Armação dos Búzios
Armação dos Búzios (often shortened to just Búzios) is a coastal city in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Understand
When to go
High Season is from November till March and June to July (local school holidays. Low season is from March till May and August till October. May and April can be a very good months to go because they are dry and quieter for families looking to relax. December is the busiest month and it is great for parties, although you may face some lack of basics (water and food supplies) and prices rise substantially. Avoid going in March because it can be quite wet.
Get in
Búzios is 176 kilometres (109 mi) from Rio de Janeiro and 600 kilometres (370 mi) from São Paulo.
By bus
By car
- Buzios lies on the BR-101 highway.
Get around
See
- Beaches - Geribá, Azeda, Azedinha, João Fernandes, Forninho, etc.
- Rua das Pedras - restaurants, shopping and nightlife
Do
- Boat trips through the beaches. A three hour schooner trip goes round the beaches and out to an island. Fresh fruit is served, and it often stops for an optional swim in the ocean near a beach, and then stops at the beach itself. More than one company provides such tours, and they are easy to find. Just go out on the long dock from downtown and people will be there promoting the next trip with flyers, or go into any of the local travel agencies. It cost 40 Real in January 2013.
- Scuba diving - There are two excellent and certified scuba diving instruction schools, both of which offer daily trips for beginners and experienced divers. They are located across the street from each other on the main street by the beach downtown.
- Surf Lessons at Geriba beach. There are about 10 surfing schools that teach all ages, as well as one girls' surfing school, "Surfer Girls".
- Annual Jazz Festival - Goes for 4 days around 22 July every year. About 6 of the nightclubs and the pagado have live jazz music throughout the night. Most of them are free throughout the festival (a few require reservations).
Buy
Alfredo's Arabic bikini shop on the beach side of the main street downtown is an excellent store for homemade bikinis. Many shops are locally owned, and a chat with the owners can reveal a lot of great connections and recommendations around town.
There is many casual fashion stores in the area. One thing to be aware of is that pants are usually sold by waist size and not by length. You are expected to have them altered to your size, and the store may very well not provide that service. If you do not know the language, it may be difficult to get it done. Suggestion: do not buy the pants until you have secured the service.
Across the street is an internet café that will let you hook up your notebook for hourly fees (around BRL$6/hour), or use their computers.
The good thing is that most shops stay open until midnight.
Eat
Búzios is notorious for its sophisticated and therefore expensive restaurants. The new big thing in Búzios is pay-by-the-kilo restaurants; the original was a place called Boom and now there are about 20 of them. Boom's the good one.
- David's, Rua Manoel Turíbio, 260 – Centro (on the main beach street downtown), ☏ +55 22 2623-2981. One of the best casual seafood restaurant's.
- Boom, Rua Manoel Turíbio de Farias, 110, ☏ +55 22 2623-6254. 12pm-11:30pm daily.
Drink
Nightlife is huge in Búzios. One of the best nightclubs in town is Privilege.
Buzios has a particular timing for going out. As a beach destination, most tourists stay on the beach till after the sunset, which during summer can mean after 8PM. Because of that bars and restaurants stay pretty much empty until something like 10PM and clubs normally only open after 12AM and go on till the sunrise.
If you are in Buzios you must make sure you visit Takatakata, a bar on the main Rua das Pedras run by a crazy Dutch guy called Kaiser. He only lets about five people into the bar at any one time but it's definitely worth a visit - make sure you try the Takafire cocktail!
Sleep
Buzios has several options for accommodations from stylish guesthouses to 5-star hotels.
- Casas Brancas. Family-owned for over 35 years, with 32 individually decorated rooms and suites, the Pousada boasts elegant architecture, multilingual staff, and a laid-back atmosphere.
- El Misti Buzios Hostel & Pousada, Rua JV no. 7, Ferradura, ☏ +55 22 2623-2383. The hostel offers free transfers from the bus station & breakfast. Cool atmosphere, swimming pool, close to the beach & downtown. Cheap prices, dorms & private rooms with great views.
- Martin Pescador Boutique Hotel, Enseada do Gancho, Lote 15A, ☏ +55 22 2623-1449. Established in 1981, one of the first hotels in town, renovated in 2007, offers 18 individually decorated suites, all featuring a balcony and view of the sea. The two types of suites - standard, with queen size double bed, and luxury, more spacious with two rooms - are equipped with color television, air conditioning, telephone, minibar, safe, and free wireless Internet (Wi-Fi). Offers swimming pool, sauna, TV room, game room, bar with direct access to the beach, and gazebos on the beachfront. The hotel also offers beauty and body treatments, manicure, pedicure, hair stylists and massage. The cuisine combines Mediterranean and Brazilian cuisine of the region, such as seafood, tropical salads, meat and pasta.
- Porto Bay Búzios, Rua dos Coqueiros, nº 10, ☏ +55 22 2623-2823. Boutique lodge with 21 suites in the centre of town. Breakfast can be served near the pool.
- Pousada Le Palmier, Rua J VI 14 - Ferradura, ☏ +55 22 2623-2032. Nicely decorated pousada with 25 rooms, conveniently located next to the center of town. Rooms have air conditioning and are well equipped. There's a nice pool, a nicely decorated garden. There's also a bar and a pool table. The manager speaks French and English.
- Che Lagarto Hostels Buzios, Rua da Paz, 7 - Centro, ☏ +55 22 2623-1173, buzios@chelagarto.com. There are both shared and private rooms. The fee includes the breakfast, the use of the public kitchen and Wi-Fi. The hostel has a small swimming pool and a bar. Room rates from 15USD.
- Serena Hotel Boutique Resort, Rua Campo de Pouso, 1630 (100 meters from the Geriba beach), ☏ +55 21 3521-9624, info-o@rochester-hotel.com.ar. Features a deck and lit outdoor pool, pool bar service, and children’s play area supervised by the staff. The rooms have free Wi-Fi, king-sized beds, cable TV, mini bar and a safe deposit box.