Costa do Sol in Brazil
To the east of Niterói lies a series of saltwater lagoons, the
Lagos Fluminenses
. Two small lakes lie behind the beaches of Piratininga, Itaipu and Itacoatiara, but they are polluted and ringed by mud. The next lakes,
Maricá
and
Saquarema
, are much larger; although they are still muddy, the waters are relatively unpolluted and wildlife abounds in the scrub and bush around the lagoons. This is a prime example of the
restinga
(coastal swamp and forest) environment. The RJ-106 road runs behind the lakes en route to Cabo Frio and Búzios, but an unmade road goes along the coast between Itacoatiara and Cabo Frio, giving access to the many long, open beaches of Brazil's Costa do Sol. The whole area is perfect for camping.
The 36-km Itaipu-Açu road, with many wild, lonely stretches, leads to Maricá, a sleepy fishing village with sand streets, on its own lagoon. There is good walking in the
Serra do Silvado
, 14 km away on the road to Itaboraí. Between Maricá and Saquarema are
Ponta Negra
and
Jaconé
, both surfing beaches. Information is available from the
tourist office
, www.marica.rj.gov.br.
Saquarema is a fishing and holiday village, known as the centre for surfing in Brazil. Its cold, open seas provide consistent, crashing waves of up to 3 m. Frequent national and international championships take place here, but beware of strong currents. The lovely white church of
Nossa Senhora de Nazaré
(1675) is on a green promontory jutting into the ocean. Local legend has it that on 8 September 1630, fishermen, saved from a terrible storm, found an image of the Virgem de Nazaré in the rocks. A chapel was founded on the spot and subsequent attempts to relocate the Virgin (as when the chapel was falling into disrepair) resulted in her miraculously returning to the original site.
The
Lagoa Araruama
(220 sq km), is one of the largest lakes in Brazil and is famous for its
medicinal mud. The salinity is high, the waters calm and almost the entire lake is surrounded
by sandy beaches, making it popular with families looking for unpolluted bathing. The constant breeze makes the lake perfect for windsurfing and sailing. The major industry of the area is salt, and all around are saltpans and wind pumps used to carry the water into the pans. The town itself is at the western end of the lake on the inland shore, 116 km from Rio.
At the eastern end of the lake, also inland, is
São Pedro de Aldeia
, which has a population of 55,500 and, despite intensive development, still retains much of its colonial charm. There is a lovely
Jesuit church
built in 1723, and a
tourist office
, www.araruama.rj.gov.br.
This rather ugly little salt-industry town near Cabo Frio is considerably less busy than the resort at Cabo Frio a little to the north, and provides access to equally good beaches and dunes. The lake and the ocean here are divided by the Restinga de Massambaba, a long spit of sand mostly deserted except for the beaches of
Massambaba
and
Seca
, at the western end, and
Grande
in the east at Arraial do Cabo town itself. Arraial has lots of other small beaches on the bays and islands that form the cape, round which the line of the coast turns north, including the long, busy stretch at
Anjos
,
Praia do Forno
and
Prainha
. Excursions can be made by boat around the islets and by jeep or buggy over the sand dunes.
here on oil tankers from the Indo-Pacific. Dolphins are frequent visitors. The best visibility is between November and May. Water temperature is always below 20°C. The little town is also establishing itself as an adventure sports destination with activities including dune boarding, parachuting, kite surfing and kayaking available
.
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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