Arraial do Cabo (pronounced ah-high-al do cabo) is the perfect weekend getaway from Rio de Janeiro’s busy city beaches or an easy day trip from Búzios. While staying in Buzios with friends, we booked one of Arraial do Cabo’s most popular tours – a private boat excursion to explore the crystal clear waters, inviting coves, and white sandy beaches.

The waterways and beaches just off of Arraial do Cabo are well protected by Ilha do Farol and the finger-like tips of the Arraial do Cabo peninsula. From the boat and on beaches like Praia do Farol and Praia do Pontal do Atalaia, you are surrounded by lush green hills, sandy beaches, and shimmering blue waters.

Arraial do Cabo by Boat

While you can visit a few of the stunning beaches by foot and car, exploring the islands and beaches by boat is much more fun!

Arraial do Cabo might not have yet crossed your path if you’re beginning your research into Rio de Janeiro or Brazil in general. But after reading the rest of this blog, you will want to figure out how to work Arraial do Cabo into your itinerary ASAP!

Where is Arraial do Cabo

Arraial do Cabo is located 2.5 hours by car from Rio de Janeiro and 1 hour from the popular vacation town of Búzios.

How to get to Arraial do Cabo

Car:

Whether you rent a car or hire a driver, this is the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Arraial do Cabo. If you are traveling with a group, this is the way to go. The boat tour company we hired also provided transportation from our Airbnb in Búzios to the docks at Arraial do Cabo for an affordable rate. 

Bus from Rio de Janeiro:

The 1001 bus company operates just about every other hour between Rio de Janeiro and Arraial do Cabo. Total travel time on the bus is just under 4 hours. A one-way ticket ranges from R$68 to R$98 depending on the departure time. From the bus station in town, you will need to walk about 10 minutes to Praia dos Anjos where most tours start.

Bus from Búzios:

The bus company Salineira offers direct buses from the town center of Búzios to Arraial do Cabo daily, 5 times a day. Total travel time is 1 hour and 4 minutes. One way costs R$6.75 for a seat on a bus with AC and R$6 without AC.

Plane:

There is a small airport in Cabo Frio – Aeroporto Internacional de Carga de Cabo Frio. However, the majority of direct flights are from the city of Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais. So unless you are flying from Belo Horizonte (totally worth visiting BTW!) it makes more sense to fly into one of the airports in Rio de Janeiro, and either drive or bus to Arraial do Cabo.

How to choose a boat tour

Boat tours are one of the most popular activities in Arraial do Cabo. There are many tour options to choose from at various price points.

Types of tours

When beginning your research think about the kind of day you want to have on the boat.

• Are you looking for a party atmosphere?
• Do you want to visit as many beaches and coves as possible or only a few?
• Do you want to stay on the boat for the whole tour?
• Do you want to be on a fancy speedboat or a classic wooden boat?
• Do you want to grill on the boat?
• Are you traveling with kids or infants?
• Are you traveling alone or as a couple?
• Do you want to snorkel?
• Do you want to scuba dive?

There is a tour for everyone and every situation! You can even book a tour on the day-of right on the beach at Praia dos Anjos, although I don’t recommend this. Always do your research ahead of time!

Find boat tours online in advance

If you aren’t satisfied with the online search results using English keywords, try mixing in some Portuguese keywords to help expand the search.

Portuguese words to use in the search:
Passeio de barco: boat tour
Lancha privada: private boat
Passeio de mergulho: dive tour
Passeio de mergulho batismo: baptism dive/beginner scuba
Passeio de catamarã: Catamaran boat tour

Our decision to do a boat tour was last minute, at least what I consider “last minute” for my planning style. We reserved it four days in advance.

The main points of focus while researching were:

• We were a group of 6 adults, 2 children age 3, and 2 infants
• We wanted a private boat tour
• We wanted to spend time at a couple of beaches but also be able to swim in the open water between Praia dos Anjos and Ilha do Farol
• We wanted a half-day tour that left in the morning
• We needed help arranging transportation to and from Búzios

I always cross-check reviews on sites like Google Maps and Trip Advisor. Instagram is also a great search engine tool for seeing what types of tours exist.

Preferred boat tour company – Agência Caribean Tour

After some online research and a few WhatsApp messages, we chose Agência Caribbean Tour. They made everything from initial communication and day-of planning super easy. Our boat captains were professional and friendly. We paid around R$1.100 for 4 hours of boat time for 10 people. 

What to expect on most boat tours in Arraial do Cabo

First of all, expect to be blown away by the color of the water! It is so blue and clear.

The boat

Our boat was large and wooden with a covered seating area in the back, an uncovered area in the front, and a small cabin and bathroom below. We had two captains on the boat. The boat was spacious in the back seating area with plenty of room for our group of ten people.

The boat provides a speaker, drinkable water, and a cooler that guests can use. The captains also helped us buy ice at Praia dos Anjos before embarking.

There was a dry area in the cabin where we could store our belongings. There was room under the benches too but things got a little wet on the ground. Using a dry bag is a good idea.

Boats that visit islands cannot dock at a drydock to let passengers off. The captains anchor as close to the shore as they are allowed to be. Therefore expect to get wet up to waist high when leaving and returning to the boat at the different beach stops.

Our boat day itinerary

8 am: Transfer from Búzios to Arraial do Cabo
9:30 am: Arrive at Praia dos Anjos and purchase last-minute items on the beach before boarding the boat
10 am: The tour begins!

We visited the following locations:

Praia Farol

Before anchoring at Praia do Farol we all hoped in the bright blue waters for a quick dip and swim. 

Praia do Farol is a pristine beach that is a nature reserve. You are not permitted to bring any food onto this beach. We enjoyed having this beach almost to ourselves.

Open Ocean & Rock Formations Tour

From the boat we viewed the Pedra do Macaco (Monkey Rock), Fenda de Nossa Senhora (statue of a saint), Gruta Azul (Blue Grotto), and Buraco do Meteoro (a hole in the cliffs where a meteor hit).

Praia do Pontal do Atalaia

Unlike Praia do Farol, Praia do Pontal do Atalaia is very crowded because it can be accessed by land and boat. There are food and drink vendors here. This is also where the famous wooden staircase is in Arraial do Cabo, a view seen frequently on Instagram. 

Praia do Forno

Praia do Forno and a deep swimming area near Praia do Forno. Praia do Forno is similar to Praia do Pontal do Atalaia in that it offers many beach services like chair rentals and food and drinks to order.

2:30 pm: return to Praia dos Anjos and return to Búzios

Marine life sightings

We were lucky to see several sea turtles from the boat and little fish while swimming at the beaches. But the big surprise was seeing a whale at the surface near the Gruta Azul or Blue Grotto. This was a rare sighting since it was just outside the normal whale migration season for Arraial do Cabo.

If you visit between July and September, you will have a greater chance of seeing the Southern Right Whales who migrate from south to north during this time of year.

What to bring on the boat tour

• Sunscreen
• Towels
• Flip flops
• Dry bag
• Cooler or bag for ice and drinks
• Sun Hat
• Water floaties for kids
• Cover up for at the end of the day
• Snacks for on the boat and beach
• Cash or credit card to buy drinks and food at the beach

Other things to do in Arraial do Cabo

• Snorkel or scuba dive in one of Brazil’s best diving spots
• Rent a buggy and tour the beaches by land
• Hike along one of the many coastal trails

Where to go from Arraial do Cabo

Rio de Janeiro: Since you’ll most likely be traveling through Rio to Arraial do Cabo, read my post “How to Organize the Ideal 5-day Rio Itinerary” for the perfect touristy weekend in Rio.

Búzios: An upscale beach destination for Brazilians and foreigners alike that offers calm waters and surf beaches.

Belo Horizonte: With direct flights to and from Belo Horizonte to Arraial do Cabo, this is the perfect excuse to visit the food capital of Brazil. Check out my post “Travel to Belo Horizonte: Authentic Brazilian Food and Modern Art“!