Brazil by Sea: A North-to-South Journey Along the Coast
Brazil by Sea: A North-to-South Journey Along the Coast
Brazil had been on my wish list for a long time, and there’s something especially magical about seeing a country unfold gradually from the deck of a ship. Traveling north to south along Brazil’s vast Atlantic coastline gave me a sense of just how diverse, layered, and deeply historic this country is, even when circumstances meant I sometimes experienced it from a distance.
Here are a few highlights (and lessons learned) from each stop along the way.
Belém: Gateway to the Amazon
Our first Brazilian port was Belém, perched right at the mouth of the Amazon River. Unfortunately, this is where my trip met its first challenge: a head cold that kept me onboard. Still, even from the ship, Belém felt significant, not just geographically, but historically.
Belém was founded by the Portuguese in 1616 as a defensive outpost to protect the Amazon from foreign powers.
One of the most fascinating facts about this location is the Amazon River itself. By the time it reaches the ocean here, the river is so vast and powerful that fresh water and sand from the Amazon extend well into the Atlantic Ocean. In some estimates, over 150 kms offshore.
Even without stepping ashore, it felt extraordinary to be sitting at the very edge of the world’s largest river system.
Recife: Carnival in the Making
Our next stop was Recife, often called the “Venice of Brazil” because of its rivers, bridges, and canals.
We didn’t get to see much of the city itself, as many roads were blocked or rerouted. It turns out Brazil doesn’t ease into Carnival quietly. Instead, cities like Recife hold “practice runs” every weekend in the month leading up to Carnival, complete with street parties, music, and dancing. The city was already buzzing.
One real highlight, though, was attending a cultural evening at Theater Luís Mendonça. We were treated to a traditional dance performance. It was a fast-paced, acrobatic dance style that originated in Recife and is now recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Bright costumes, impossible footwork, and infectious energy made it a memorable introduction to northeastern Brazilian culture.
Caption for video: A cultural evening at Theater Luís Mendonça
Salvador: Where Brazil Began
Salvador feels like Brazil turned up to full colour.
Founded in 1549, Salvador was Brazil’s first capital and remains the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture. The city’s historic centre, the Pelourinho, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with pastel-coloured colonial buildings, baroque churches, and steep cobblestone streets.
Salvador was also a major port in the transatlantic slave trade, and its African influence is woven into daily life, from music and food to religion and dance. This is the birthplace of capoeira, the martial art disguised as dance, developed by enslaved Africans as a form of resistance and self-expression.
Búzios: From Fishing Village to Jet-Set Escape
Before reaching Rio, we stopped in Búzios, a much smaller and more relaxed port with a completely different feel. Until the mid-20th century, Búzios was just a quiet fishing village, until French actress Brigitte Bardot visited in the 1960s and inadvertently put it on the international map.
Today, Búzios is known for its dozens of beaches, clear water, and charming seaside streets. It felt calm, stylish, and unhurried, a lovely contrast to the big cities we’d visited earlier and would be visiting soon.
Video Caption: Performers at a beach in Buzios
Arrival in Rio: More to Come
We arrived in Rio de Janeiro on January 30, sailing into one of the most spectacular harbours in the world. But Rio deserves a story all its own.
That will be the next chapter.