Praia Rasa - Flat Beach Buzios

The longest beach of Buzios isn't on the peninsula. It's Praia Rasa and sits on the northern shoulder. If you thought Praia de Manguinhos was long, Praia Rasa is even longer, boasting more than two continuous miles of beach. You could do some serious jogging here.



Tucked away, off the peninsula of Buzios proper is Praia Rasa. It's a long beach, and silty, with a curious island off the coast. Still, the less expensive homes in Buzios are here mainly because there is no protection from being out on the peninsula. That doesn't mean the peninsula is a safe haven, but it is better that the open land of Praia Rasa. In any case, be safe and you'll love it here.

But the main sport is kitesurfing and windsurfing. Though the surf here is slightly more heavy than at Praia de Manguinhos, it still makes an excellent setting for a great ride. Afternoon trade winds provide excellent consistent lift for boarding from one end to the other.

Praia Rasa has an interesting past. In the late 1800's, slaves from surrounding farms began inhabiting the Praia Rasa region. Slavery was big business in this area in the early 1800's. Indeed, Praia Rasa was even called "Landing Beach" as a slave trade port. Then in 1850, with the law that forbid the traffic of slaves in Brazilian coastal waters, the Brazilian Navy heavily patrolled Buzios looking for ships. Slavery arrivals ended.

So, even today, many of the inhabitants of Praia Rasa are descendents of the slaves of long ago. In the town square, a bronze memorial has been dedicated to the history of the slaves.

Praia Rasa (meaning "flat" or "shallow") is silty, densely compacted sand. Even so, the view here is spectacular. Offshore is fabulous Ilha Rasa, or Rasa Island, a resort.

To get to Praia Rasa, you must leave the Buzios peninsula and head north. It's not too hard to find. Follow the signs and the coast.

Praia Rasa - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - very fine, clay/sand.
• Facilities - sporadic. Look for small businesses along the beach.
• Shade - none. Mostly small sandy dunes.
• Sports - kiteboarding, windsurfing, sailing.
• Notes - longest beach in the area!
  

Praia de Manguinhos - Manguinhos Beach Buzios

Imagine a beach two miles long, positioned in such a way that it receives the afternoon trade winds, yet doesn't experience any of the related high surf.

You've arrived at Manguinhos Beach, or Praia de Manguinhos.


This is one of the most interesting beaches in Buzios, both historically, and topographically. When we visited here, the beach was mostly empty at close to noon on a weekday. The kiteboarding school was awake, but no one was out on the water yet. A few children were playing in the silty sand that makes up almost half of this beach that had a very gradual angle to the deep.

Because of this interesting feature, windsurfing and kitesurfing are "the" sports here. When we visited, we parked behind the local windsurf school, Buzios Vela Clube. It was early, so we didn't notice anyone out on the water. The people at the club were arranging the boards and sails for later instruction. The school seemed well organized.



We found an alley between the school and the next property and walked down to the beach. That's the way most beaches are here in Buzios. You find a pathway that leads down between properties. The beach is immense!

Praia de Manguinhos is well developed and faces almost due north. To the eastern part of the crescent is where a fishing development is. Come here early in the morning and get the catch of the day - plus see some real Brazilian culture as you experience the open fish market.

A tad further north along the crescent is where you can still the ancient pier where slaves disembarked, secretly, even after law went into effect in 1850 prohibiting slave ships in Brazilian waters. Why slaves in Buzios? It was the perfect dropping off point. Policing the whole coast became impossible and Buzios was chosen by traffickers because of its proximity to Rio de Janeiro, and by nature, offered many hidden coves and bays.

Today, the Praia de Manguinhos offers many beautiful posadsas. It becomes alive from Christmas through Lent - high season for Buzios. If you have the chance to experience it, make sure you take time to get a windsurf lesson at the Buzios Vela Clube. Great people with patience.

Praia de Manguinhos - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - very fine, clay-like, dense. Rock based from runoff.
• Facilities - many along the coast.
• Shade - many trees line the coast, some businesses offer umbrellas.
• Sports - windsurf, kitesurf, boating, sand soccer, futevoli, Frisbee.
• Notes - long expanse, but no white powder here.
  

Praia Brava - Brava Beach Buzios

The name says it all. The beach with the heaviest surf bears the name of "angry" in Portuguese. Brava, like many of the beaches around Buzios, has a history. This can be a good beach to swim and surf depending on the Atlantic. Most of the time you will find this beach in Buzios to be almost empty because it is a little harder to get to and the waves are almost always heavy. Care should be taken along the rocks in the area. You can catch fishermen here in the morning casting off the rocks and pulling in some nice lunch.



Three quarters of the world's transport of slaves from Africa were destined to work the fields and farmland of Brazil. And in 1743, according to the history books, Portuguese Captain Dionisio ran aground in the bay of Praia Brava with a shipload full of slaves.

With the waves heavy upon the ship, since Brava faces open ocean, it's reported that the crew prayed to Patron Saint Anne, and a miracle occurred. The ship slowly came off the rocks and the crew was able to sail it to the Praia da Armacao where everyone was spared.

Okay, so the sea here is tough. But it's beautiful, too. When you get to Praia Brava beach, you'll notice a group of residences on the main road coming in, and then one house on the hill that separates the two beaches that make up the bay. Not much development in the area, and thanks to the conservation plan of the City of Buzios, you won't see anything going up here.

There are great pousadas nearby, just to the west. But you'll need a car or scooter to get to Brava. Since it's slightly remote, bring some snacks and a good book. The atmosphere is enchanting!

During our visit, we saw a few fishermen and sunbathers. The sea wasn't that rough at mid-morning. But don't let that fool you. The shoreline slopes fairly quickly down making Praia Brava's waters the coolest of Buzios.

This is one beach that will have fewer people than most because it's not on the populated side of Buzios, the sea is rougher, the water colder, but hey... it's the same warm sun and soft sand. Enjoy.