Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the 1980s. Now, during high season, the population swells from 22,000 to well over
150,000, and the fishing boats that once ferried the catch back to shore take pleasure-
seekers beach-hopping and scuba diving. Outside of this period, though, it's hard not
to be taken in by the peninsula's sheer beauty, with March, April and May the perfect
time to visit, as tourists are relatively few, prices low and the weather pretty perfect.
1
Manguinos, Armação and Ossos
Búzios consists of three main settlements, each with its own distinct character.
Manguinos
, on the isthmus, is the main service centre, with a tourist o
ce, a medical
centre, banks and petrol stations. Midway along the peninsula, linked to Manguinos by
a road lined with brash hotels, is
Armação
, an attractive village where cars are banned
from some of the cobbled roads. Most of Búzio's best restaurants and boutiques are
concentrated here, along with some of the resort's nicest
pousadas
, and there's also a
helpful tourist o
ce on the main square,
Praça Santos Dumont
. A fifteen-minute walk
along the Orla Bardot that follows the coast from Armação, passing the lovely
seventeenth-century
Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Sant'Ana
on the way, brings you to
Ossos
, the oldest settlement, comprising a pretty harbour, a quiet beach (though don't
swim in the polluted water) and a few bars, restaurants and
pousadas
.
The beaches
Within walking distance of all Búzios' settlements are beautiful white-sand
beaches
-
27 in total - cradled between rocky cliffs and promontories, and lapped by crystal-clear
waters. The beaches are varied, with the north-facing ones having the calmest and
warmest seas, while those facing the south and east have the most surf. Though the
beaches at Búzios' urban centre of Armação look good, the water is polluted and
swimming should be avoided; a short distance to the northeast, however, are the very
clean waters of the small, rather isolated and extremely picturesque beaches of
Azeda
and
Azedinha
, as well as the rather larger
João Fernandes
, the best place around here
for snorkelling. Further east is
Praia Brava
, bordering a fine, horseshoe-shaped bay that's
rarely overcrowded. On the north of the peninsula, to the west of Armação, is the
Praia
da Tartaruga
, where the water is pristine and, apart from some bars, there are few
buildings. South of Armação, the lovely bay of
Praia da Ferradura
is quite built up (and
consequently crowded), but further out is the appealing
Praia de Tucuns
, a long stretch
of sand that attracts surprisingly few people. On the beaches, you can rent kayaks or
pedalôs
, or indulge in a little windsurfing or snorkelling.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
BÚZIOS
By bus
The rodoviária consists of a couple of shelters on
Estrada da Usina, at the junction of Rua Manoel de
Carvalho (which leads towards Praia de Armação), with a
ticket o
ce across the street. Eight daily buses serve Rio
(3hr), with one to Campos (3hr) for points north and east.
Local buses to Cabo Frio (50min) run along Estrada da
Usina, terminating on Estrada da Usina Velha, a block off
Praia da Armação.
GETTING AROUND
By minivan/taxi
Minivans (R$2) ply the peninsula's
main road, but taxis charge rates that are fixed and
posted up at their ranks (for example in Praça Santos
Dumont,
T
22 2623 2160), with most beach-to-beach
journeys costing R$15 or R$20.
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Information
There's a helpful tourist o
ce on Travessa
dos Pescadores, just off Armação's main square, Praça
Santos Dumont (daily 9am-8pm;
T
22 2633 6200 or
T
0800 249 999,
W
visitebuzios.com).
Búzios Trolley
A good way to get oriented is to hop on
the Búzios Trolley, a sightseeing vehicle run by Tour Shop
Buzios (
T
22 2623 4733,
W
tourshop.com.br). It leaves
their o
ce at Orla Bardot 550 every day at noon on a 2hr
tour, passing by twelve beaches and two lookout points,
with a commentary in Portuguese, Spanish and English on
the peninsula's vegetation, microclimate and history; R$50
including drinks and snacks.
