5 almost secret places in Rio de Janeiro where locals will thank you if you don't show up.

On a scorching sunny morning in Rio de Janeiro, the average citizen decides, under the free, sweet, and spontaneous pressure of their family, to face three hours of traffic jams on the Rio-Niterói Bridge just to fight for a square centimeter of sand on beaches whose names have already become generic hashtags. While most people huddle together among coolers and speakers at maximum volume, a select minority escapes to havens where civilization seems like a remote glitch in the system. 

It's fascinating to observe how the concept of "rest" has been redefined as the art of sweating profusely in a kiosk queue for a twenty-real pastry. The question is: paradise exists, but it demands the Herculean effort of walking for five minutes or, even worse, giving up 5G signal for a few hours. For those who still believe that leisure isn't synonymous with crowding, Rio de Janeiro hides portals to a multiverse where nature hasn't yet been completely gourmetized. 

Prepare your insect repellent and your explorer spirit, because we're about to discover what Google Maps tries to hide to protect locals from its inconvenience. If you're looking for the perfect setting to pretend you're a digital nomad or just want a place where the only sound is the waves and not some stranger's country music, follow this itinerary. After all, nothing says "exclusivity" more than a place that takes a little effort to find. 

The beach with the villain's name 

While governments occasionally decide to honor someone by changing the name of a street or square, the name of this place is becoming outdated. The beach's name comes from a slave trader, José Gonçalves, who used the area for the trafficking of enslaved Africans. Yes, this strip of sand, only a hundred meters long and lost within the Pau-Brasil Environmental Protection Area, bears the surname of one of the darkest figures on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, without anyone having proposed a more suitable solution to this day. In the 18th century and until the end of the 19th, enslaved Africans disembarked here, and there is still a trail, called the slave trail, that leads through the rainforest to the beach.  

The trail connecting the Serra das Emerências mountain range to the beach is a spectacle in itself. The route crosses the beautiful Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area, revealing the diversity of local flora and fauna, while leading to the crystal-clear, tranquil waters of José Gonçalves Beach, surrounded by bromeliads, impressive cacti, and rare species of the Atlantic Forest. 

For those who prefer to arrive by car, the news is reasonably good: access is via the Búzios/Cabo Frio road, which is signposted, and motor vehicles can get very close to the beach, using a dirt road at the end of the road. Infrastructure? That's an abstract concept. The beach is pristine by deliberate lack thereof. There are no stalls, kiosks, restrooms, or lifeguards. There is dark, fine sand, black volcanic pebbles that cannot be removed (yes, that's the law, did you hear?), high waves for surfers, and on weekdays outside of peak season, there are situations where you may not see another person. In the constellation of beaches in Rio de Janeiro, that's gold. 

How to get there: By car, leaving Guanabara, head towards the Rio-Niterói Bridge. At the bottom of the bridge, take the left exit onto BR-101 towards Rio Bonito. After about 72 km, take the right exit onto Via Lagos (RJ-124). At the end of Via Lagos, continue to the São Pedro da Aldeia junction and follow RJ-106 towards Macaé/Búzios. Búzios is approximately 170 km from Rio. Once in the city, follow the Búzios/Cabo Frio road until you see the signs for José Gonçalves. By bus: The 1001 bus company operates daily departures from the Novo Rio bus station to Búzios, with tickets starting at around R$ 82 (standard). 

The secret within the secret 

There's a bunch of ill-intentioned journalists in Guanabara saying that Cabo Frio is a city that insists on being famous for the wrong things: traffic jams on Avenida Julia Kubitschek in the summer, lines for pastries on the beach, the price of beach umbrellas. Meanwhile, less than 12 km from the center, Peró Beach breathes in Olympic tranquility, proudly displaying the Blue Flag for environmental quality for the fifth consecutive year.  

But within Peró, there is an even smaller, more secluded, and more beautiful place: Pesqueirinho. A small beach used by artisanal fishermen to store their boats and fishing gear, and a great spot for a swim. No one goes to Pesqueirinho by accident. You have to want to go. 

Access to Pesqueirinho is only possible via a trail. The complete Peró Beaches circuit is 6 km long, has a moderate difficulty level, takes 4 to 5 hours to complete, has a maximum elevation gain of 29 meters, and a positive elevation gain of 88 meters. The route passes through Morro do Vigia, the Mirantes das Conchas and do Peró viewpoints, the Buraco do Sargo, and culminates at Pesqueirinho, where you can swim in the natural pools formed by the rocks.  

The interpretive and signposted trail has four QR codes that provide historical, cultural, and environmental information about the region. This entire area is within the Pau-Brasil Environmental Protection Area: motorized vehicles are strictly prohibited, which, in practice, acts as the most efficient crowd filter imaginable. The Fisherman's Hut, a historical landmark of Cabo Frio, was the setting for a 21 pm telenovela on Rede Globo in 2012, which is currently being re-aired. This proves that the place has plenty of photogenic qualities, but thankfully refuses to behave like a conventional tourist attraction. 

DirectionsBy car, Cabo Frio is approximately 175 km from Guanabara Bay. From the Rio-Niterói Bridge, take BR-101 to the left, then Via Lagos (RJ-124) and, at the São Pedro da Aldeia junction, take RJ-106 towards Búzios. Cabo Frio is 14 km before that. Access to the Pesqueirinho trail starts at Av. dos Pescadores, s/nº, Peró neighborhood, Cabo Frio. By bus: there are Rio–Cabo Frio bus tickets, with frequent departures from the Novo Rio Bus Station and different fares. 

The Dead Sea of ​​Rio de Janeiro that nobody knows about. 

There are two types of people who know the Red Lagoon in Saquarema: scientists and those who arrived there by accident. For the former, it is a geological and scientific heritage of international relevance. The Red Lagoon has been forming for about seven thousand years, as variations in the relative sea level occur, and has international scientific importance due to the presence of stromatolites — colonies of microorganisms considered the oldest known form of life on the planet.  

For those who stumbled upon it by chance, it's simply that pink lagoon that generates hilarious situations of tourists trying unsuccessfully to sink – and where the mud at the bottom has medicinal properties that any grandmother would approve of. There's no contradiction: both are right. The Red Lagoon has the saltiest waters in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Due to its hypersaline water, it's compared to the Dead Sea, where those who dive in don't sink. The presence of hydrogen sulfide is excellent for medicinal baths. 

But is it really the Dead Sea? Not exactly. The Araruama Lagoon is considered the second saltiest in the world, with the Dead Sea being the first. The condition of bodies floating very easily extends throughout its 45 kilometers of length. The Red Lagoon, connected to the Araruama Lagoon by a channel between the salt flats, shares this hypersalinity on a local scale: its salinity is around 100%. 

 The reddish color (or pinkish, depending on the time of day and the intensity of the sun) comes from microalgae and bacteria that love salt. The trail to get there takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes through the preserved coastal vegetation of the Costa do Sol State Park, and visits should preferably be made with qualified environmental guides.

How to get there: By car, Saquarema is about 100 km from Guanabara via RJ-106 (through Niterói and São Gonçalo) or the Linha Amarela/Presidente Dutra highway. Lagoa Vermelha is located on the border between Saquarema (Vilatur) and Araruama (Praia Seca). Use GPS and search for “Lagoa Vermelha Saquarema”. By bus: The 1001 bus company operates the Rio–Saquarema route with tickets starting at around R$ 47.  

The icy bath of Saint Alexius 

Forget the beaches for a moment and head up the mountain towards Guapimirim to find the Tamanqueiro Waterfall. Santo Aleixo is one of those inland districts of Rio de Janeiro that carries three centuries of history in a single main street. Magé, the municipality to which it belongs, is located 60 km from the state capital, in a valley formed by the base of Pico Dedo de Deus, in the Serra dos Órgãos mountain range, with 70% of its territory in an environmental protection area. Anyone who has never heard of Magé – which is probably most readers of this report – needs to know that they are missing out on one of the most accessible collections of waterfalls in the state.  

Santo Aleixo is a famous district in the state of Rio de Janeiro because of its traditional events, such as the Santo Aleixo Festival, held in July, and the events at Haras dos Anjos, especially large-scale raves. But it's the waterfalls that hikers go to. The Tamanqueiro waterfall, in particular, is described by locals as the most beautiful in the area. And the access trail is one of the easiest in the district, located at the corner of Rua Manoel dos Santos and the street of the Santo Aleixo Cemetery. 

The Tamanqueiro waterfall is part of the Santo Aleixo Waterfall Circuit, a group that also includes the Monjolos Waterfall – composed of three waterfalls up to 45 meters high, which attract crowds during the warmer months – and the Pegada do Gigante Waterfall, among others. The infrastructure is basic: there is no facilities. And visitation can be chaotic on summer weekends. It's best to go during the week, bring water, closed shoes, and patience for the signs which, according to some visitors, sometimes try to mislead those unfamiliar with the way. The good news: the locals love to point out the route. Upon arriving at Tamanqueiro, you can jump into deep pools or simply float in crystal-clear pools. 

How to get there: By car, Santo Aleixo is about 60 km from Guanabara. Set your GPS to “Cachoeira do Tamanqueiro, Santo Aleixo, Magé”. The road has dirt sections and can be steep in some places. By bus, the journey requires a connection: take a bus from Central do Brasil to the Magé Bus Terminal (several companies operate this route), then take the Andorinhas line, departing from the Magé terminal. 

A piece of Africa hidden beneath the lighthouse. 

Popularly known as Poção Azul or Ponta Negra Lighthouse Cave, the Ponta Negra Cave in Maricá is still relatively unknown to the general public, but it is gaining prominence among tourists and residents who seek not only a connection with nature but also breathtaking landscapes. Access is via a short trail from the Ponta Negra Lighthouse, with some steep and slippery sections, especially after periods of rain. There are cables installed to assist with the descent. At the end, the reward is a natural pool of crystal-clear, blue water, nicknamed "Maricá's Little Caribbean" by its most enthusiastic visitors. 

But what truly distinguishes the Ponta Negra Cave from any other natural pool on the Rio de Janeiro coast is its geology. It's a formation of two-billion-year-old plutonic rocks, called orthogneisses, that extend all the way to Macaé and originate from the collision of the African and South American continents. It is, literally, a piece of Africa in Rio de Janeiro. Another curious story is that many believe the cave serves as a hiding place for pirate treasures or mystical portals, although the only real treasure is the photo you'll take with no one in the background. It's a place of raw beauty and dangerous for the unwary. 

In 2024, a UNESCO evaluation mission visited the site to analyze Maricá's accreditation as a gateway to the Costões e Lagunas Geopark. One of the minerals present in the rock formation is magnetite, used in the manufacture of compasses, and part of an upper wall of the cave can retain a metallic object stuck at the top, as demonstrated by the evaluators during the visit. A cave that, besides being beautiful, serves as a compass. It's hard to compete with that. The infrastructure is minimal: no umbrellas, no bar, no lifeguards. Bring your own water, closed shoes, and always check the tide before entering the water. 

How to get there: By car, Maricá is about 50 km from Guanabara via RJ-106, through Niterói. Set your GPS to “Farol de Ponta Negra, Maricá”. By bus, the “Vermelhinho” bus in Maricá offers free transportation for residents and visitors within the municipality. The 578D bus line (Candelária × Ponta Negra) is one of the direct options from downtown Rio.