Best beaches in Brazil
Brazil is hot, hot, hot on the tourism radar with more people heading to its glorious coasts than ever before. The country's beaches are the main attraction but which ones are the best? While Brazil's coastline is long (a whole 4,650 miles long!) and varied, there are some beaches that are no doubt better than others.
Beach culture is a serious thing in Brazil, that is why you can expect to experience the cream of the beach crop while you're on holidays here. If you're after a great beach, check out these the next time you're in Brazil.
Ipanema - Rio de Janeiro
Rio is the first stopping point for many visiting Brazil and if it's a classic but often crowded beach you're after, Ipanema is a great choice. The beach is long and lined with kiosks where you can buy drinks in coconut shells and the typical Brazilian cocktail, caipirinha.
Caraiva - Bahia
You'll find this beach 30 miles to the south of Porto Seguro, one of the most popular beach towns in Bahia. Caraiva is not accessible by car, only donkey which you'll often hear roaring by the sand dunes while you bathe on the beach. There isn't much tourism but the locals are very friendly.
Praia da Pipa - Rio Grande do Norte
This place was discovered by backpackers in the 1970s and it seems they haven't left it alone since then. It's a welcome retreat from nearby Recife. The pink cliffs rising up out of the sea are really something special.
Porto de Galinhas - Pernambuco
Head almost one hour's drive from Recife and you'll hit Porto de Galinhas, one of Brazil's most popular beach resort areas. This beach has won plenty of "best beach in Brazil" awards and caters mainly to those travellers who enjoy all-inclusive and mass-tourism type deals. There is great snorkelling here.
Porto da Barra - Bahia
What you can expect to find here are small fishing boats, plenty of volleyball nets and some great grilled fish. This beach faces west which is unusual in Bahia but also means that the sunsets are pretty spectacular.
Image: alobos Life / Flickr cc.