Búzios is a beach town on a peninsula about 170 kilometres east of Rio. This guide is for you if you are staying in Rio and want a day there. It covers the choices to make before you book: the season and the day of the week, which beach to end on, whether to add a schooner, and whether one day is enough or you should stay the night.
When to go
December to February is summer and the high season. Carnival and New Year's Eve are the busiest times, and November is busy too. The beaches are at their liveliest then and the bars fill up, which some people come for and others would rather avoid. Cruise ships also call at Búzios during the high season, and the centre is fuller on those days.
From about mid-June to early September it is drier and quieter, and still warm enough by day for the beach. If you would rather share the beaches with fewer people, those months are the ones to look at.
The day of the week matters as much as the month. The drive back into Rio on a Sunday afternoon can be slow, so a weekday makes the end of the day easier. If you only have a weekend, Saturday is the better of the two.
How the day fits together
You are collected at 07:00 from your hotel or apartment in the Zona Sul, Centro or Barra. The road out takes about three hours, across to Niterói and east along the Região dos Lagos, so you reach Búzios at around 10:00. The drive home starts at about 15:00 and you are back in the early evening, at around 18:00.
That leaves about five hours in Búzios, and most of them are on the sand. You start with a walk along the Orla Bardot, the waterfront with the statue of the actress who arrived in 1964 and put the village on the map. Then comes João Fernandes for a swim, lunch around Rua das Pedras, and a last beach in the afternoon.
The Orla itself is for walking, not swimming: there is hardly any sand along it. Rua das Pedras is the short cobbled street behind it, a little over 600 metres of uneven paving with shops, galleries and restaurants. It is at its fullest at night, so at lunchtime you have more room.
Because the car is yours, the day moves around you. You can stay longer on one beach and drop another, or spend the afternoon in the water rather than in town. Tell your driver what you want in the morning.
Choosing your beaches
There are 23 beaches on the peninsula, along a strip of a little over eight kilometres. The tour picks three, and the afternoon one is your choice.
- João Fernandes has blue water and restaurants on the sand, and people snorkel there. It is one of the most popular beaches in town, and parking nearby is hard to find. Having a driver who drops you and waits solves that.
- Geribá is about two kilometres of sand with regular waves and surfers in the water. It is the liveliest beach of the three, with busy kiosks through the year. Pick it if you like waves and people around you.
- Ferradura is a cove shaped like a horseshoe and sheltered from the waves, with calm, clear water. Families go there, and so do people with kayaks and paddleboards. Pick it if you have children or want a quiet swim.
Beach chairs and lunch are not part of the price, so carry money or a card for them.
Add a schooner, or stay the night
Schooners leave from the centre for a few hours round the beaches. They are not included, but we can drop you at the pier. Expect the day to run longer if you take one, and decide before you book, so the timing can be planned.
Small water taxis also link some of the beaches by sea, which is another way to see the coast from the water.
If you would like more than a day, we can drop you in Búzios and collect you on another day. Message us for a price. Arraial do Cabo can be added too, but it makes a very long day. Ask us and we will plan it with you.
On your own, or with a driver
You can get to Búzios without us. Regular buses leave Rio's main bus station several times a day, and the airport at Cabo Frio is the closest to the peninsula. Once you are there, there are taxis, ride-hailing cars and water taxis, and many visitors hire buggies.
That works well if you are staying a few nights. As a return trip in one day, it means two long journeys on fixed times, then getting between beaches on your own. A private day takes you from your door to each beach and home again, with the car waiting while you swim. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to bring
- Swimwear and a towel. Wearing your swimwear under your clothes from the start saves time at the first beach.
- Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses. Most of the day is outdoors in strong sun.
- Money or a card for lunch, drinks, beach chairs and any boat.
- Something to do in the car. There are about six hours of road in the day.
- A dry bag or a plastic bag for wet things on the way home.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits a couple, a family or a group of friends who want a beach day away from the city, and who are happy to trade time in the car for clearer water and quieter bays. With children, Ferradura makes the afternoon easy.
Think twice in these cases:
- You dislike long drives. About six of the eleven hours are on the road. Our Petrópolis day has a shorter drive.
- Your only free day is a Sunday. The day still works, but the return into Rio can be slow. Pick a weekday if you can.
- More than 16 of you. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us with your numbers.
To compare this with our other days out of the city, see our guide to day trips from Rio de Janeiro.
Questions people ask
Which beach is best for swimming?
João Fernandes and Ferradura are both calm. Geribá has waves and is better for watching surfers than for a gentle swim.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. The details are on our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick a weekday if you can, decide on Geribá or Ferradura for the afternoon, and tell us about a schooner or an overnight stay when you book. Everything else is on the Búzios private day trip from Rio page, where you choose the size of your group.
