As a Christmas orphan I hopped on a bus to find other family-less travellers in beautiful Buzios. Along with backpackers from the hostel we chased beaches for days across this laid-back beach town. It feels like it’s a million miles from Rio, but in actual fact it’s only a few hours. The standard of living here is on a whole other level to Rio, it blew my mind walking down the main street at night seeing giant glass shopfronts not covered in shutters and bars. Homes similarly were allowed the freedom to not need prison-like security, police were few and far between and most importantly, the beaches!
They were as picturesque as anything you’ll find attached to a cool, decent-sized town back home, it's obvious parallel in my state is the famous Byron Bay. And to top it off the weather gods smiled upon me.
Just as much as it radiates in the day, Buzios turns it up at night with mega clubs like Pacha and Privilege, the first of which just abruptly closed a month or so ago due to bankruptcy, but will probably come back in some shape or form in the future.
Glitzy mega clubs for the rich with 150R cover charges aren’t usually my thing unless a good DJ is on, I’ll take standing on the street outside a barzinho with a cool laid-back crowd, but if it’s your thing it’s your thing and Buzios does it well.
It's downtown at night is alive with Brazilian travellers and half of Argentina too, and as you walk around there's not even a faint thought of having your phone stolen or being hassled or worse yet, violently robbed, as can be the case in Rio. You truly can chill and relax on all levels of your consciousness at anytime.
As a tip, I stayed at Yolo Hostel which is one of those gem of a hostels where you make friends the moment you walk in and soon become a little family. It's in Geriba, a little outside the main part of town, but thanks to Buzios's excellent network of private minibuses which stop every few minutes, you can buzz around the town as efficiently as the New York subway.
I didn't want to write much, instead just let the photos do the talking. What they can't fully express is the energy of the town which takes a hold of you fast and hard. Imagine all the best of Brazil without the worst, that is Buzios.
On the bus out of town back to Rio I truly felt saudades - a Brazilian expression for missing something and nostalgia with a deep sense of longingness. I know I will definitely be back.
(Not including the opening photo the beaches are in order Praia Brava, Praia da Ferradurinha, Praia dos Ossos and Praia Azeda)
