Guanabara Bay

Guanabara Bay: Our most recommended tours and activities

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  1. Rio de Janeiro: Sunset Sailing Tour

  Marvel at the scenery of Rio de Janeiro, the Marvellous City, on a sunset sailing tour in Guanabara Bay. Admire the beautiful sunset, and savor all-inclusive drinks and snacks aboard your boat. Enjoy a small group tour for no more than 10 people, or opt to splash out on a private tour to make your experience extra special. Set sail from Marina da Glória and pass by 3 fortresses — São José, Lage, and Santa Cruz — on your way to Boa Viagem Island in Niterói. Cruise past Oscar Niemeyer's striking Niterói Museum of Contemporary Art and enjoy the views in Guanabara Bay. Then, sit back and appreciate the sunset over the city of Rio de Janeiro. Delight in scenic views of the city's most famous landmarks, such as Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, as the sun sets on the horizon. Throughout the tour, relax with drinks on board, such as the famous Brazilian cocktail Caipirinha, beer, ...

  This was absolutely wonderful, the guide ‘Marcelo’ is extremely friendly and welcoming, getting to the meeting point was easy, the boat was well equipped and had the most amazing staff. the drinks, the views, the pictures were all perfect to a point. I highly recommend this for anyone who’s in Rio de Janeiro! A truly unforgettable experience.

  Reviewed by Ibrahim Ihsan Abdulameer, Iraq, 08/12/2020
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  2. Rio de Janeiro: Best Beaches Boat Tour with Free Beers

  See Rio's most beautiful beaches from an exotic and aquatic angle. You'll depart from the yacht club near Sugarloaf Mountain from where you will pass by several gorgeous beaches and islands. Throughout your experience, you will be welcome to stop at any time to swim or simply chill out and take in the scenery. You can also expect to experience a secret island throughout your day too. Throughout your 3-hour trip you will encounter Urca Beach, Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf), Praia Vermelha (with swimming time), Copacabana Beach, Arpoador Beach, the Ipanema beaches (with swimming time), and Ilhas Cagarras (Cagarras Islands. At the conclusion of your enjoyable day out on the water, you will return back to your tour starting point.

  We had an amazing time touring the beaches of Rio. If you're looking for a mid day tour of the beaches of Rio this is it, I recommend it. I booked my trip within hours of the start of the tour with no trouble, the team stepped up and prepared everything to meet us on time and communicated with me continuously. Drinks included (cold beer on a sunny day)

  Reviewed by Michael, 22/06/2021
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  3. Rio de Janeiro: Private Speedboat Trip with Barbecue

  Admire the beautiful beaches, coastline, and main sights on a 2-, 3- or 5-hour journey around Rio de Janeiro's coast aboard a speedboat that features a bluetooth stereo, a barbecue, and a bathroom. Relax and enjoy drinks as you admire panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro, including the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain, Urca, and Ihla da Laje. Stop for a swim and lunch onboard in Adão and Eva Beach on the coast of Niterói or at Vermelha Beach in Urca. Choose and bring your own food for the boat trip, and let your Portuguese-speaking sailor cook it for you on the grill while you bask in the sunshine.

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  4. Niterói 1-Day Tour: The Hidden Gem Across Rio de Janeiro

  Discover the beauties of Niterói, the charming and lesser known side of Guanabara Bay, on a full-day tour. Leaving Rio de Janeiro, drive across Rio-Niterói Bridge, the largest reinforced concrete bridge in the Southern Hemisphere. Visit the Niemeyer Pathway, the architectural complex composed of the Teatro Popular (Popular Theater), the Roberto Silveira Memorial, and the Niemeyer Foundation building, all signed by Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil's most famous architect. Up next, admire the façade and pay a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), the famous round and futuristic structure overlooking the Guanabara Bay, also designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Stroll along the waterfront areas along the Guanabara Bay beaches, passing through Icaraí, São Francisco, Charitas, Jurujuba, and Adam and Eve beaches. Enjoy the lunch break in front of the São Francisco beach, one of the city's most famous cu...

  Our driver for the day (Jalbier) was just the loveliest man, and although he was later than our pickup time, it was not his fault and we still hit the road at 8.10am, plenty of time to get to Niteroi. He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful all day and at all stops, informative and answered all our random questions about Rio & Niteroi. We went on a Monday but the museums are closed but Jalbier still managed to get the lovely tourist office lady to give us a private tour of the Oscar Niemeyer way buildings eventhough they were closed for maintenance. The car was wonderful and he was very conscientious of the heat on the day. After our unplanned paragliding adventure from the parquet de cidade, Jalbier even took us for a quick tour of Santa Teresa neighbourhood on our way back to Ipanema. An excellent tour guide who made this day trip extra special. The BBQ lunch was also exceptional. Niteroi is gorgeous with amazing views across the bay to Rio and all the mountains, Sugar Loaf, etc.

  Reviewed by Barry, United Kingdom, 09/01/2020
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  5. From Rio de Janeiro: Private Sailing Tour

  Discover Rio de Janeiro from the sea. Book this 3-hour sailing trip from Guanabara Bay to a number of destinations, including the Cagarras Islands for panoramic views of Brazil's sultriest city (conditions permitting). Your journey will be on the Kamehameha, a 40-foot (12 meter) fully-equipped sailboat. After setting sail, navigate towards the mouth of Guanabara Bay and out to open seas. Look out for dolphins and humpback whales along the way. If the weather stays fair, your destination will be the environmentally- protected and uninhabited Cagarras Islands, about 7 nautical miles off Rio de Janeiro's coast. Alternatively, and depending on your wishes, you can sail towards Itaipu, Itacoatiara, Copacabana, or Ipanema Beach.  You are welcome to bring your own favorite food and drinks to enjoy, or you can pre-arrange food and drinks. Enjoy a round of Caipirinhas as the sun sets over Rio ...

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  6. Rio de Janeiro: 3-Hour Sailing Trip on Guanabara Bay

  Enjoy a 3-hour sail and see the iconic sights of Rio de Janeiro from Guanabara Bay. You will meet your guide at the Marina da Gloria, downtown Rio, at the pre-arranged time and board the Kamehameha for a short introductory session to the boat’s main facilities and safety systems. You will motor out of the marina and then sail towards the protected, calm waters of the bay. Your guide will point out the sights of Rio surrounding the bay, including Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Hill. You will also learn a bit about local history. At the end of the tour, you’ll be dropped off back at the starting point at the marina.

  Great sailing in the Rio de Janeiro bay. The captain and his son were very nice and helpful. Drinks and finger food throughout the cruise. The boat is nice and was very safe !

  Reviewed by Karen, United States, 08/11/2019
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  7. Rio de Janeiro: 2-Hour Boat Trip with Parasailing

  The operator will first search for the best spot to fly. The most common destinations are the coast of Niteroi and Urca, but depending on the conditions, other routes are also possible.  After getting outfitted with a life vest and harness, you're seated on the flight deck of the boat. Once seated, the first crew mate clips your harness to the parachute. Then up you will ascend really nice and smoothly, just like sitting on a swing set that slowly elevates you for the experience of a lifetime.  The local operator does everything that is possible to ensure your safety. How? Always respecting the limits of nature, providing the best equipment and performing constant security checks. Your safety is top priority! 

  The tour operator was well versed in the area, telling us about popular and unfamiliar places. They were able to rearrange the schedule to have better weather conditions for parasailing.

  Reviewed by Vanessa, 21/08/2019
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  8. Rio From The Sea: Guanabara Bay Cruise with Optional Lunch

  Discover the beauty of Rio de Janeiro and see its spectacular sights during a cruise through the historic Guanabara Bay.  See Sugarloaf Mountain, the famous Copacabana Beach and Corcovado Mountain, home to the world-renowned Christ the Redeemer statue. During your return trip, you can choose to stop for an optional barbecue lunch, before continuing your cruise to take in the breathtaking views of the Rio de Janeiro coastline.   Rio de Janeiro is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and this is the ideal way to see it.

  It was an awesome experience we also enjoyed the buffet; we ate until we surrendered. Our tour guide was absolutely amazing

  Reviewed by Lovely, 17/01/2020
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  9. Rio de Janeiro: Glória Street Food Tour

  Explore the sights, sounds, and most importantly, tastes of the Glória neighborhood, a charming residential area on the outskirts of the city center. With your guide, try out traditional Brazilian street food on this 3-hour walking tour.   Start your tour by visiting Outeiro da Glória, an important hill in the history of the city where a colonial church is located. From the hill, take in the impressive views of Guanabara Bay and learn a bit more about the neighborhood.   Then, head to the street market, which is surrounded by historic buildings and incredible views of Flamengo Park. There, you’ll taste pastel (fried pastry stuffed with savory fillings), sugarcane juice, tapioca, coconut water, acarajé (crispy bean and onion cakes), crab casquinja (crab cakes), cocada (coconut candy), minas cheese, and various fruits.   At the end of the tou...

  Once the food tasting got started the tour was good. For the first hour you take a trip to a church which is fine but most of the group was anxious to start tasting food. Definitely would be a better tour in my opinion if we started with at least a drink of some sort(Juice, etc) and then walked up to the church. Good tour overall.

  Reviewed by Shayne, 24/02/2020