BRAZIL
The 15 best brazil speedboat tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long you are on the water and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there.
Spend six hours on a shared speedboat from Paraty, visiting Ilha dos Cocos, Engenho Beach, Cruzeiro Beach, and a secret late-day stop. Swim, snorkel, or tackle the steep Pico do Pão de Açúcar trail. The crew speaks Portuguese and English, though English may be limited onboard.
“It was great, the guide and beaches made the trip.”
From Vila do Abraão, you’ll visit five island stops in seven hours, with time to swim, snorkel, walk, or rest. The Portuguese-speaking crew, including guide Joseph on some departures, keeps the day moving while you choose how to enjoy each beach. Lunch and snorkeling gear cost extra.
“All the different beaches were beautiful. Snorkeling was fun. Guides were great.”
Meet at Urcabar in Urca at 10:00 am for a shared speedboat trip toward the Cagarras Islands. Expect Rio views from the water, time to swim, inflatable floats, and cold beer, water, and soda. Captains such as Antonio and Ricardo have led outings, though commentary and route details can vary.
“The boat trip was relaxing, informative, and quite pleasant. Our skipper, Ricardo, was great. He had the right balance of telling us what we were looking at, and staying quiet so we could enjoy the ride. I saw no info that indicated we could swim from the boat if we wore a suit, so we were unprepared. (Not a big problem as we're not big swimmers; just a point for other travelers.) I was amused that the beer we were offered was Budweiser. As an American, it made me laugh because I expected a local brew. We enjoyed the ride, and the unique perspective of Rio from the water.”
Take a private, full-day speedboat from Rio to Ilha Grande with hotel transfer to Mangaratiba. Swim at Lagoa Azul, visit quiet beaches and historic Freguesia de Santana, and stop for seafood lunch. Guides such as Tatiana and Romeu can adjust the day to your group.
“Magnifique journée avec guide francophone très sympa et cultivé. Visite de 5 stations autour d’Ilha Grande parmis les plus belles plages et super pose déjeuner dans un cadre plus que romantique et très agréable. Obrigada ROMEU !!”
Spend about four hours with a private guide and covered speedboat on the rivers near Manaus. Visit the Meeting of the Waters, a floating village, Janauari Lake, giant vitória-régia lilies, forest walkways, and seasonal flooded forest. Guides may include Rodolpho or Sena.
“Awesome tour with great experiences and education. The guide was easy to find and the private boat (large enough to seat 8 with a metal roof and pull down side shades in case of bad weather) appeared quickly. This was a private tour for my wife and I. Great information on the city, its size and economy as we were leaving the port. About an hour later we reached the meeting of the waters and were educated on the reason for the difference in colors and got to put our hands in both colors to learn about the temperature differences. Then on the way to the Januauri Lake, went through…”
Join a shared speedboat from Estação Santa Luzia for five hours around Ilha Grande. Swim with fish at Lagoa Azul, visit Grumixama, Freguesia de Santana, Praia das Flechas, and Cataguás, with a lunch stop included in the route. The guide speaks Portuguese, and the boat holds up to 18 people.
“Não tinha nada de paradisíaco. Passeio simples, pouco atrativo. Não faria novamente”
From Vila do Abraão, a Portuguese-speaking captain takes you by speedboat to Blue Lagoon, Green Lagoon, and Enseada das Estrelas. You get time to swim, snorkel, float, and eat lunch. Bring a jacket, rent snorkel gear near the pier, and expect beach transfers that require mobility.
“Unfortunately the guide did not understand a word of English so it was hard to know how much time we had at every location. Besides that, the trip was great, the lagoons were amazing and we had enough time to swim in the lagoons and other beaches we visited. We also had a stop for lunch and walking on the beach. Definitely bring a coat or thick jacket as the wind can be very cold on the boat.”
You’ll circle Ilha Grande from Vila do Abraão by speedboat, with stops at Caxadaço, Parnaioca, Aventureiro, and Meros. The Portuguese-speaking crew provides a self-guided day, cooler, water, and pool noodles. Bring water shoes, cash, sun protection, and gear for wet landings.
Board at Urca Pier for a three-hour speedboat tour past Sugarloaf, Copacabana, Arpoador, Niterói, and more. Your guide may be Rafael, praised for careful driving and local insight. Beer, soda, and water are included, with stops for swimming and underwater viewing.
“Rafael es encantador! La excursión fue genial y dinámica. La pasamos increíble”
Take a private speedboat from Marina da Glória with up to 13 people. Your Portuguese-speaking sailor can grill food you bring, while you enjoy coolers, music, a bathroom, and views of Sugarloaf, Urca, Ilha da Laje, and nearby beaches. Ask for captain Wellington if available.
“This was by far the best experience during our time in Rio. The organizer, Flavia, was so incredibly kind and helpful with all logistics. And our captain Wellington was SO nice and thoughtful. We loved the experience so much that we ended up booking it twice during our trip. Definitely ask for Wellington to be your captain! He doesn't speak much English, but we used Google Translate back and forth and still had a wonderful time.”
Spend three hours on a small-group speedboat from Marina da Glória, passing the Museum of Tomorrow, Ilha Fiscal, MAC Niterói, Urca, and Sugarloaf Mountain. Swim at Adão Beach, then watch the sun set behind Rio’s skyline with beer, soft drinks, snacks, and guides such as Rosane, Alexia, or Rachelle.
“Davvero piacevole il tour in motoscafo, poche persone. Alexia una perla di persona.”
Charter the Albatroz speedboat for 4 or 7 hours and cruise Búzios with up to 11 people. Stop at Tartaruga, Azeda, João Fernandes, Amores, and more, swim at Ilha Feia, use the snorkels and floats, and grill your own food onboard. Portuguese service is available, with online help in English and Spanish.
“It was a fun boat tour and our group of 10 people had so much fun.”
Leave your Barreirinhas hotel by 4x4, then ride a fast boat along the Preguiças River with a Portuguese-speaking guide. Walk the Pequenos Lençóis dunes, stop at Vassouras and Mandacaru Lighthouse, then reach Caburé, where river and Atlantic meet. Plan for about five hours.
“Unfortunately i can not judge the tour because they never picked up... From my understanding, "tour by foot" is a proxy to locals guides We did another activity with them which went very well, this one did not. It all depends on the local guide managing the activity i guess. I ve add a star anyway, because "tour by foot" was reactive and proposed us 2 activities as compensation.”
Take a private speedboat from Marina da Glória along Rio’s coast, with a Portuguese-speaking sailor, onboard barbecue, bathroom, Bluetooth stereo, and coolers with ice. Choose a 3, 4, or 5 hour outing toward Urca, Vermelha Beach, or Niterói’s Adão e Eva Beach, weather permitting.
“J’avais pris 4h d’excursion et pensais pouvoir voir Copacabana, éventuellement Ipanema depuis la mer En fait, la ballade se limite à aller sur Niteroi et revenir dans la baie de Botafogo voir le coucher du soleil. Alors qu’il faisait un grand soleil, la mer était soit disant trop houleuse pour sortir de la baie. Je pense que c’est pour consommer moins de carburant. Nous avons navigué à toute petite vitesse pour faire passer le temps. Il a même fallu que je négocie et que le pilote appelle sa direction pour que nous allions voir le musée do amanha, alors qu’il nous restait 1h30 et qu’il voulait nous faire attendre le…”
Take a five-hour Portuguese-language speedboat trip from Paraty into Baía de Paraty and Saco do Mamanguá. You will stop at four beaches for swimming and snorkeling, with a chance to see turtles, dolphins, and Poço do Tarzan. Guide Alesson has been praised for explaining local tides, wildlife, and plant life.
“Saco do Mamangua é lindo! Este fiorde brasileiro é maravilhoso. Fizemos o passeio de fast boat com o Netuno Expedition e foi simplesmente sensacional. O marinheiro que estava com a gente, Alesson, muito atencioso, explicou nome dos lugares, das praias, sobre a maré, fauna e flora durante todo o passeio. Paisagem simplesmente espetacular, com direito a mergulho com snorkel. Parada para almoço em restaurante caiçara local na Praia do Cruzeiro muito bom, simplicidade com os melhores temperos! Recomendo demais”
Every kind of fast boat on the site, and the water it runs on.
