Evening Standard - ES Magazine
GONE FISHING
Lotte Jeffs escapes World Cup fever on a Brazilian beach
While the England squad go loco on Copacabana beach this June, those really in the know will head to Búzios, an upmarket fishing village three hours’ drive from Rio. In 1964, Brigitte Bardot sought refuge here from the paparazzi who were hounding her and her Brazilian boyfriend. Búzios has unashamedly capitalised on this celebrity connection, building a life-size busty bronze sculpture of the actress sitting on a suitcase on the seafront promenade, and even naming an entire street Orla Bardot in her honour. If you think it sounds a bit camp, you’re not wrong. Búzios is Brazil’s Key West, a little corner of perfectly manicured paradise where men wear Panama hats and carry tiny dogs, and grandes dames swish from boutiques to beach bars. Even the flora and fauna sound fabulous — check out the red-blossoming Flamboya trees. Now Rio’s young, beautiful people are also starting to head here at weekends to escape rampant World Cup fever, bringing with them a taste for the big city’s glamour.
We stayed at Casas Brancas, a trendy seafront hotel where a generic ‘cool vibez’ soundtrack is piped inexplicably through the premises every hour of the day, and model-esque staff waft around in white cotton, ethnic bangles and Havaianas. There are 32 chic, beach hut-style rooms and a sun terrace with a pool and stunning views across the turquoise bay.
Búzios has a beach for every occasion. Travel to and from them in a Bugre — a dune buggy hired from local rental agencies — or by rickety water taxis that are wont to break down in the middle of the bay, as we found en route to Praia Azedinha. Luckily, we’d packed a bottle of champagne and by the time we were hauled to shore, it was a miracle the grizzly senhor on the rudder hadn’t pushed us overboard. On this quiet stretch of sand we ordered beers and deep-fried cheese from an upturned fishing boat that served as a bar, and lay on our sarongs (only tourists use beach towels).
Of the 23 beaches, there are two main surfing sites: one of the longest is the 2km Geribá, where tournaments take place every year. But Brava, sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, Return f lights to Rio from London Heathrow with TAM Airlines start from £810 per person. TAM Airlines is part of LATAM Airlines Group and f lies to over 50 destinations across South America (tam.com.br). Rooms at Casas Brancas from £287 (casasbrancas. com.br)
Geribá beach Sollar restaurant The harbour
Rua das Pedras drag, Rua das Pedras, is lined with cool independent boutiques selling local designers’ swimwear and jewellery. You’ll also find international brands and fun cocktail bars such as Captains, where, sitting outside one hot night, we met Susan Marshall, a sun-weathered free spirit whose life had mysteriously taken her from corporate Florida to running Búzios’ Cachoeira Inn. It is a four-room ‘tropical Asian paradise’, and she invited us to spend a day there, swimming and kayaking off the private beach and drinking delicious Caipirinhas, expertly mixed by her husband Matt, who told us all about their enviable laidback Búzios life.
The couple introduced us to some of the best restaurants, one of which was on Praia da Tartaruga (Turtle Beach). We ate aipim frito (fried yucca), moqueca stew of banana and palm hearts with coconut rice and downed bottles of Bohemia beer. In what locals ambitiously refer to as ‘downtown’ Búzios, we found that Sollar, right by the sea, served delicious Italian food with the best views. Pátio Havana is the place to go for samba, Chez Michou for crêpes and Bar do Zé for seafood and celeb-spotting. But be prepared, the Búzios high life doesn’t come cheap. When our boys are knocked out of the World Cup you’ll know where to find them.