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Travel for your moment in life · Nature · Sun and beach

Sea bathing

Sun and beach

Sea bathing

Sea bathing is the focus of the trip; the water and the waves change from one coastal stretch to another.

Sea bathing is the simplest beach activity and the one that requires the least preparation: a swimsuit, sunscreen, and a stretch of water that suits the person going in. What changes from one beach to another is the sea itself, and knowing a bit about it makes the day more relaxed.

In Brazil, the water is warm year-round in the Northeast, varies more in the Southeast, and is usually cold in the South. In any region, it’s worth choosing a beach by the type of sea before choosing it for its reputation.

Sea bathing: Calm sea, wave sea and steep-bottom sea

Calm sea, wave sea and steep-bottom sea

Beaches protected by reefs, inside bays or behind islands usually have shallow water and small waves. They are preferred by travelers with small children or by people who do not swim. At many of them, at low tide you can walk far out with water at knee level.

Open-ocean beaches have waves and, in some stretches, currents. They please people who like to ride waves and to walk on firm sand. There are also steep-bottom beaches, where the seabed drops suddenly a few steps from the shore: there, swimming stays close to the edge.

The same beach changes throughout the day. The tide, the wind and the swell alter the depth and the strength of the water. Asking a lifeguard or someone who works on the sand which stretch is best that day is the quickest way to know.

Sea bathing: Flags and lifeguards: how to read the beach

Flags and lifeguards: how to read the beach

On beaches with lifeguards, the flags on the sand summarize the sea condition. Generally, green means swimming allowed, yellow calls for caution and red marks areas where you should not enter. In some states, the watched area lies between two red and yellow flags, and a black flag warns that there are no lifeguards there. A purple or lilac flag commonly alerts to jellyfish and Portuguese men-of-war.

Colors and meanings vary slightly from state to state. The station signs explain the local code, and the lifeguard can clear doubts in a minute.

Fire departments repeat a simple rule: water at belly-button height is the limit for someone who is not a strong swimmer. Children stay in shallow water, always within reach of an adult.

Sea bathing: Rip current: what it is and what to do

Rip current: what it is and what to do

A rip current is the path the wave water finds to return to the sea. It forms a narrow corridor that pulls outward, even in shallow sections. It usually appears where waves do not break, between two breaking points, and near rocks and jetties.

If you are carried away, do not swim against the current, because the effort tires you quickly. The fire departments’ guidance is to stay calm, wave for help and swim sideways, parallel to the shore, until you leave the corridor. Anyone who can float may float while waiting for the lifeguard.

Avoid alcohol before entering the water and do not swim alone at an unguarded beach to complete the precautions.

Sea bathing: Water suitable for bathing

Water suitable for bathing

State environmental agencies test the water at the most frequented beaches and publish bathing suitability reports that classify each stretch as suitable or unsuitable. On many waterfronts, a sign on the sand shows the most recent result.

After heavy rain, water quality usually worsens near rivers, canals and stormwater outlets. On those days, it is wise to choose a stretch away from the mouth.

Some Brazilian beaches and marinas have the international Blue Flag award, renewed each season, which evaluates water quality, safety, facilities and environmental education. There are beaches with the award in Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Bahia, Alagoas and Ceará. The list changes from one season to the next.

Sea bathing: Where to go sea bathing in Brazil

Where to go sea bathing in Brazil

In Alagoas, Maragogi has shallow, clear water on the Costa dos Corais, and Maceió concentrates swimming at the urban beaches of Pajuçara and Ponta Verde. In Pernambuco, Ipojuca includes Porto de Galinhas, Muro Alto and Maracaípe, and Tamandaré hosts Praia dos Carneiros, with calm water. Fernando de Noronha has transparent sea inside a preservation area, with visitor control. In João Pessoa, Paraíba, swimming is at Tambaú and Cabo Branco.

In Bahia, Porto Seguro adds extensive beaches in the city, in Arraial d'Ajuda and in Trancoso. Cairu holds the beaches of Morro de São Paulo and Boipeba, on car-free islands, and Maraú has Taipu de Fora.

In Rio de Janeiro state, Armação dos Búzios, Arraial do Cabo and Cabo Frio have clear, cooler water; in the capital, Prainha and Grumari are within protected areas. In Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Bombinhas, Balneário Camboriú, Penha and São Francisco do Sul offer everything from calm bays to open sea. In Pará, Salinópolis shows the Amazon’s ocean beach, with a wide sand stretch at low tide. The cities appear on the map on this page.

Frequently asked questions

Is sea bathing good for you?

Yes, as outdoor leisure: bathing refreshes, moves the body and helps you rest. Take care with strong sun, hydration and choosing a stretch of sea appropriate for whoever will enter.

What do the flags on the beach mean?

Generally, green means swimming allowed, yellow calls for caution and red marks an area where you should not enter. Black usually indicates a beach without lifeguards, and purple means presence of jellyfish. The code varies between states: check the station sign.

What to do if the current pulls you out to sea?

Do not swim against the current. Stay calm, wave for help and swim sideways, parallel to the shore, until you leave the water corridor. If you know how to float, float until the lifeguard arrives.

How to know if the beach is suitable for bathing?

Check the bathing suitability report from the state environmental agency, which classifies each stretch as suitable or unsuitable. After heavy rain, avoid swimming near rivers and canals.

What is the best time to go sea bathing?

Early morning and late afternoon have weaker sun. On beaches with lifeguards, it is sensible to enter the water during the period the station is operating.

Where is the sea calmest for children?

On beaches protected by reefs or inside bays, common in Alagoas, Pernambuco, the northern coast of São Paulo and the bays of Florianópolis. Even there, the child stays in shallow water and within reach of an adult.

Where is the sea warmest in Brazil?

In the Northeast, the water is warm year-round. In the Southeast the temperature varies more, and in parts of the coast of Rio de Janeiro state and in the South the sea tends to be cold, even in summer.

Where to go: Sea bathing

Pick a region or a state on the map, or type what you are looking for, to see the cities and who offers it in each.

Alagoas Bahia Ceará Espírito Santo Maranhão Paraíba Paraná Pernambuco Piauí Rio de Janeiro Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Sul Santa Catarina São Paulo Sergipe Acaraú - CE Angra dos Reis - RJ Aquiraz - CE Aracaju - SE Aracati - CE Armação dos Búzios - RJ Arraial do Cabo - RJ Balneário Barra do Sul - SC Balneário Camboriú - SC Balneário Piçarras - SC Barreirinhas - MA Barreiros - PE Beberibe - CE Bertioga - SP Bombinhas - SC Cabedelo - PB Cabo de Santo Agostinho - PE Cabo Frio - RJ Cairu - BA Cajueiro da Praia - PI Camocim - CE Canguaretama - RN Caraguatatuba - SP Cascavel - CE Caucaia - CE Conde - PB Conde - BA Cruz - CE Entre Rios - BA Esplanada - BA Fernando de Noronha - PE Florianópolis - SC Fortaleza - CE Garopaba - SC Governador Celso Ramos - SC Guarapari - ES Guarujá - SP Icapuí - CE Ilhabela - SP Ilhéus - BA Imbituba - SC Ipojuca - PE Itacaré - BA Itaguaí - RJ Itajaí - SC Itapema - SC Itarema - CE Ituberá - BA Jandaíra - BA Japaratinga - AL João Pessoa - PB Laguna - SC Luís Correia - PI Maceió - AL Mangaratiba - RJ Maragogi - AL Maraú - BA Mata de São João - BA Matinhos - PR Natal - RN Navegantes - SC Nísia Floresta - RN Niterói - RJ Palhoça - SC Paracuru - CE Paraty - RJ Parnaíba - PI Parnamirim - RN Passo de Camaragibe - AL Paulino Neves - MA Penha - SC Pitimbu - PB Pontal do Paraná - PR Porto Belo - SC Porto de Pedras - AL Porto Seguro - BA Recife - PE Rio de Janeiro - RJ Salvador - BA Santa Cruz Cabrália - BA Santa Vitória do Palmar - RS São Francisco do Sul - SC São José da Coroa Grande - PE São Luís - MA São Miguel do Gostoso - RN São Miguel dos Milagres - AL São Sebastião - SP Senador Georgino Avelino - RN Sirinhaém - PE Tamandaré - PE Tibau do Sul - RN Torres - RS Trairi - CE Tutóia - MA Ubatuba - SP Vila Velha - ES Vitória - ES
Tap a state or a region to see the cities. Mapa: @svg-maps/brazil, CC BY 4.0

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