7,400 kilometres of coastline
Brazil has roughly 7,400 kilometres of Atlantic coastline, which makes picking just one perfect beach almost impossible. From the tropical Northeast to the urban Southeast, each region offers a different landscape: coloured cliffs, shifting dunes, coral reefs, protected archipelagos and coves tucked between mountains. This guide gathers some of the country's most stunning beaches, from the remote archipelago of Fernando de Noronha to the white sands of Maranhão.
Fernando de Noronha
A volcanic archipelago 545 kilometres off the coast of Pernambuco, Fernando de Noronha is both a marine national park and one of Brazil's most exclusive destinations, with a daily visitor cap to protect the ecosystem. Baía do Sancho, reached by a narrow staircase carved into the rock, regularly ranks among the world's most beautiful beaches in international surveys. Spinner dolphins, sea turtles and colourful fish shoals swim in its crystal-clear waters. It is an expensive destination, but many Brazilians consider it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Jericoacoara
On the western coast of Ceará, Jericoacoara is a village wedged between sand dunes, with no paved streets, that has become one of the most sought-after spots for independent travellers. The sunset ritual on Duna do Pôr do Sol brings locals and tourists together every evening, with the crowd applauding as the sun disappears over the horizon. Nearby, the Paraíso and Azul lagoons, formed among the dunes, are a kitesurfing paradise thanks to steady winds that blow from July to December.
Porto de Galinhas and Lençóis Maranhenses
In Pernambuco, Porto de Galinhas is famous for the natural pools that form at low tide over sandstone reefs, visited aboard the traditional coloured jangada rafts. In Maranhão, the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park surprises visitors because it does not contain a single drop of salt water: among immense white dunes, rainwater collects into crystal-clear, turquoise-blue lagoons. The lagoon season runs from June to September, when they reach their maximum volume, and the most common starting point is the town of Barreirinhas.
Ilha Grande and Búzios
Near Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande bans cars altogether, which has preserved its Atlantic Forest trails and beaches such as Lopes Mendes, considered one of the finest in the state. The Búzios peninsula gained international fame after French actress Brigitte Bardot holidayed there in 1964; today it packs more than twenty different beaches into a few kilometres, from calm coves to surf spots.
Southern Brazil: Florianópolis surf beaches
In the far south, Santa Catarina Island packs more than 40 beaches into just over 400 square kilometres, with waves that draw surfers year-round, such as those at Praia Mole and Joaquina, the latter framed by dunes also used for sandboarding. The water is colder than in the Northeast, especially between May and August, but the mix of dunes, lagoons and Atlantic Forest rewards travellers looking for varied scenery on a single trip.
Classic Rio and practical tips
For the classic postcard experience, Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro remain Brazil's ultimate icons, with their Portuguese mosaic boardwalk and Sugarloaf Mountain in the background. In Bahia, Praia do Espelho, near Trancoso, charms visitors with natural pools that mirror the sky at low tide. In the Northeast, beach season runs almost year-round, with warm water even in winter; December to March tends to be the hottest and busiest period across the country. Because distances are enormous, it is worth planning domestic flights between regions rather than trying to drive everywhere. On any ocean beach, pay attention to flag warnings and ask locals about rip currents before swimming out past the break, since lifeguard coverage varies widely between busy urban beaches and remote stretches of coast.