You may notice from my 'ciao' name that I have some interest in Búzios and this is because it is my second home, or to be more precise, my holiday home as we own a holiday house there and our family visit every year. I therefore feel well qualified to comment on it as a holiday destination and will try not to be too biased.
Búzios (the town's full name is Armação de Búzios) sits on the tip of a long, beach-rich peninsula jutting out into the clear blue Atlantic just 2 hours drive north of Rio de Janeiro.
Until the 1960s Búzios was a small, sleepy fishingvillage. Then Brigitte Bardot stumbled upon it's sandy beaches in 1964, and in the years since the little town has used the publicity to turn itself into one of Brazil's top
beach resorts. On summer holiday weekends the town is packed with Brazilians on vacation, many Carioca (natives of Rio) celebrities own places here. But despite the influx Búzios has managed to retain the charm of its fishing village past.
The sheer number of beaches (over 20) in Búzios makes it easy to experience Brazilian beach culture first hand. The diversity of the beaches is overwhelming, for example:- Geribá : A huge sandy beach, frequented by many beautiful and famous people and one of the best spots for surfing. Ferradurinha : Small and very beautiful, surrounded by rocky outcrops. Here you can hire canoes. Ferradura : Nestled between rocky headlands in a beautiful horseshoe bay, this beach offers calm crystal-clear waters, making it the perfect place for a long lazy afternoon's snorkel. João Fernandes and the tiny João Fernandinho beaches are busy places lined with beachside cafes and full of people intent on getting and showing off their tans. Azeda and Azedinha: Quiet, tranquil and very beautiful beaches which can only be reached on foot from nearby Ossos beach. And there are many more - all different but all stunning.
Many of the beaches have cafes and beach bars where you can buy drinks at very reasonable prices. A litre bottle of beer costs about R$2 (which at current rates is about 0.40p) and for R$4 you can get a caiprinha, Brazil's national drink, made from cachaca (cane spirit), lime juice, sugar and ice (these slip down a treat but go carefully). You can also buy chilled coconuts for a refreshing alcohol free drink.
For the more active there is windsurfing, scuba-diving, trekking, fishing and many other water-sports.
Downtown Búzios itself is charming and elegant at the same time. No building can be more tham 2 storeys so there is no high rise ugliness. In fact the buildings all display a particularly attractive local architectural style based upon the old fishing cottages.
Sophisticated restaurants abound for those who appreciate good food. There are Japanese, French, Italian, Moroccan, Mexican, Thai and Brazilian restaurants amongst many others. Prices, again are very reasonable so you can afford to eat out all the time. The cheapest restaurants serve high quality food by the kilo. Some of the restaurants overlook the sea or have outdoor eating areas where you can enjoy the beautiful views - these I highly recommend for a splendidly romantic location.
Búzios has a very bustling night life with live music shows, night-clubs and bars of all kinds and the wonderful Rua das Pedras (Street of Stones).
If you like browsing shops then there are local and international boutiques mixed with art galleries and local craftmanship.For getting about there are boat, car and beach-buggy rentals. You can also rent bikes. You can also get from beach to beach on water taxis.
There are wonderful schooner tours around the islands and beaches of Búzios.
Though busy on holiday weekends it is hot all year round. Off season it is quiet and tranquil. We usually visit at Easter time when, apart from the Easter weekend itself it is very quiet. The high season is Christmas and new year and also Carnaval time when the Cariocas like to leave Rio and visit Búzios.
Brazil is not often considered as a holiday destination (other than trips to the Amazon, or to the Carnaval) and Búzios is a classic example of what is being missed by outsiders. Once you have paid for a flight to Rio it is quite cheap. Also it is also very safe (unlike Rio).
If you like beaches with golden sands and crystal clear waters, beautiful scenery and people, excellent food and friendly charm then Búzios is a paradise you should investigate. I know this sounds a bit like a travel brochure but the place really is superb.
PS. And if you want to rent a lovely holiday house just beside Geribá beach then visit http://www.buzios.co.uk.
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