to watch the sunset in Arraial do Cabo and is a great place to go after spending the day in Prainhas.
The sun sets over the water, in an immensity of blue, which gradually turns into a thousand shades of orange, until dusk. It is a spectacle of nature!
9. What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Snorkeling at Graçainha Beach
A small beach accessible only by trail: Praia da Graçainha is a beauty for those who want to observe some of the marine life of Arraial do Cabo without having to take a boat ride.
The trail starts from the right side of Prainha and takes about 20 minutes and the 15-meter long beach appears only at low tide. Take your snorkel and be prepared to cross with turtles and various small fish!
10. What to do in Arraial do Cabo: Cabocla Viewpoint
To close this list of excursions in Arraial do Cabo, you can’t miss the Mirante da Cabocla trail.
If you like this kind of activity, you will love the itinerary proposed by the guide Luis EcoTrilhas.
This trail, which lasts about 3 hours, has a moderate level of difficulty and a distance of 4.5 km.
Starting in Prainha, the trail also passes by Graçainha Beach, Mirante do Forno, Mirante da Prainha, and of course, Mirante da Cabocla. Price: R$60 per person.
What is the best time to go to Arraial do Cabo?
Arraial do Cabo is no different. If you prefer to get away from the hustle and bustle and still enjoy the milder climate, the best time to visit Arraial do Cabo is spring, between the months of September and December, or autumn, which occurs between March and June.
Cabo Frio or Arraial do Cabo?
Well, I think it depends on the pace of life you lead. Because if you want to go out at night, let’s say that in Arraial you will not get much, which you will find more in Cabo.
In my case I don’t mind so much if Arraial has night or not because the main thing in my case is to go to the beaches of Arraial.
Distance between Buzios and Arraial do cabo
The distance from Buzios to Arrial do Cabo is about 40 km, and due to traffic and difficult roads, the approximate time is about 50 minutes.
The cheapest way to get from Búzios to Arraial do Cabo is to bus which costs approximately R$ 6 and takes 45 min.
The quickest way to get from Búzios to Arraial do Cabo is to cab which costs R$ 210 – R$ 260 and takes 41 min.
Distance Rio de Janeiro to Arraial do Cabo: 2 h 33 min (164.1 km) via BR-101 and Via Lagos
Arraial do Cabo Cabo Frio: 19 min (12.7 km) by Rod. Gen. Bruno Martins
What to do in Arraial do Cabo when it rains?
Besides knowing most of the beaches in the area, even with wind and rain, you know places that you would hardly go if it were not for the tour, such as the dry lake, located in the old factory of barrilha and the paredão, which is nearby.
What to do in Arraial do Cabo in 3 days?
Itinerary of 3 days in Arraial do Cabo
- Praia do Forno + Boat trip.
- Prainha + Praia Grande beach.
- Tour the center of Arraial do Cabo
- Pontal do Atalaia Beach + Brava Beach.
- In short, this is the suggested itinerary for 3 days in Arraial do Cabo. any questions?
- Leave it there in the comments 😉 .
What’s good in Arraial do Cabo?
What to do in Arraial do Cabo – Tips.
1 – Boat ride to Praia do Farol (Lighthouse Beach) …
2 – Pontal do Atalaia and Praia Brava. …
3 – Arraial do Cabo Beaches: Praia Grande, Prainha or Praia do Pontal. …
4 – Trail to Mirante da Cabocla or Lago do Amor. …
5 – Excursion to Cabo Frio or Búzios.
What is the best beach in Arraial do Cabo?
The season in Arraial do Cabo is always full of fun, and these are the best beaches in Arraial do Cabo to enjoy them!
- Farol Beach
- Praia do Forno Beach
- Pontal do Atalaia Beaches
- Brava Beach
What to do at night in Arraial do Cabo?
The best pubs, food and music tours you can enjoy. Here, Arraial do Cabo night:
- Bar do Mazinho. Victor de Sant’Anna. The Bar do Mazinho is a traditional restaurant famous for serving the best codfish pie in the region. …
- El Farol Bar. El Farol Bar. …
- República Pub. Republic Pub Arraial. …
- Point Calamares. Point Calamares. …
- Bacalhau do Tuga. Capitao Zeferino.
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