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A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Sat, 18 May 2024 17:00:00 +0000

A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review:
Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel & Bimini)

A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Published May 18, 2024

My friend Ismael and I recently booked a five-night cruise on Virgin Voyages out of Miami. Since this was our very first ocean cruise, neither of us knew exactly what to expect. But once we boarded the Scarlet Lady, saw our cabin, and had our first drink, we knew it would be an amazing time! From start to finish, Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya cruise was an absolute blast!

My review of this cruise is broken down into the following topics. To skip down to anything that interests you, click or tap the corresponding link below!

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?
The Cruise Itinerary
Food & Restaurants on the Ship
All About the Scarlet Lady
Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?

We took this cruise at the end of March, which coincided with my spring break. I work in education, so I didn’t have a ton of flexibility with my time off. With that in mind, we basically had two cruise options: this one with Virgin Voyages (VV), or a Royal Caribbean cruise leaving Port Canaveral that went to CocoCay and Nassau in The Bahamas.

A couple of logistical details pushed us towards VV. First and foremost, the Riviera Maya cruise was one night longer than the Royal Caribbean one. In addition, neither of us had been to Cozumel or Bimini, but I had been to Nassau before. Finally, the VV cruise visited two countries, while the Royal Caribbean cruise only visited one. All of these factors convinced us to go with Virgin.

On top of that, Virgin Voyages is a newer company that markets itself as an innovator in the cruise industry. Eventually, I do want to try (and blog about) cruising with one of the big three cruise lines. However, Virgin Voyages seemed like a good fit for us this time.

Ismael and I are both avid travelers who lean towards off-the-beaten-path destinations. We also love amazing food from all over the world! Virgin generally gets high marks for cuisine offerings on board, so that enticed us as well. As a brand, VV seemed more aligned with our style of travel than Royal Caribbean.

What’s important to know about Virgin Voyages? First and foremost, their cruises are only for adults. As such, there are no venues or amenities on board the ship aimed at kids. Secondly, almost all food is included in the voyage cost. Finally, there are no gratuities that you are required to pay on board.

Beyond that, we were impressed by the stylish spaces on the Scarlet Lady. Each restaurant, bar, and entertainment venue was beautifully designed. It made exploring the ship so much fun!

The Cruise Itinerary

Below, you’ll find the daily itinerary for Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya cruise. It includes information about the port stops, “Shore Things” (excursions), and what we did during our days at sea.

Day 1: Boarding in Miami

The first day of our cruise was all about checking in on the Scarlet Lady and getting settled. I flew from Chicago to Miami the night before embarkation, and we stayed at a budget hotel by the airport. The next morning, we woke up, did some last-minute shopping, and got lunch at a Peruvian restaurant. After that, we took an Uber to Port of Miami.

To board a Virgin Voyages cruise leaving out of Miami, passengers have to head to Terminal V (located here). Setting this as the destination for our Uber worked for us; we were dropped off in the right place.

Our designated check-in time was 4:30 pm, and Virgin requests that Sailors (their term for passengers) don’t arrive early to avoid crowding. To be honest, we disobeyed and arrived around 3:00 pm. That’s because I can’t stand the stress of running late! On top of that, we weren’t familiar with the layout of the cruise terminal, nor did we know how long the check-in process would take. I figured at worst, we might have to hang out and wait for an hour or so.

Luckily, staff at the terminal let us check in about an hour early. I think their advice not to arrive before your designated time is meant for folks who plan to show up, like, six hours before their assigned embarkation slot.

Checking in was straightforward. It took about fifteen minutes for the two of us. Terminal V is also a gorgeous, spacious building! It made a very positive first impression on me and served as a preview of Virgin Voyages’ focus on beautiful design.

Stepping foot onto the Scarlet Lady was such a cool experience for me as a first-time ocean cruiser! There are so many bright, modern spaces on board, and the boat felt larger than life. Keep in mind, the Scarlet Lady has a capacity of 2,770 passengers, making it a very average-sized cruise ship. But to me, it still felt absolutely massive, especially on the first day of our trip!

We found our cabin, dropped off our belongings, then headed to the top deck for some champagne during the ship’s sail away party. The open-air deck is one of my favorite parts of the Scarlet Lady! It was an excellent place to relax, sip our drinks, and enjoy the views of the Miami skyline before dinner.

After dinner, we attended a drag show, got a midnight snack at the ship’s pizzeria, walked around the top deck, and finally called it a night. If you’re curious about food on the ship or the ship’s entertainment offerings, click the corresponding link to skip down to those sections of this post!

Day 2: At Sea

The second day of this cruise was entirely at sea. We spent hours exploring the ship, eating, drinking, lounging at the pool, and hanging out! Throughout Days 1 and 2, the Scarlet Lady sailed away from Miami, alongside the Florida Keys, and then alongside Cuba as it made its way towards Cozumel in Mexico. For a few hours in the afternoon, we were actually close enough to Cuba to see the island off in the distance.

During our days at sea, we participated in a number of organized events and activities. For example, we took part in things like coffee tastings, bracelet making, a cocktail mixing competition, and more. Some of these activities were free, and others required us to pay extra to participate. Some required reservations on the Virgin Voyages app, and others were first come first served.

Since these activities (or at least, other similar ones) should be offered on every Virgin Voyages cruise, I won’t be detailing all of them here. If you want to learn more about the ship and its offerings, skip down to that section of this post below!

Day 3: Cozumel, Mexico

On the morning of our voyage’s third day, we docked in Cozumel. This Mexican island is part of the state of Quintana Roo. This state is home to famous tourist destinations such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. By the way, the name “Riviera Maya” refers to Mexico’s Caribbean coastline between Puerto Morelos and Punta Allen (plus the island of Cozumel).

Before disembarking the Scarlet Lady, I went up to the top deck to check the weather, and unfortunately, skies were completely overcast. This would last the entire day, but at least it wasn’t chilly. In fact, even with cloudy skies, Cozumel was noticeably hotter and more humid than Miami and the Caribbean Sea during Days 1 and 2.

Virgin Voyages uses the Punta Langosta Cruise Terminal (at least, they did on our sailing). The island has between three and five main piers depending on what source you’re looking at, and Punta Langosta is right in the center of San Miguel de Cozumel, the island’s main city.

A Review of Our Sailing and Snorkeling Excursions

We booked a Shore Thing in Cozumel about four months before the cruise, which meant we had a planned outing for Day 3. It was called “Sail, Snorkel, & Hidden Beach Escape” and cost $120 per person. This excursion included a catamaran ride to a snorkeling spot, followed by a visit to a private beach club near San José.

Checking in for our Shore Thing was easy, and it didn’t require us to leave the Punta Langosta pier. We were grouped together with people from other cruises on the catamaran. After everyone found a spot to sit, we took off. Our captain navigated around the Scarlet Lady, which provided an awesome 360-degree view of the ship.

As we approached our snorkeling stop, Ismael got his gear on and prepared to dive into the water. I decided to just hang out on the catamaran and try to get some pictures. Unfortunately, with the weather still pretty grey, the Caribbean waters here weren’t particularly impressive.

Ismael said the snorkeling was fine, and some fish were visible. However, it wasn’t the best snorkeling he’s ever done. The captains also warned all of us that you need to be a decent swimmer to participate. In spite of that, some people jumped in and basically needed to be rescued right away. Everyone is required to wear a life vest, but don’t try to snorkel here if you can’t at least tread water!

One of my biggest complaints about this Shore Thing is that the drinks sucked. The description provided by Virgin Voyages says adult beverages are included in the price. The catamaran had unlimited beer and margaritas, but both of those drinks deserve very emphatic air quotes around them. The so-called margarita was extremely watered down; it tasted like lemonade. I don’t even think it had the slightest hint of tequila in it, to be honest.

The beer was better than the margarita, but that’s not saying much. It was either the lightest beer I’ve ever tasted, or it was diluted with carbonated water. Now, I understand where they’re coming from: the tour company doesn’t want passengers to become extremely drunk or unruly during the excursion. However, I’d much rather have a two- or three-drink limit on real margaritas and bottled beer versus an unlimited supply of very low quality drinks.

With the snorkeling portion of our excursion complete, we sailed for a little longer and then anchored at the private beach club. This area was decent, but not spectacular. I ordered a fish sandwich for lunch but immediately regretted it. Their burgers fresh off the grill looked a lot more enticing. We ate, strolled along the water for a while, and relaxed. Finally, we got back on the catamaran, which returned directly to Punta Langosta.

My overall feelings about this Shore Thing were mixed, if I’m being generous. I don’t think it was worth anywhere near the 120 USD per person we paid. Especially in Mexico, an excursion like this is worth at most 50 USD. Unless you’re willing to book your own activities, you’re going to pay a premium for booking through your cruise line. Even with that in mind, I don’t feel like the experience was worth such a high price.

Maybe I would’ve felt differently if we had nicer weather. Nonetheless, I will probably skip booking Virgin Voyages Shore Things on any future trip I do with this cruise line. I’ll admit, it takes more work to research activities at ports of call with independent third parties. There’s also an increased risk of not being dropped off at the boat in time. But we spoke with other Sailors who booked activities externally, and they seemed extremely satisfied with their outings. I can’t necessarily say the same for ours.

Exploring San Miguel de Cozumel

After being dropped off at Punta Langosta, Ismael and I had a few free hours. We decided to walk around San Miguel de Cozumel for a little bit to see what the town was like. It was nice, but I wouldn’t call it especially charming. Maybe I’m being uppity, but I lived in Mexico in 2018, so I’ve traveled to some of the country’s best beach towns. I would not consider Cozumel to be one of them.

I’m not trying to be disparaging, but I think this sentiment is commonly shared among cruise enthusiasts. I distinctly remember overhearing an avid cruiser say that they never get off any cruise ship when it’s stopped in Cozumel because they just don’t like it that much. Now that I’ve seen Cozumel for myself, I don’t need to go back.

We wanted to try one local restaurant before getting back on the Scarlet Lady, so we got snacks and drinks at Cocomama Tiki Room (address | Instagram). My steak tacos here were good, but the highlight here was the rum cocktails! They were amazing, especially compared to the bad drinks we had during our Shore Thing. When we were done eating and drinking, we headed back to the cruise ship to rest a bit.

The Best Part of Day 3: Scarlet Night!

Even though Cozumel was a little underwhelming, our evening on the Scarlet Lady made up for it. That’s because we celebrated Scarlet Night on our third evening! In case you didn’t know, every Virgin Voyages cruise has one night where the entire ship becomes a party. Sailors are asked to dress in red, and for multiple hours after dinner, there are events, shows, dance parties, photo booths, and performances throughout all common areas.

I’ll write up a more thorough review of Scarlet Night in my ship overview blog post [coming soon]! But until then, know that this is the biggest event on board the ship. Be sure not to miss it or forget your scarlet attire!

Day 4: At Sea

On this day, the Scarlet Lady turned around and sailed north from Cozumel to The Bahamas. We spent Day 4 very similarly to how we spent Day 2. After having overcast weather in Cozumel, it was nice to have clear skies again out on the open water.

Day 5: Beach Club at Bimini, Bahamas

Our final full day on this cruise was spent in Bimini, a tiny archipelago in The Bahamas. This is the closest part of the country to Miami at a distance of only about 55 miles. I’ve wanted to visit Bimini for years, so I was very excited to finally do so with Virgin Voyages!

From what I can tell, almost every Virgin Voyages cruise based out of Miami stops at Bimini. I could be wrong about this, so double check your cruise itinerary if visiting this Bahamian island chain is a priority for you. VV owns and operates their very own private beach club in Bimini, which is probably why most (if not all) of their Miami-based cruises spend a day there.

On a side note, I’m a huge fan of The Bahamas in general! If I had unlimited time and money, I’d spend months exploring the country’s more remote islands. With that said, I had high expectations for Bimini, and this gorgeous destination was everything I had hoped for!

Virgin Voyages docks at the Bimini Cruise Port, which is located here on the island of North Bimini. The cruise terminal provides free shuttles that make a loop between the cruise pier and The Beach Club. The shuttle takes about ten minutes each way, while walking takes about 25 minutes. Shuttles run roughly once every ten or fifteen minutes.

Exploring Bimini on Foot

Since we didn’t book any Shore Things in Bimini, we had the entire day to explore on our own terms. I really wanted to see the local towns: Bailey Town in the north and Alice Town in the south. Ismael and I decided to walk the entire length of the developed portion of North Bimini, which is a narrow strip of land. It takes about an hour each way.

As soon as you leave Resorts World Bimini (where the Virgin Voyages beach club is located), you’ll find yourself in the “real” Bahamas. If you want to spend your entire day in Bimini relaxing on the beach at the club, that’s totally fine. But I would say adventurous travelers should explore further south. Golf cart rentals are available on the island, but I’m not sure how much they cost. Walking is an option, but give yourself about two or two-and-a-half hours to go all the way to the end and back.

Bailey Town and Alice Town are both quiet, residential areas. I enjoyed leisurely walking through these communities to see local homes, businesses, and street art. When Ismael and I got to Radio Beach, we stopped for a few rum cocktails at an outdoor bar stand with a view of the water. Then we began heading back north. The ocean side of the island (the west) is much prettier than the marsh-facing side (the east).

Eat a Conch Feast

One of my favorite things about The Bahamas is the national dish: conch! It’s a chewy type of seafood, somewhat reminiscent of calamari. However, the flavor is very light (and in my opinion, not fishy at all). This makes it easy to prepare in myriad ways, which is why you can enjoy it as a salad, in a burger, as a stew, and in many other ways.

While walking in Bimini, we passed by mountains of conch shells on certain parts of the coast (shown above). It’s an integral part of Bahamian culture. In fact, sale and trade is strictly limited in the US. Some sources online say that conch meat can be sold in the US, but that it must be imported. I’ve never seen it on a menu anywhere in Florida, which is why I savor it in the Bahamas, where it is very common and readily available.

Bimini has no shortage of conch stands, and each one specializes in different conch-based dishes. After comparing reviews and menus, we decided to get lunch at Joe’s Conch Shack. We went all out and ordered fried conch with fries, conch stew with rice and beans, conch fritters, and conch salad. We also ordered two rum punches that really packed a punch! Since we were walking and not driving a golf cart, it wasn’t an issue.

Every dish we got at Joe’s tasted amazing! The fried conch really stood out, especially with a pink sweet and savory sauce to dip them in. I also loved the conch fritters, and the conch salad was similar to ceviche.

In addition to great food, Joe’s Conch Shack has such a fun atmosphere. It’s decorated with dollar bills, plus there’s a pile of conch shells right next to the picnic tables you can eat at. If you are looking to try conch on Bimini, this is a great place to do it. Just be aware that Joe’s takes cash only (I’m pretty sure).

Despite an overload of conch for lunch, I still wanted more. Specifically, I craved a conch burger, which was not on the menu at Joe’s. We stopped one more time down the road at Bowleg’s Food Truck (location | Facebook), where I was able to order one. It came out piping hot! Conch burgers are a little tough to eat since the meat is so chewy, but that’s part of this unique experience!

The Beach Club at Bimini

Even after walking the entire length of the island and back, we still had a few hours to relax at Virgin Voyages’ private beach club. This venue is absolutely beautiful! This spacious club has pools, lounge chairs, bar service, and a pristine stretch of sand with clear blue water. It’s owned and operated directly by Virgin, not a third party partner. I consider that a good thing!

The Beach Club also serves lunch, and I’ve heard many people say it’s amazing. However, as far as I could tell, Virgin Voyages does not serve conch here. That’s why we left Resorts World Bimini and had lunch further south. If you want to try conch but don’t want to leave the beach club, check with VV staff to make sure. If they aren’t offering it at the beach club, the closest local restaurant that serves conch appears to be Smitty’s Beach Bar & Restaurant.

Our Day 5 began with partly cloudy skies. By mid-afternoon, however, the sun was shining brilliantly. This made the glistening blue sea even more spectacular!

After a refreshing swim in the ocean, it was time to head back to the Scarlet Lady. Setting sail and watching Bimini slowly disappear over the horizon was the perfect end to my favorite day on this itinerary. We were also treated to the most impressive sunset of our cruise right before dinner.

Day 6: Return to Miami

By the time we woke up on Day 6, we had already arrived in Miami. It was bittersweet for our cruise to come to an end! We finished packing, went to The Galley for coffee and breakfast, and I did one final walkthrough of the upper deck to admire the Miami skyline.

About a day or so before arrival, the Virgin Voyages app prompted us to pick a disembarkation time, so we chose the last one (which I believe was 10:30 am). This allowed us to sleep in a little bit and have a leisurely breakfast. If I remember correctly, the earliest you can leave the ship on Day 6 is 7:00 am or 7:30 am.

Disembarking was generally self-explanatory. Ismael and I just went to Deck 7 and left through the same door we boarded through back on Day 1. There was a line to leave that snaked through the lobby, but it never stopped moving. After a short and simple immigration procedure in the terminal building, we were free to go.

Since we didn’t have a rental car, Ismael and I called an Uber from Terminal V. We encountered a bit of a bottleneck with so many people trying to catch a ride at the same time. Luckily, we eventually found the right vehicle, and then we were off.

Our Day 6 on this cruise fell on a Friday, so Ismael and I spent the weekend in Miami before flying back home. If you’re also planning to check out the Miami metro area before or after your cruise, be sure to consult my separate blog post about things to do there!

Food & Restaurants on the Ship

As I’ve mentioned above, Virgin Voyages does a phenomenal job with dining on board the ship! It’s one of the top reasons to book a cruise with this company. There are some important details to know when it comes to VV restaurants. For example, food is almost always all-inclusive, but alcoholic beverages are extra.

Fortunately, I’ve written a separate comprehensive Virgin Voyages food review! It includes information on all the restaurants we ate at, all the meals we enjoyed, snacks, beverages, and more!

All About the Scarlet Lady

I wrote this blog post for travelers who want to know all about Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya itinerary. If you’re curious to learn more about the Scarlet Lady, check out my separate blog post [coming soon]! It will include the following:

Review of our stateroom
Common areas on the ship
Entertainment and activities

Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

Here’s my short answer: I wholeheartedly recommend this cruise, and I love what VV is all about! As a travel enthusiast in my late twenties who’s a newcomer to ocean cruises, I can say that Virgin Voyages was a great fit. I think Ismael really enjoyed it too, and I will admit I’ve routinely been browsing VV’s upcoming sailings and daydreaming about booking another one!

Here’s my longer answer: the reason I liked this cruise so much was because of what Virgin Voyages did, not because of Cozumel. This Mexican island is a hub for cruise ships. I found it to be a pretty unexceptional place to spend a day. Maybe it’s much prettier when the sun is out? If you’ve been to Cozumel on a sunny day, leave a comment below and let me know how it is!

In contrast to Cozumel, Bimini was stunning. Luckily, most Virgin Voyages cruises stop here, so you’ll probably get to see this amazing Bahamian island if you’re booking a VV cruise out of Miami.

I would gladly book another cruise on Virgin Voyages (and probably will someday within the next few years). For my next one, I have my eye on Roatán, an island in Honduras. I’d also be open to stopping in places such as Puerto Rico or Grand Turk.

Have you been on a Virgin Voyages cruise before? Are you considering booking one? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading, and have an amazing cruise if you’re about to embark!

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This post was published on May 18, 2024

Hi, I’m Kevin! I’m a coffee addict from Seattle, and my life revolves around traveling! Caffeinated Excursions is a record of my trips over the past seven years. Since I started blogging, I’ve lived in Mexico, Vietnam, Brazil, and the US. I just moved to Australia and plan to be here a full year. Thanks for checking out my blog!

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The post A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini) appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Where To Eat In Guadalajara: My Top Restaurant And Bar Recommendations

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Where To Eat In Guadalajara: My Top Restaurant And Bar Recommendations

Published January 11, 2024

It’s been a while since I’ve published a restaurant guide on my travel blog, but I simply had to make one for Guadalajara! During my week-long stay here, I fell in love with the city’s food scene. Guadalajara’s delicious, down-to-earth Mexican cuisine is one of the top reasons to visit!

This blog post is broken down into the following topics. To skip down to any particular restaurant, bar, or cafe, click or tap the corresponding link below!

Restaurants to Try in Guadalajara
Bar Recommendations
Coffee
- Café La Flor de Córdoba
- Café San Pedro

Disclaimer For My Food Guides When patronizing restaurants, bars, and cafes for my food guide blog posts, I always pay full price. I never request discounts or free menu items in exchange for being featured here. As such, all opinions are completely my own!

Restaurants to Try in Guadalajara

On this trip, I made an effort to patronize local, affordable restaurants. Recommendations came from various sources, including online lists, Google reviews, and my Airbnb hosts. For the rest of this post, any business that has a star next to its name () was so phenomenal that I had to visit multiple times!

Breakfast

Breakfast in Mexico is always such a treat. Typical breakfast dishes here are filling and packed with flavor. Even if you typically skip breakfast at home, you won’t want to miss ‘the most important meal of the day’ in Guadalajara!

Restaurante y Menudería Lidia

Address: C. Joaquin Angulo 272, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Restaurante-y-Menuderia-Lidia-100057126563096/

At first glance, this restaurant doesn’t really stand out as you’re approaching it on the street. There’s no patio out front, so it almost resembles a private residence. Luckily, there is a sign painted on the building. After you go inside, you’ll see multiple large dining rooms in a surprisingly open and airy space.

“Menudería” refers to their specialty dish, menudo. I ordered it for breakfast on my first visit to this establishment. Menudo is a savory soup made with tripe and lots of other spices. It was served with onions, limes, and tortillas on the side. My Airbnb host recommended I ask for an avocado (“aguacate” in Spanish) as an extra, and I’m glad he did! It absorbed the soup and added an additional layer of texture to the meal.

Since the menudo here was so delicious, I came back another day to try something else! I got chicharrón and chilaquiles. With meat, chips, cheese, beans, and multiple red sauces, this combo plate had so many different flavors and textures. In addition, Lidia also serves a great cup of coffee! It comes with piloncillo, an unprocessed form of pure cane sugar molded into the shape of a little cone. You can drop one piece in your cup, let it dissolve, and enjoy the fragrant sweetness it adds to the coffee.

El Terrible Juan Café

Address: C. Colonias 440, Col Americana, Americana, 44160 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: https://www.elterriblejuancafe.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elterriblejuancafe/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elterriblejuancafe/

If you’re looking for a trendy brunch spot in a trendy neighborhood, head over to El Terrible Juan Café in Colonia Americana! Their covered, semi-outdoor seating area was the perfect place to enjoy a nice, smooth “latte mazapán” and some molletes.

If you’ve never had molletes before, I’d recommend trying them on a visit to Guadalajara! They’re a popular breakfast throughout Mexico consisting of toasted bread topped with beans and melted cheese. At El Terrible Juan Café, you have the option to add meat on top as well. It’s sort of like a bagel, but the beans and salsa give this breakfast dish a distinctly Mexican flavor!

Mexican Food for Lunch and Dinner

Food in Guadalajara is reminiscent of what you’ll find at Mexican restaurants in the US, but there are a few popular meals here that are exclusive to this region. I used to live in Mexico City back in 2018, so it was cool to discover some new dishes here that aren’t staples in the country’s capital.

La Chata

Address: Av. Ramón Corona 126, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: http://lachata.com.mx/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaChataCentro/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lachatamexicana/

How do you know if a restaurant is worth trying when you’re traveling? If they always have a line out the door, that’s generally a good indication! And that was the case for La Chata. I ate here twice, but I passed by on foot a few more times. Every time, people were queued up, waiting their turn to go in. You’ll have to join them, but the line moves somewhat quickly. You can minimize your wait time by avoiding peak hours (lunch in Mexico is usually an hour or two later than it is in the US).

La Chata has a pretty extensive menu, so I found that it’s best to order one of their combo plates. On my first visit, I got the “platillo jalisciense” which came with chicken, a sope, an enchilada, a flauta, and potatoes. The second time I went, I ordered the “plato combinado,” which included chicken with mole, a chile relleno, and rice and beans.

As you can see, these plates contain a lot of variety. La Chata is an ideal place to become acquainted with comida tapatía (food from Guadalajara). This restaurant is popular enough that they receive some foreign visitors, but most diners appeared to be local when I went. That’s how you know it’s the real deal and not a tourist trap!

Restaurantes La Gorda

Address: Av. Ramón Corona 181, Centro, 44600 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico (see website below for other locations)
Website: https://lagorda.com.mx/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Restauranteslagorda/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restauranteslagorda/

La Gorda is right down the street from La Chata, and I’d say both offer similar cuisine. There’s sometimes a line at La Gorda, but not always. La Gorda’s dining area is also a little less hectic. Because of the constant line outside La Chata, the interior dining room there has quite a buzz, with customers constantly shuffling in and out. La Chata is more or less always at capacity, while La Gorda might not be.

I enjoyed one breakfast (Platillo de la Abuela) and one dinner (Enchiladas Gordas Mixtas) at this location of La Gorda on separate days. I liked the breakfast a little more, especially since it came with aromatic coffee and freshly toasted bread with salsa! If you’ve never experienced bread with salsa before, be sure to seek it out while you’re in Mexico! Sometimes the simple pleasures in life really are the best!

Kamilos 333

Address: C. José Clemente Orozco 333, Santa Teresita, 44200 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: https://www.kamilos333.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamilos333/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamilos333/

This festive restaurant serves a special dish that’s native to the state of Jalisco: carne en su jugo (meat in its juice). It might sound a little weird in English, but it is an awesome meal to try if you’re really hungry and looking for something with a soup base.

Since the beef is cut up into small pieces, it ends up being very tender and easy to eat. This dish also contains beans, and the soup itself is pretty light in flavor. It’s not not super spicy or thick, and a little bit of lime squeezed in adds just a hint of acidity.

Birriería Las 9 Esquinas

Address: C. Colón 384, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamejorbirriagdl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birrialas9esquinas/

Birria has become very popular in recent years in the US, but for whatever reason it’s not something I’ve really gotten into. I figured I should give it a chance while in Guadalajara. Birriería Las 9 Esquinas was a great place to try the real thing!

Located on the beautiful Plaza de las 9 Esquinas (Nine Corners Plaza), this restaurant’s striking storefront is beautiful day and night. They also sometimes have mariachi bands serenading diners, so it’s hard to miss!

I know birria tacos are all the rage these days, but I ordered it here as a stew. (You do get tortillas on the side, so you can make your own tacos using the meat if you want.) According to Wikipedia, birria can be made with goat, beef, lamb, mutton, or chicken. I’m not sure which meat was used in this plate, but I did have a gamier flavor and aroma to it. As you can see below, the soup is dark and a little cloudy. It’s more interesting and complex than carne en su jugo, and I would absolutely get it again!

El Pilón de los Arrieros

Address: C. Galeana 388, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: https://www.elpilondelosarrieros.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElPilondelosArrieros/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elpilondelosarrieros/

This establishment is also located on Plaza de las 9 Esquinas, right next to the birria restaurant mentioned directly above. They have a diverse menu, so I asked for the spicy shrimp platter. Guadalajara is not directly on the ocean, but the Pacific coast is not too far away. Because of that, seafood is pretty popular here.

The diabla sauce was legitimately spicy, which is always a plus in my book! It was also nice to have a lighter meal that wasn’t based on red meat. El Pilón de los Arrieros seems a little touristy, but I still liked the food and the vibe. If anything, they might cater more to domestic tourists than international tourists.

Súper Tortas Ahogadas El Pique

Address: C. Jesús González Ortega 169, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: https://ahogadaselpique.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tortas-Ahogadas-El-Pique-100050299963534/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tortas_ahogadas_el_pique/

Anyone who is familiar with Mexican food has probably heard of a torta before. This sandwich is available at many Mexican restaurants throughout the US, but Guadalajara has its own unique twist on this plate. Ahogada means “drowned,” so a torta ahogada is a sandwich drenched in a red sauce made from tomatoes and chilis.

If the sandwich sounds messy and soggy, it is. That’s part of the experience, though! I tried one at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Súper Tortas Ahogadas El Pique, which had good reviews and wasn’t too far from my Airbnb. I don’t really know what cuts of meat went on this torta, but I do know that with onion and lime juice squeezed on top, it was a pretty memorable, scrumptious meal.

There are so many signs around Guadalajara for tortas ahogadas that you will probably never be more than a block away from a store that sells them. I don’t think any one place can legitimately claim to offer the very best in the city. With that in mind, don’t feel like you have to get one at El Pique. Any place that specializes in them with decent reviews should serve a mouthwatering torta ahogada that won’t disappoint.

Taquería Los Faroles

Address: Av. Ramón Corona 250, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Los-Faroles-Centro/100088711217063/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/losfaroles_centro/

If you’re looking for authentic, neighborhood tacos in a no-frills environment, try Taquería Los Faroles. The tacos are small, and served only with meat. If you want to add cilantro, onions, lime, or salsa, you have to use the sauce tower they bring to your table at the beginning of the meal.

I ordered about half a dozen different tacos here. They came out in a heap on a pretty small plate. Would I be able to identify each type of meat I ordered? No, and I had no problem with that. Taquería Los Faroles isn’t exactly a hole in the wall, but it does sort of have that vibe.

Quelite

Address: C. Pedro Moreno 1078A, Col Americana, Americana, 44200 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Website: https://restaurante.covermanager.com/reservas-en-quelite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quelite.gdl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quelite.gdl/

I think this was the fanciest restaurant I visited in Guadalajara. I tried Quelite for dinner one night towards the end of my trip. My goal was to mix things up a little bit after eating a lot of meat-heavy dishes for most meals. The pulpo zarandeado, grilled octopus over avocado salad, sounded intriguing and fresh, so I ordered that.

With a fruity cocktail and a complimentary amuse-bouche to start, this meal felt light and refined. I’m glad I focused most of my efforts in Guadalajara on trying mom-and-pop restaurants, but it was nice to splurge a little bit and experience more luxurious dining here as well.

International Options & Others

El Habanero Negro

Address: C. Manuel López Cotilla 1228-a, Col Americana, Americana, 44160 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elhabaneronegro/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elhabaneronegro/

This Cuban gastropub serves rum-based classic cocktails like mojitos, as well as a bunch of creative tacos. Try their “taco Lyn Mei” with pork belly and chicharrón or their “taco Mongol” with Mongolian beef! Those two were both so good that I had to get a third one (battered shrimp, not pictured here).

After downing my mojito, I ordered a “dragón de jade.” This was like a green variation of a michelada with a tomatillo base. It had a pretty bold, herbal flavor to it, and I really liked it!

Restaurante La Roma (Food Hall)

Address: C. Juan N. Cumplido 123, Americana, 44200 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantelaroma/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laromagdl/

As far as food halls go, this one is pretty cozy and laid back. There aren’t giant crowds or dozens of vendors. Instead, you just take a seat and get to see all the different menus, then choose items from whichever one(s) you want. I was craving a burger at the very end of my trip, so that’s what I asked for.

Burgers in Mexico sometimes taste a little bit different than they do in the US, and that was true at La Roma. It wasn’t bad though! I always love trying typical American food abroad and seeing if it’s slightly different. I appreciated that this one came with a bunch of different ingredients, including bacon and a side of guacamole.

Mercado de San Juan de Dios (Mercado Libertad)

Address: C. Dionisio Rodríguez 52, San Juan de Dios, 44360 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico

I hesitated to include this market on my Guadalajara food guide, but ultimately decided I should. You’ll understand why once you read this section. Mercado Libertad is one of the most noteworthy places to see in Guadalajara. That’s because it is the largest indoor market in all of Latin America! I have been from Mexico to Central America, down to Brazil and Argentina, and no other market I’ve ever seen can compare. This place really is mind-bogglingly big.

Even from a few blocks away, you’ll start to see vendors on the streets lined up selling everything from cloth to snacks, souvenirs to antiques. As you enter the actual market building, there’s a palpable hustle and bustle all around you. You’ll eventually approach one atrium and think you’ve reached the center, until you realize that this giant structure consists of multiple massive rooms just like this.

So, Mercado de San Juan de Dios is very cool. (It’s also a pickpocketer’s paradise, so watch your belongings really carefully.) There are dozens if not hundreds of restaurants and food stalls inside, so what was my experience eating there, you ask?

I walked around the market for quite a while because the sheer number of choices was pretty overwhelming. I sat down at one, but felt like I regretted it pretty quickly. The main issue was that I was asked if I wanted water, to which I said yes. I was expecting a bottle of water as is standard in Mexico.

Instead, the server brought over a giant cup of fresh pineapple juice. Since I am pretty well traveled, I don’t worry too much about stomach bugs abroad, and I don’t go out of my way to avoid certain things, including ice or fresh produce. However, something about this juice just made me so nervous, and I was too self conscious to tell him to take it back. I also felt bad leaving this huge cup of juice full on the table, so I reluctantly drank about one-third of it.

Now, I don’t know why I got so freaked out about the pineapple juice here. But it might’ve been that the market, despite being impressive for its size, was generally not very clean. Dust and dirt was everywhere. I got the sense that some food vendors here probably play fast and loose with sanitation standards. There’s a risk no matter where you go, but it just seemed more likely to be an issue here.

I would recommend travelers visit Mercado de San Juan de Dios, but don’t feel obligated to eat here if you’re not comfortable with it. The average meal I had wasn’t worth an entire afternoon of worry.

Bar Recommendations

Pulque Degollado

Address: C. Liceo 176-planta alta, Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pulquedegollado/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pulquedegollado/

I’m so glad I found this place, because I had never heard of pulque before trying it here! It’s a low-ABV beverage made from fermented agave sap. It’s got an opaque white appearance and a tart taste. It honestly reminded me of a pisco sour.

If this beverage sounds interesting to you, make your way to Pulque Degollado. The bar is located up a set of stairs in a quaint little loft at the address listed above. Their bright, comfortable seating area is very inviting, and the bartenders are friendly and willing to explain what pulque is and how it’s best enjoyed.

At Pulque Degollado, you can try pulque with various different fruit blends, or (I think) as a distillation. They also offer mezcal, a few classic cocktails, and more.

Vietnam Bar

Address: C. Pedro Moreno 1296, Col Americana, Americana, 44600 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vietnambargdl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vietnambargdl/

I mentioned earlier that I used to live in Mexico City in 2018. But did you know that I also lived in Vietnam in 2019? It should come as no surprise that I felt a deep sense of obligation to visit a place called Vietnam Bar in Mexico. I am a huge fan of doing “crossover” activities that incorporate multiple places I used to live!

I immediately loved Vietnam Bar’s sunny patio, green retro design scheme, folding chairs, and bold red label. My first impression was overwhelmingly positive, and the beer was cold and refreshing.

If you come over here, make sure to try their pork belly tacos. They are so succulent, with a sweet and tangy glaze. That plate really embodied the Mexico-Vietnam fusion I was hoping for when I first heard of this place! Even if you have no past connection to Vietnam, this bar is totally awesome and worth visiting for food, beer, or both.

Amargo Cervecería

Address: Calle Prisciliano Sánchez 807, Col Americana, Americana, 44160 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amargobar/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amargocerveceria/

You can find Amargo a block away from the picturesque Parque Expiatorio, but it’s kind of tucked away on a side street. It wasn’t very busy when I went to try a few beers here one night, but I didn’t mind having the place almost to myself. I also went early (before dinner), so maybe they get more crowded later in the evening.

The cool thing about this bar is that they have a bunch of beers on tap, and (at least when I went) almost all of them were brewed locally. Their menu board states the origin of each one, so you can be sure you’re ordering something produced in Guadalajara. I’m no beer expert, but I can tell you I enjoyed the two local brews I tried here!

Coffee

To be perfectly honest, Guadalajara’s cafe scene is a little lackluster. The good news is, I was able to order coffee at many of the restaurants mentioned above, and it was generally good. However, I didn’t see a lot of family-owned coffee shops around the “Centro Histórico.” Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right places or looking hard enough.

There are two main chains you’ll find in Guadalajara beyond the typical international brands. They are Café La Flor de Córdoba and Café San Pedro. Both are local-ish, with stores mainly in the state of Jalisco. I used to live in Mexico City in 2018, and I never came across either of these coffeeshops over there.

Café La Flor de Córdoba

Locations: various (click here to see full list)
Website: https://www.cafelaflordecordoba.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaFlordeCordoba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laflordecordoba/

Of the two chains mentioned above, Café La Flor de Córdoba is the larger one. As of January 2024, they have over 100 branches spread out across Jalisco, plus one in Sinaloa. I stopped in for a mocha and a fruit tart one morning. It was a fine way to start the day, but I wouldn’t say the beverage was exceptional.

Café San Pedro

Address: various (click Linktree below to see full list)
Website: https://linktr.ee/cafesanpedro
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafesanpedromx/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafesanpedro/

Unlike La Flor de Córdoba, San Pedro only has about half a dozen stores at the time of writing. They are basically clustered in the greater Guadalajara metro region, so you won’t find this chain in other parts of Jalisco or beyond. I honestly liked Café San Pedro more than La Flor de Córdoba. Their stores look more upscale, and the one I went to was a comfortable place to sit and relax. The French press I got here was excellent!

Enjoy Your Culinary Journey Through Guadalajara!

I hope this blog post provides a roadmap as you embark on a culinary adventure through this amazing city in Mexico! The restaurant and bar scene in Guadalajara is underrated and worth exploring in depth. The food here is unpretentious yet so delicious, and it’ll feel pretty familiar to most Americans.

Keep in mind that Guadalajara is a giant city of over a million residents, so this food guide is by no means exhaustive. I tried to keep my restaurant and bar recommendations centrally located, since most visitors will probably stay in Centro Histórico or Colonia Americana.

Have you tried any of the places I featured in this post? Did you discover one that I should try next time I’m in Guadalajara? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading and buen provecho!

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This post was published on Jan 11, 2024

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The post Where To Eat In Guadalajara: My Top Restaurant And Bar Recommendations appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 03:00:00 +0000

What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad

Published April 25, 2021

It’s been a while since I’ve written a new blog post, and there’s a good reason for that: most of my energy lately has been focused on moving back to the US! After living for nearly a year and a half in Brazil, it was finally time to move back to my home country.

In this post, I’ll talk about my final month or so in Brazil. Then, I’ll include a section about what I had to do to fly back to the US under current restrictions. The last section will talk about what I’ve been up to since I arrived, and what you can expect for the blog moving forward!

Disclaimer Regarding Affiliate Links This blog post contains affiliate links. That means that if you purchase a product, book an accommodation, or schedule a tour mentioned on this post, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you). If you choose to do so, thanks for your support!

My Final Month in Brazil (Mar-Apr 2021)

If you check back on my end of 2020 and sneak peek of 2021 blog post, you’ll see that my original plan was to travel along the Brazilian coast from Rio de Janeiro to as far north as Recife. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it so far, but I did get to see some cool cities and towns that weren’t on my original plan. Click or tap the links below to learn about some of them!

As most readers probably know, Brazil unfortunately experienced its worst wave to date in March 2021. My plans to travel along the coast were based on the assumption that cases in Brazil would continue to go down, and they did not. That’s why when I got to the Brazilian city of Salvador in March, I ended up doing a full month of lockdown along with the rest of the city.

I still went out for walks and got to see some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the Pelourinho (historic district), the Lacerda Elevator, and the Barra Lighthouse. However, Salvador is known for its festive atmosphere and hospitality, so seeing all of these attractions without any people was quite eerie.

Salvador is also known for its cuisine, but with so much of the city closed, I was limited to ordering takeout from a handful of restaurants near my rental apartment. What I was able to get was delicious, but I definitely didn’t get to try the full range of flavors and specialties that Salvador has to offer.

Returning to Rio & Departing Brazil

Because of the wave of cases in Brazil and the fact that the US was continuing to open vaccine availability, I decided to buy my ticket back to America in mid-April. After my month-long lease in Salvador was up, I took a 30-hour bus ride from Salvador back to Rio, where my international flight was departing from. Even with masks, the bus ride made me nervous as they didn’t require testing beforehand, and it was just so long.

I had just a few days scheduled in Rio, and really enjoyed walking along Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches one final time. During this time, I also took my very first COVID-19 test, which was required to board the flight to the US.

Getting a test in Rio as an American was easy. Most pharmacy chains appear to offer exams, and I scheduled mine at this branch of Droga Raia after inquiring at a different store and being directed here. The exam cost 120 BRL and results were ready within minutes. The pharmacist then signed and officiated a document for me to give to the airline at check-in.

Finally, I was ready to depart Brazil! After 462 days, it was time to say goodbye. I was honestly pretty nervous that somewhere along the process, an issue would come up. Obviously the biggest challenge would’ve been a positive COVID test, which would’ve prevented me from boarding the plane. I would imagine that if that had happened, I would’ve needed to contact United and move my flight back a couple of weeks. I’m not sure what kind of extra fees would’ve been associated.

Arriving in Chicago

Part of the reason this process was such an ordeal is that since the Biden administration took office, guidelines for Americans reentering the US have been a bit more strict than they were under the Trump administration. While these requirements are documented on the State Department website, specifics are not so clear.

For example, the CDC recommends quarantine, but as far as I can tell, this is not being enforced by US Customs and Border Protection or any other agency. Nonetheless, I was intent on not giving anyone a possibly virulent variant, which is why I booked a studio apartment for two weeks to quarantine in.

For a week, I did as strict a quarantine as possible. After that, I got another rapid test which came back negative. A few hours later, I got my first dose of one of the two-dose vaccines. At this point, I am still social distancing, but have loosened my regimen of restrictions just a bit. For example, I’ve gone to a few local restaurants and ordered food to go.

What About Seattle?

Another divergence between my original 2021 plan and what ended up happening is where I’m currently based in the US! I was originally planning on moving back to my home city of Seattle, but for a number of reasons that I won’t bore you with right here, I ended up in Chicago instead.

This is where I’ll be for the near future, and I’m so excited to start blogging about this city as it reopens for summer with vaccination rates on the rise. I’m especially excited to explore the very international food scene and to find delicacies from all corners of Asia, Latin America, and beyond!

What's Next

My next trip actually starts as soon as I finish up my two weeks of quarantine and social distancing. I’ll be headed to Arizona to see family who’ve all been fully vaccinated. It’s been over a year since seeing them, so I can’t wait for this reunion!

Since that’ll be a family trip, I can’t promise enough content to write an entire post about it, but will nonetheless be trying my best. I’ve never been to Arizona before, so a “first impressions” post might be the way to go.

After that, I don’t have too much set in stone for summer! I have to find a job in Chicago and am really interested in tutoring since that’s what I’ve been doing (remotely) while in Brazil, but will have to see. I’d love to use the summer to explore the metro area as much as possible and then branch out a little bit in fall, assuming that the pandemic situation continues to improve in the US.

Closing Remarks

If I’m being honest, Brazil was probably not the best country to be stuck in for the pandemic. It was tough knowing that case numbers were never low there, even between peaks. However, I’m still so grateful that I got to experience both the joys and challenges of Brazil, even in these unprecedented, crazy times. I absolutely intend to go back someday, because even though I got to know São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Bahia, I only scratched the surface of this massive, super-diverse country.

If you’ve got any questions or suggestions for this next chapter in my travel blogging journey centered around Chicago, feel free to leave a comment! I’m really looking forward to finding my niche in this city and blogging about things that haven’t crossed other bloggers’ radars!

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This post was published on Apr 25, 2021

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The post What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0000

Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil

Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia,
Brazil

Published March 18, 2021

Porto Seguro is an absolutely stunning region on the Atlantic coast of Bahia, Brazil. If you’re wondering whether you should visit Porto Seguro on your next trip to Brazil, the short answer is yes. However, choosing a place to stay can be tricky! That’s because there are about half a dozen small towns spread out along the coast, and it’s not easy to tell which villages have the best beaches using only a map.

This post won’t be a review of individual hotels or guesthouses, but it will discuss which area is best for your individual needs as a traveler.

I personally spent two weeks in the town center of Porto Seguro, then spent two more weeks in another town called Arraial d’Ajuda to the south. I’ll provide as much information as I can about some of the other tourist areas I spent time in. If you’d like to learn more an individual area, click or tap the link below to skip down to that section!

Porto Seguro
Arraial d’Ajuda
Trancoso
Curuípe
Caraíva
Coroa Vermelha
Santa Cruz Cabrália

Should You Stay in Porto Seguro?

You might be thinking, “Wouldn’t it make sense to stay in the city center of Porto Seguro? Surely it’s easy to get around from there, right?” Well, not exactly. Directly to the south of Porto Seguro is the Buranhém River, which you have to cross to get to all the best beaches. You can use the public ferry, but this easily adds half an hour of travel time each way if you’re headed south for the day.

Staying in Porto Seguro is a good idea if you need quick, easy access to the airport or bus station. Other than that, I honestly don’t recommend staying here. That’s because the town isn’t so quaint, and in fact there are no beaches anywhere near the touristy boardwalk.

Should You Stay in Arraial d’Ajuda?

Arraial d’Ajuda is the largest village south of the Buranhém River. It’s got a great vibe, and there are lots of dining options to choose from. Arraial also has some stunning beaches within walking distance (unlike Porto Seguro) which you can read more about in my Porto Seguro beach guide [coming soon]!

As mentioned above, I spent two weeks in Arraial d’Ajuda, and I recommend you stay here too. Accommodation prices are generally reasonable, there are lots of restaurant choices, and it’s easy to find transportation and day tours heading to the beaches further south. I stayed in an absolutely beautiful loft that was a short walk to both the beach and the Arraial d’Ajuda town square.

The only problem with staying in Arraial is that you have to take the ferry across the river if you’re coming from the airport or the bus station. If you’ve got a lot of luggage, this can be a bit of an inconvenience. In addition, if you’re interested in checking out the beaches to the north, you’ll have to take the ferry back, then a bus or taxi.

Should You Stay in Trancoso?

Located about an hour’s drive from Arraial d’Ajuda, Trancoso is the next town south. It’s got wide open beaches that make this another good place to stay. Shuttle vans run regularly between Arraial and Trancoso, but they might not allow you on if you’ve got a ton of luggage. Alternatively, you might have to pay for the seats that your bags take up since the vans don’t have trunk space. It might be easier but more expensive to hire a taxi to get back and forth.

There’s also a famous “quadrado” (public square) here that’s worth checking out. Even if you don’t spend the night here, be sure to organize a day trip to Trancoso to explore the impressive Coqueiros Beach (Praia dos Coqueiros), pictured above.

It’s worth noting that Trancoso is a bit more remote than Arraial d’Ajuda. Another downside is that everything is more expensive. There are fewer lodging options, so prices are higher on average. The same seemed to be true of restaurants. Arraial has dining options for all budgets, but food prices in Trancoso seem inflated.

Should You Stay in Curuípe?

This tiny town is further south of Trancoso. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a regular van service between the Arraial d’Ajuda ferry terminal and Curuípe. If you choose to stay here, you’d almost certainly have to hire a private taxi. It’s also small enough that you probably wouldn’t have most of the amenities that you’d get in Porto Seguro, Arraial d’Ajuda, or Trancoso.

Why consider staying in Curuípe, then? Well, this area is home to Praia do Espelho, which is considered by many to be the best beach in the region and one of the top contenders nationally. It is easy to book a day trip from Porto Seguro or Arraial, but people who want to spend a few days or longer here should expect an all-inclusive resort experience.

Curuípe is great if you want to relax on a truly stunning beach. It’s probably not an ideal place to stay for travelers who want to explore up and down the coast though. I would also guess that this is one of the most expensive areas mentioned on this list for lodging and food, since options are very limited.

Should You Stay in Caraíva?

Caraíva is the little township furthest south that is still considered part of the Porto Seguro region. However, it can take up to two hours to reach by car or van from the Arraial d’Ajuda ferry terminal. Only a few passenger vans run between the two each day, so getting down there and back is not extremely convenient. Day trips are doable but you have to depart from Arraial d’Ajuda very early in the morning.

Once you make it to Caraíva, the town center is actually located across a small river that you have to board a small motorized water taxi to cross. This is pretty straightforward, but could be a hassle with a lot of luggage.

I’m not an advocate of staying this far south for a number of reasons. For one, all of the “roads” in Caraíva are made of sand, and the town has no cars. There were golf carts acting as taxis, but the lack of paved roads is a lot more inconvenient than you might think as a pedestrian, especially since the sand is scorching hot during the day. Hotels here do have WiFi, but cell service in Caraíva is really spotty.

Finally, the beach in Caraíva is nice, but not jaw-dropping. I found Praia do Espelho in Curuípe and Praia da Pitinga in Arraial d’Ajuda to be much more beautiful.

Should You Stay in Coroa Vermelha?

Unlike all the towns mentioned above, Coroa Vermelha is actually north of Porto Seguro. It’s a short Uber ride from the center of Porto Seguro, making it relatively convenient. However, the beach here was pretty unremarkable in my opinion. This area also felt the most like a tourist trap of all the towns mentioned on this post. After spending an hour or two walking around Coroa Vermelha, I was ready to move on.

Should You Stay in Santa Cruz Cabrália?

This small village even further north of Coroa Vermelha can also be reached by Uber, although rideshare availability can be unreliable up here. You might have to hire an old-fashioned taxi to get back to Porto Seguro. Santa Cruz has an interesting vibe and seems to be the least touristy of all the towns on this list. It honestly felt a little too quiet for my taste. However, if you’re looking to get off the beaten path, I would bet that there are some better lodging deals here than in Caraíva.

Tips & Closing Remarks

If this is a lot to process and you’d rather figure things out after you get settled, book a hotel or guesthouse room in Arraial d’Ajuda. From there, it’s easy to arrange day trips to most other beaches in the region. Unless you’re departing by bus or plane at a very early or late hour, it’s also easy to get to the airport or bus station. Just give yourself enough time for the ferry ride!

Although my accommodation in Porto Seguro was pretty nondescript, the loft I booked in Arraial d’Ajuda was such a unique place to stay! It was only a short walk from the town center, but it felt like staying in a jungle resort! I loved the interior design and the breeze of fresh air that flowed through the open windows.

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This post was published on Mar 18, 2021

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The post Where To Stay In Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

The Top 4 Things To Do In Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000

The Top 4 Things To Do In Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Published June 19, 2020

If you’re thinking about visiting the Greater Vitória metro region in Espírito Santo, I have one piece of advice: go! Although the city of Vitória is smaller than São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, there are a lot of unique attractions in the area. Plus, it’s not an international tourist hotspot, so I would argue that it’s the perfect place to see a side of Brazil that most tourists don’t!

A quick look at a map of the area reveals that there are two main cities on the central coast of Espírito Santo: the state capital of Vitória, and Vila Velha to the south of the Santa Maria da Vitória River. Although the two are connected by a couple bridges, the one you’re likely to cross is Terceira Ponte (which literally means “The Third Bridge”).

Luckily, the four most popular attractions in Vila Velha are all near Terceira Ponte in the northeast corner of the city. You can technically see all four items on the list in one day, but I recommend scheduling two per day for a more leisurely pace. To skip down to any of the four attractions, click or tap on the corresponding link below!

Convento da Penha (Penha Convent)
Farol de Santa Luzia (Santa Luzia Lighthouse)
Praia da Costa (Costa Beach)
Morro do Moreno (Moreno Hill)

1. Convento da Penha

This convent on top of a hill is probably the most iconic symbol of Vila Velha. You can see it from various parts of Vitória towering above the skyline, so it’s really impossible to miss.

The entrance is located here, and the easiest way to get there is to take an Uber (unless you happen to be staying within walking distance). After arriving, you can either hike up for free or pay a small fee for a van ride. The hike is short: only about fifteen or twenty minutes, so I did that.

Once you get to the top, you’ll be able to check out the church building as well as the amazing panoramic views. From one side, you can look north to see Vitória across the river. From the other, you’ll be treated to a view of Vila Velha and the Atlantic Ocean.

A number of locals recommended doing this short hike in the morning. In fact, due to COVID-19, the trail closed (in January 2021) at 4:00 p.m., a couple of hours earlier than it normally would.

2. Farol de Santa Luzia

The second attraction I recommend is a lighthouse. Like the convent, it’s also free to visit and is pretty self-explanatory. You can call an Uber to go directly to the front entrance, which doesn’t require a walk or hike.

A visit to Farol de Santa Luzia only takes about half an hour. As far as I could tell, visitors are not permitted to go up to the top. I would guess this is because the lighthouse is active and not just a historical relic.

3. Praia da Costa

If you’re going to visit Farol de Santa Luzia, it’s a short walk and an even shorter Uber ride to Praia da Costa, the main beach in Vila Velha. Technically, there’s a little portion on the northern end called Praia Curva da Sereia, but Praia da Costa extends for miles and miles southward. It actually curves around, which is why it’s such a beautiful beach.

You definitely don’t need to walk its entire length, and there are plenty of amazing views in the beach’s northernmost section. While you’re there, be sure to check out Pedra da Sereia, a massive rock formation in the water that you can walk out to via a sandbar during low tide.

4. Morro do Moreno

The last thing you should do in Vila Velha is another hike. It’s a bit longer and steeper than the walk up to the convent, but the views are worth it! Just make sure you wear sneakers.

There seem to be a couple different pathways up this hill, but the entrance to the main one is located here. From the top, you’ll be able to see Vitória again. The only difference is that Morro do Moreno is to the east of Terceira Ponte, while Convento da Penha is to the west.

Look in the other direction (to the southeast) to see a panoramic view of Praia Curva da Sereia as well as the peninsula where Farol de Santa Luzia is located. This is also an amazing spot for pictures!

There is a small snack and beverage stand at the top, which is a good place to stock up on water. In terms of safety, people from Vitória mentioned that Morro do Moreno is a great place to watch the sunset, but that hiking back down after dark isn’t the best idea. I went on a weekend afternoon to ensure that the path wasn’t devoid of people, which I’d recommend for those who can.

Check out these related blog posts!

If Vila Velha looks interesting to you, be sure to check out my other two blog posts about Vitória! The two cities are a fifteen or twenty-minute drive apart from one another, so you should absolutely explore both if you’re headed this way.

What do you think of Vila Velha?

A trip to the Greater Vitória metro area simply isn’t complete without a day or two in Vila Velha. The views of the bay, the mountains, the city skyline, and the open ocean just can’t be beat. Have you been to Vila Velha before? Would you consider it for your next trip to Brazil? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for checking out Caffeinated Excursions!

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This post was published on June 19, 2020

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The Best Restaurants, Bars, & Cafes in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000

The Best Restaurants, Bars, &
Cafes In Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil

The Best Restaurants, Bars, & Cafes In Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Published February 18, 2021

Vitória is a relatively quiet, medium-sized city situated on the Atlantic coast of Brazil between Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. As the capital of the state of Espírito Santo, Vitória has a lot to offer, but the number one reason all travelers should check it out is its amazing food scene!

There are so many unique dining options in Vitória, and trying each one was so much fun! Most places listed here are located in the Praia do Canto neighborhood, but a few are a short drive north or south of there. Without further ado, here’s the list!

Restaurants
Cafes
Bakeries
- D’Belem – Doçaria Portugesa
- Empório Joaquim
A Cool Brewery
- Vikings Cervejaria

1. Restaurants

Alas Restaurante

Address: R. da Grécia, 228 – Santa Luíza, Vitória – ES, 29045-225
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alasrestaurante/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alasrestaurante/

First on the list is an excellent Greek Restaurant that has an on-point dining space to match its delicious food. With a very large outdoor patio overlooking the Santa Maria da Vitória River, Alas feels like dining in Greece from the moment you’re seated.

In fact, this restaurant was so good that I had to go back a second time. They have a large menu of classic Greek dishes and wine. I recommend either the saganaki (fried cheese) appetizer or the feta platter, which comes with tomatoes, olives, and capers.

For the main course, I loved their medusa negra pasta with prawns. For a slightly more budget-friendly choice, go with the souvlaki kebabs, served with fries and pita.

Aleixo Restaurante

Address: R. Aleixo Netto, 1204 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-260
Website: https://www.dguests.com/aleixo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AleixoRestaurante/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleixorestaurante/

Located on one of the main streets in Praia do Canto, Aleixo feels like the perfect balance of fine dining and a relatively good price. In addition to serving lunch and dinner, they also operate a small cafe next door to the restaurant.

Aleixo Restaurante offers an interesting lunch combo (almoço executivo) for about 70 BRL that includes a starter, main, and dessert. The carne seca rice bowl they served with veggies and farofa was an interesting and memorable dish, and the bruschetta and salad appetizer was both delicious and beautifully plated.

Pier Aleixo Restaurante

Address: R. Aleixo Netto, 1702 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-260
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurante.pieraleixo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pieraleixo/

This restaurant is only a few blocks away from the one mentioned above. They both have similar names, but it’s unclear to me if they’re owned by the same person or not. Regardless, I would still recommend trying both because they have different vibes and different menus. Pier Aleixo Restaurante is located on the northern end of Praia do Canto. If there’s a table open, you can sit right next to the Santa Maria da Vitória River under a covered outdoor dining area.

I decided to be fancy here and ordered their lobster with spaghetti which was really good. I haven’t had lobster since coming to Brazil, so it was definitely a treat.

Los Chicos

Address: Av. Des. Dermeval Lyrio, 56 – Mata da Praia, Vitória – ES, 29065-430
Website: https://www.flipsnack.com/cardapioloschicos/card-pio-los-chicos-2019.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LosChicosES/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loschicoses/

All fans of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine should be sure to visit Los Chicos! It was better than any of the Mexican restaurants I’ve tried in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which is saying something! In general, good Mexican food is hard to come by in Brazil, so it’s always amazing to find a place like Los Chicos that does a top-notch job.

Like Alas Restaurante, Los Chicos was too good to only go once. Everything I tried was spot on, from their creative cocktails to their nacho appetizers. If you’re having trouble deciding what to order, I really liked their soft shell tacos especiales, which you can get with carne asada, fish, or “messy pigs” (smoked pork).

Restaurante Papaguth

Address: Praça do Papa – Av. Nossa Sra. dos Navegantes, 700 – Enseada do Suá, Vitória – ES, 29052-150
Website: http://www.papaguth.com.br/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Papaguth/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papaguth/

If you’re interested in trying local dishes, head over to Papaguth! It’s a little out of the way, but well worth the short Uber ride to get to. The restaurant itself is very modern with a large, open-air patio.

As you might expect, food from Espírito Santo (comida capixaba) is heavily seafood based. The most iconic specialty is moqueca, a fish stew that is popular throughout Brazil but has regional varieties. If you’re going to try it here, which you should, be sure to come hungry! It’s served with rice and pirão, a special type of gravy. In other words, moqueca is never going to be a light meal!

Ubud Cafe

Address: R. Joaquim Lírio, 189 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-460
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ubudcafe.vix
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ubud_cafe/

This is one of my favorite finds in Vitória because this boutique-style cafe is bursting with character, and they serve coffee, cocktails, and full meals! Just check out how beautifully both the inside and outside of Ubud Cafe are decorated!

In addition, you’ll notice that everything on the menu at Ubud is creative. No matter what you order, it’ll surely be a new and exciting culinary experience!

Lastly, this cafe is owned by women who’ve traveled extensively, and that influence can be felt throughout. Everything from the cafe’s name to the decor to the items on the menu will delight travel enthusiasts. I enjoyed trying their rice dumpling appetizer; Southeast Asian food is really hard to find even in Brazil’s biggest cities! The staff are friendly too and will make you feel welcome as a visitor to the city.

Balthazar

Address: Shopping Day by Day – R. Elesbão Linhares, 15 – loja 18 e 19 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-340
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balthazarvix/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balthazarvix/

If you’re looking to splurge a bit, Balthazar is definitely one place to do that. It’s probably the fanciest place on this list, but it should be noted that most of the places on this list are more expensive than your typical local restaurant in Brazil. (In general, an appetizer, main dish, dessert, and drink from any restaurant on this list will cost between 100 and 150 BRL).

With that said, Balthazar had some unique offerings, including a custard dessert called Montanhas de Minas Gerais, pictured below. They also serve a burrata with actual truffles (not just truffle flakes or truffle oil), which was my first time trying this famous delicacy.

To be completely honest, the main course I got (lingua no sous vide) was good but not nearly as interesting as the appetizers, drinks, and dessert. So if you’d like to try this restaurant without spending as much, you could perhaps plan more of a happy hour and then get a cheaper, small dinner afterwards.

Casa Graviola

Address: R. Elesbão Linhares, 41 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-340
Website: http://www.casagraviola.com.br
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casagraviola
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casagraviola/

I was honestly surprised to learn that this restaurant is a chain with locations in multiple Brazilian states because it felt so on-brand with the food scene in Vitória. With that said, it’s still on my list because the food and drinks here were pretty delicious, and everything seemed healthy and fresh. I especially enjoyed trying their vegan pad thai, which had noodles made out of veggies (i.e., those noodles aren’t noodles at all; they’re actually long strands of squash, zucchini, carrot, etc).

Be sure to save room for dessert at Casa Graviola! They have great brownies and fruit crumbles served with ice cream.

Don Camaleone

Address: R. Des. Sampaio, 263 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-250
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonCamaleone/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doncamaleone/

There are a lot of good pizza options in Praia do Canto that offer both American- and Brazilian-style pizza with a thicker crust as well as a more Italian-style with thinner crust. While the pizza at Don Camaleone wasn’t exactly what you’d find in Italy, this was probably my favorite that I had in Vitória. I saw burrata cheese on the menu here too, and couldn’t pass that up either!

2. Cafes

Urban Coffee Gourmet

Address: R. Neves Armond – Praia do Suá, Vitória – ES, 29052-280
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbancoffeegourmet/

This cozy little cafe in the Praia do Suá neighborhood is worth a visit if you’re passing through. They have great cappuccinos and cakes, and the owner, Erlan, is very friendly! This cafe is within walking distance of Restaurante Papaguth (mentioned above) and D’Belem – Doçaria Portugesa (mentioned below).

Café Teugrano

Address: R. Joaquim Lírio, 455 – Loja 1 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-460
Website: https://cafeteugrano.com.br/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafeteugrano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeteugrano/

This was my favorite cafe in Praia do Canto. They open early(-ish) and are conveniently located. They also have a large, semi-outdoor seating area at the entrance to a small shopping center.

The Teugrano menu is pretty standard, but one interesting thing you can try is their “orange coffee,” which is orange juice and coffee served together! I’ve seen this one other place here in Brazil but this is definitely a niche beverage. I actually do like it and find that the sweetness and bitterness sort of balance each other out! Would you be willing to try it?

Café Bamboo

Address: R. Afonso Cláudio, 254 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-570
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafebamboo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafebamboo

The artsy vibe of this cafe reminded me a bit of some of the local coffee shops in my home city of Seattle, which is one of the reasons I liked it! I stopped in one rainy morning for a Nutella latte, which was the perfect way to start the day. It’s only a block or two away from Teugrano, so be sure to check it out!

Odara Pão e Café

Address: R. Aleixo Netto, 834 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-260
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odarapaoecafe

My Airbnb host recommended that I try Odara, and I’m glad she did because it was very good! I’m sure you could stop in for a quick coffee, but they also do a nice little brunch combo with eggs benedict, coffee, orange juice, and a tart for dessert.

3. Bakeries

D'Belem - Doçaria Portugesa

Address: R. Ferreira Coelho, 113 – Praia do Suá, Vitória – ES, 29052-210
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/docesalgadovitoriaes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docaria_portuguesa

This is one of the places on the list that’s a little out of the way, but you should absolutely take an Uber over to the Praia do Suá part of town to visit this Portuguese bakery. Whenever I see pastel de nata (egg tarts) here in Brazil, I make sure to get my fill as they’re not super common here. What’s more, the owners of this small bakery are actually from Portugal, so it’s the real deal!

Empório Joaquim

Address: Rua Elesbão Linhares, 15, Shopping Day By Day, Lojas 01 e 02 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-340
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emporiojoaquim/

Empório Joaquim is an interesting place because it’s both a small restaurant and a deli where you can buy wine, meat, cheese, and other items to go. I stopped here for a quick coffee and a salmon on brioche sandwich on my last morning in Vitória.

4. A Cool Brewery

Vikings Cervejaria

Address: R. João da Cruz, 322 – Praia do Canto, Vitória – ES, 29055-250
Website: https://www.goomer.app/vikings-beer-and-burger-vv/menu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VikingCervejaria
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingscervejaria

Last but not least on my list is a brewery! I don’t know about you guys, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I feel like my alcohol consumption has been a lot lower than in years prior. Furthermore, proper breweries don’t seem to be so common in Brazil, which is why I had to check this one out when I walked by it.

In addition to having good beer, one interesting thing about Vikings is that they have self-serve taps. You load credit onto a card, then swipe the card on whichever brew you want and pay per milliliter. It was an interesting experience for sure!

The only caveat with this is that you basically have to know how much you want to drink beforehand. I suspect that they wouldn’t issue a refund if you had a couple reais left on the card. I’m also not sure if you could hold onto the card and use it some days or weeks later, but hopefully it doesn’t expire overnight.

Curious about Vitória? Check out these other posts!

If you’re planning to visit Vitória, congratulations: you’re in for a real treat! To see some other recommendations besides food and drink, check out one of the blog posts below!

Have you tried any of the restaurants listed here? Do you have any questions? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading, and bom apetite!

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This post was published on Feb 18, 2021

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The post The Best Restaurants, Bars, & Cafes in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Should You Visit Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil? Yes, And Here’s Why.

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000

Should You Visit Vitória,
Espírito Santo, Brazil?
Yes, And Here’s Why.

Should You Visit Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil? Yes, And Here’s Why.

Published February 17, 2021

Have you ever heard of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo? If you haven’t, that’s okay; I didn’t know about it before coming to Brazil, either! I also didn’t know I’d be visiting until about a month ago, but I’m so glad I decided to check it out!

Espírito Santo is surrounded by two massive states (Minas Gerais to the west and Bahia to the north), the Atlantic Ocean to the East, and Rio de Janeiro to the south. It’s no wonder that many travelers overlook ES since all three states mentioned are popular tourist destinations. However, the state’s capital, Vitória, should be on the bucket list of serious travelers who want to get to know Brazil beyond its tourist hotspots.

There are a surprising number of unique attractions in Vitória, a medium-sized metropolis that might seem nondescript before you start exploring. Keep reading to see what you shouldn’t miss on your visit to this mellow seaside city!

An Amazing Culinary Scene

This might come as a surprise, but the number one reason I recommend visiting Vitória is its impressive collection of restaurants and cafes. Small and medium-sized cities in Brazil tend to have good food but not a lot of variety. Luckily, Vitória has both! Most of the boutique eateries I recommend are in the Praia do Canto neighborhood. In fact, the food scene here was so good that I wrote a separate blog post specifically about that! Be sure to check it out by using the image link below!

Neighborhoods

Below are some brief introductions to four parts of the city that you might spend time in as a visitor.

Praia do Canto

My first impression of this upscale residential area was that it was very quiet without anything to do. It is indeed calm, but it’s also home to many of the city’s best restaurants and is about as centrally located as you can get. Foodies will want to explore each and every street with eyes peeled for dining establishments that look interesting.

Given that “praia” means beach, it shouldn’t be surprising that this neighborhood’s eastern edge is a small beach with a palm-lined promenade. To learn more about Vitória’s beaches, check out the section about them below.

Ilha do Frade

This small island is connected to the mainland by a short bridge. It’s one of the most unusual parts of the city because it’s probably the wealthiest neighborhood I’ve seen in Brazil so far. Some of the houses here are really over the top, with massive walls and security guard booths in front. It’s honestly surprising that this isn’t a gated community, but visitors are free to enter. It’s hard to feel welcome though due to dozens if not hundreds of massive signs everywhere reminding you that you’re being filmed for security reasons.

If you’re willing to walk to the far end of the island, you can check out Prainha do Meio (the only easily accessible beach here) as well as the small park in the middle of the island. Even if technically the other small beaches on Ilha do Frade are public, they really don’t feel like it. I wasn’t interested in being accused of trespassing onto private property, so I stuck to walking on the main roads.

Unless you’re really curious about exploring the entire island, I would recommend crossing the Av. Des. Alfredo Cabral bridge (which offers great skyline views of the city) and visiting the first two beaches you encounter, Praia da Ilha do Frade and Praia dos Barcos. These are very clearly public beaches where you’ll almost certainly see other people relaxing.

Ilha do Boi

Despite its name, this area is actually not an island but a peninsula directly south of Ilha do Frade. It seems pretty residential and has a couple of small beaches, but there’s really not a lot to do here other than walk. The main beach here is Praia Grande on the peninsula’s northern side.

Enseada do Suá (Praça do Papa)

In this area, you can find a waterfront park called Praça do Papa (Pope’s Square) which is a large open plaza with views of the city of Vila Velha to the south across the Santa Maria da Vitória River.

Centro

Normally “Centro” in Portuguese refers to a town or city’s downtown, but in Vitória, Centro is actually not centrally located at all. It should probably be thought of more as a historic and government center than the business or commercial center, which is arguably in Praia do Canto. In any case, Centro is worth a visit if you have the time but not an absolute must-visit.

The most notable attraction here is the Palácio Anchieta, a fancy government building with a history going back to the 1500s. They actually offer tours to visitors, which is a good way to learn a little bit about the building as well as the city’s history.

Another thing to check out here is the Catedral Metropolitana de Vitória, a grand church with gothic spires.

Centro is home to a lot of other interesting architecture as well as Parque Moscoco and the Espírito Santo Museum of Art. However, in all honesty, the area feels a bit run-down. Centro also really clears out in the late afternoon. If you’re going to check it out, aim to visit in the morning or during lunch hour and keep a close eye on your personal belongings.

Vila Velha

If you’re running short on time and have to choose between Centro and Vila Velha, go with the latter! Vila Velha is actually a different city that’s separated from Vitória by the Santa Maria da Vitória River. It’s a sprawling suburb, so I’ve put together a separate blog post about the four things you should do there, which is linked below! Plan to spend between one and two days in “VV” depending on how tight your schedule is.

Beaches

Vitória has three main beaches that are near each other. It’s easy to walk along the coastline for an hour or two to see all three of them.

Praia do Canto

This beach is located in the neighborhood that shares the same name. It’s bounded on the north by a few small boat docks and on the south by the Av. Des. Alfredo Cabral bridge. It’s a pretty calm shoreline that only takes a few minutes to walk the length of.

Curva da Jurema

Locals seemed to prefer this beach over Praia do Canto, located a short distance south of the bridge to Ilha do Frade. It does seem like a slightly better place to relax or swim, and there are a cluster of kiosks selling snacks, drinks, and fast food.

Praia de Camburi

Camburi Beach is a long, yellow-sand beach with bluer waters than the two mentioned above. It runs along the eastern side of the Jardim da Penha and Mata da Praia neighborhoods in the north of the city. It’s nice to go for a walk along this beach, but there are fewer restaurants and businesses in this area.

A Final Note on Beaches

In all honesty, the beaches in Vitória are nice but not spectacular. In fact, I think the main beach in Vila Velha is a lot nicer than these three.

Another famous beach destination in Espírito Santo is Guarapari, a smaller town about 60 kilometers south of the capital. I would’ve loved to check it out, but I didn’t have time. If you’ve been to Guarapari, leave a comment below and let me know how it was!

Tips

How long should you stay?

I spent two weeks in Vitória but was working remotely some mornings and evenings, and I got rained in for about three or four days of the trip. In other words, you definitely don’t need that long to see everything. If you’re going at a leisurely pace, five days would probably be good. If you’re really efficient, you could probably see most of what’s mentioned here in three days.

Where should you stay?

The city itself is not massive, so everything I recommend in this post is a short (twenty minute or less) Uber drive away from everything else. With that said, I really recommend finding accommodation in Praia do Canto. It’s the perfect area: close to the beach, safe, upscale, home to most of the city’s best restaurants, and centrally located.

Vitória may not look like the most exciting destination at first glance, but I suspect that it will grow in popularity this decade and beyond. That’s because it’s ideal for remote workers, digital nomads, and long-term travelers. I expect all of these trends to take off post-pandemic, and I think international travelers will come to love quieter, more local cities around the world just like this!

What do you think? Would you spend a week or so in Vitória? Have you been here before? Leave a comment and let me know! Thanks so much for reading, and see you next time!

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This post was published on Feb 17, 2021

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The post Should You Visit Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil? Yes, And Here’s Why. appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas: An Upscale Lakefront District In Rio de Janeiro

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas: An Upscale Lakefront District In Rio de Janeiro

Published February 3, 2021

Do you enjoy exploring cities beyond their tourist hotspots? If you do and you’re headed to Rio de Janeiro, you’ll want to make sure you spend some time on the shores of Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas! This saltwater lagoon directly north of Ipanema is a safe, upscale part of the city that has lots to offer.

This post will feature the pedestrian path that goes all the way around Lagoa, a massive botanical garden on its northwest side, another nearby park that’s great for pictures, and some additional attractions (including restaurants). Let’s dive right in!

Walk Around the Lake

The easiest way to get a sense of Lagoa is to walk around it, and it’s a great way to spend a sunny afternoon in Rio de Janeiro.

Basic Info

A paved pedestrian and bike path goes all the way around the lake, and it’s pretty busy throughout the day. The total circumference is about nine kilometers. If you only want to walk a portion of it, I suggest the southeast quadrant. This part offers the best views of the city and the mountains.

One of my favorite things about walking around Lagoa is feeling like you’ve left the city. There is so much greenery surrounding the path, and there are lots of views of rugged, rocky cliffs and green mountain forests.

Birdwatching

Since Lagoa doesn’t attract the dense crowds that Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches do, birds tend to gather in this part of Rio. They aren’t very shy and you can often observe them up close!

Keep an eye out for the “common gallinule,” which might also be referred to as a moorhen or a “frango-d’água” in Portuguese. Although they can be found throughout wet climates in North and South America, Lagoa is full of them. They have these beautiful, distinctive red frontal shields that make them easy to identify.

I Spy... Cristo Redentor

Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) can be seen from various parts of Rio de Janeiro, but Lagoa is one of the best neighborhoods to get a pretty clear view of the iconic statue.

Dusk and Night

I’ve gone on little strolls in Lagoa during dusk and in the early evening a few of times. It’s a pretty place to watch the sunset with the light reflected on the water. Lagoa is generally a safe area, and the pedestrian and bike path is still pretty busy after dark. With that said, exercise caution and stay alert if you choose to go for a walk here at night. (The same can be said for basically all parts of Rio de Janeiro.)

Jardim Botânico

This massive botanical garden (location | website) is one of Rio’s top attractions beyond its beaches. Nature lovers won’t want to miss this impressive collection of tropical plants!

The row of super-tall palm trees along the garden’s front side is a great place to take pictures, although there are lots of interesting photo-ops throughout Jardim Botânico.

Be sure to keep your eye out for animals in the park as well! Based on a quick internet search, the creatures pictured below are black capuchins (but don’t quote me on that). When I photographed them, there was a huge group running around and exploring.

Parque Lage

This is another park on Lagoa’s northern side (location | website) not too far from Jardim Botânico. It’s much smaller, but there’s no entrance fee.

The most interesting landmark here is the Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage (Parque Lage Visual Art School), a building with Roman elements set in front of the rocky façade of Corcovado Mountain.

Inside is a cafe with a reflecting pool and an open-air courtyard. It’s one of the city’s most popular Instagram spots. If you go, it’s free, but you will almost certainly have to wait in line to take a picture.

If you don’t have time to wait for a photo like the one above, you can also get a good picture in front of the school itself. If the side room is open, that’s another interesting spot.

There is a trail that goes from Parque Lage to Cristo Redentor, but I never attempted it. Lots of travelers actually recommend against it. That’s because it doesn’t seem to be adequately guarded and robberies are common along it. As such, I would suggest staying in the lower part of the park where the Visual Art School is.

Other Attractions in Lagoa

Mural Area

A beautiful collection of street art can be found on Rua Oliveira Rocha and on Rua Jardim Botânico between the entrance to Parque Lage and the Hospital Federal da Lagoa. There are lots of different styles represented, and it’s quite a cool find.

Like Parque Lage and Jardim Botânico, this little mural area is another great spot in Lagoa to take a picture or two.

The Best Places to Eat in Lagoa

Lagoa is home to some of Rio de Janeiro’s fanciest restaurants, including international options. While you can still find cheap and casual restaurants here, expect to pay more for meals here than in other parts of the city. Below are four of my favorite restaurants to consider in Lagoa.

Didier Restaurante

Address: Av. Alexandre Ferreira, 66 – Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22470-220, Brazil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/didierrestaurante/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/didier_restaurante/

This French restaurant is one of the best places in Rio to splurge on top-quality dining and drinks!

Didier Restaurante does an excellent job with appetizers, so be sure to try at least one! Even their house bread, served with tapenade, butter, and cheese, is amazing. I recommend trying their cheese sampler (tábua de queijos) or the escargot.

In terms of main dishes, their duck (magred de canard) is my favorite. And for dessert, you absolutely have to try their île flottante (floating island). This French specialty is an absolute delight, and Didier is the perfect place to try one if you’ve never had it before!

Mr. Lam

Address: R. Maria Angélica, 21 – Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22470-202, Brazil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrlamrio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrlamrj/

For Chinese fine dining, head straight to Mr. Lam. This was the only place I’ve found in Rio that served dim sum. The crispy duck and Mr. Lam’s Noodles are both delicious and filling main dishes, and they serve a wide variety of fancy cocktails. Expect to splurge here too, but it’s worth it!

Taj Mahal Restaurante

Address: Rua José Joaquim Seabra, 19 – Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22470-130, Brazil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tajmahalrio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tajmahalrio/

The food at this Indian restaurant is incredible, and I can’t recommend it enough! I loved every dish I ordered here. Don’t get me wrong: Brazilian food is full of flavor, but sometimes I crave the spice and fragrance of good Indian food. Taj Mahal’s naan, curry, rice dishes, and lassi are all amazing.

Guacamole Cocina Mexicana

Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 129 – Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22470-050, Brazil
Website: https://www.guacamolemex.com.br/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guacamolemex/

This restaurant probably serves the best Mexican food I found in Rio (Mexican food is not all that common in Brazil). Although Guacamole is technically a chain with locations in multiple Brazilian states, they have a large menu of options and a fun vibe. I recommend their tacos, especially the “ribs Tex-Mex” and the “camarão com cogumelos.” When I first went, I assumed the tacos would be small like they are in Mexico, and ended up ordering way too much food!

Go Visit Lagoa!

The neighborhoods that encircle Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, especially those on its northern side, are a relaxing and green part of the city. If you’re in Rio and want to explore beyond the beaches, this is an excellent area to check out!

Have you been to Rio de Janeiro before? If you have, did you walk or bike along the shores of Lagoa? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading!

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This post was published on Feb 3, 2021

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The post Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas: An Upscale Lakefront District In Rio de Janeiro appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Tortuga Tur & Saveiro Don Juan Tour Reviews (Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brazil)

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000

Tortuga Tur & Saveiro Don Juan Tour Reviews (Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brazil)

Published January 27, 2021

Are you the kind of traveler who loves going off the beaten path and exploring local communities that friends back home have almost certainly never heard of? If you are, then you need to make a note of Arraial do Cabo for your next visit to Rio de Janeiro! This small town located about 160 km east of Rio is known for its sparkling Caribbean waters and laid-back vibe.

Arraial do Cabo (pronounced “ah-hai-OW du CA-bo”) is compact and walkable, but a couple of the town’s best beaches are only accessible by boat tour. This post will review two boat tours I went on, compare them, and at the end I’ll provide a quick summary of a jeep tour, which is another way to get to know Arraial.

If you’re curious about the town itself and what you can expect overall, check out my comprehensive guide using the image link below! Otherwise, let’s get started on these tour reviews!

Disclaimer Regarding Tour Reviews I paid in full for each tour mentioned here and received no discount or other incentive from either company as compensation for being featured here. Hence, all opinions are completely my own!

Boat Tour #1: Don Juan Tour

This company also goes by Saveiro Don Juan. Their booking office is located here, and the price of the boat tour per person is 100 BRL per person (as of January 2020). I’m sure you could purchase tickets online, but I bought mine in person at the office. One thing I loved right off the bat is that the office doubles as a cafe. Even though you have to be there early if you opt for the morning tour, you can get coffee and a small breakfast before heading over to the docks as a group.

When you get to the dock, you’ll need to bring cash to pay the 10 BRL marina tax. This is true no matter what company you book with, and employees should inform you of this when you buy your tickets.

A tour guide will direct you to the boat. Since there are a lot of different companies and vessels at the dock, it’s best to keep a close eye on your guide until embarking. You’ll have to submit the slip of paper you got when you paid the 10 reais as tax, so don’t throw it away until you get on the boat.

Stop 1/4: Praia do Farol

On this tour, our first stop was Praia do Farol (Lighthouse Beach). Because this beach is located on Ilha do Farol (Lighthouse Island), it’s one of the beaches that can only be accessed by boat tour. It’s also possibly the most picturesque spot in Arraial do Cabo, nestled between the lightest shade of ocean water you’ll find in this region and gently sloping sand dunes behind it.

Note that you’re not allowed to bring anything except a phone (and a mask during the pandemic) to this beach. That’s because it’s a protected natural reserve, so even flip flops aren’t permitted. If you’re going to bring your phone, you might want to purchase one of the waterproof necklace-style cases that are sold around town and at the marina for between 5 and 10 BRL.

Stop 2/4: Gruta Azul

After this stop, the boat will bring you around to Ilha do Farol’s rocky southwestern coastline to see some grottos in the rocky shore as well as the Fenda de Nossa Senhora, a massive break in the rocky cliffs that shelters a statue of a saint. At this stop, we didn’t disembark or swim, so have your cameras ready.

Stop 3/4: Praia do Pontal do Atalaia

Next, you’ll be given some time to explore Praia do Pontal do Atalaia. This beach is on the mainland. Based on Google Maps, it looks like it might have some dirt roads and hiking trails that lead out here, but it’s much simpler to see this beach as part of the boat tour.

At this stop, you can purchase drinks or snacks from a number of vendors, so bring some cash with you if you’re interested.

Stop 4/4: Praia do Forno

The fourth and final stop on this tour is Praia do Forno. This beach actually is easily accessible on foot from the town center, but the boat will drop the anchor somewhere in the bay and allow guests to swim for a bit. In comparison to the two beaches mentioned above, this one isn’t as spectacular, but it’s still nice to be able to get into the water to cool off for a bit.

Finally, the boat returns to the docks and passengers can go on their way.

Boat Tour #2: Tortuga Tur

The itinerary for the other company I tried called Tortuga Tur was very similar to the one for Don Juan. They have a corporate office closer to the docks where you can buy tickets. This tour was cheaper at only 70 BRL per person (in January 2021). Although they were just slightly more conveniently located, Tortuga Tur did not have a cafe at their meeting point.

No matter which company you book with, remember to bring cash for the 10 BRL marina tax. The boat for Tortuga is shown below. One thing I really liked about this one was that it had an upper deck, which Don Juan’s vessel did not. This, along with the cheaper ticket price, meant that Tortuga offered a better deal, although the 30 BRL difference is only about 5 USD and some change at the time of writing.

Just by coincidence, I booked my Tortuga tour in the afternoon and did Don Juan in the morning. I’ll talk a bit more about which one I recommend in the section below. Under normal circumstances, most companies appear to offer both time slots to choose from. Note that availability may be reduced due to COVID-19.

On this tour, our first stop was the rocky grottos and sea caves on Ilha do Farol. It was the same deal: a quick stop for pictures but not enough time to check it out on foot or go for a swim.

After this, we disembarked for a while on Praia do Farol, followed by Praia do Pontal do Atalaia. And just like with Don Juan, the final stop was also the opportunity to swim or relax while anchored offshore near Praia do Forno.

General Information

Regardless what company you book with, you’ll want to dress as if you were headed to the beach. Bring flip flops, a swimsuit, sunscreen, a mask during the pandemic, and possibly a towel or a change of clothes. Don’t expect to stay dry unless you’re okay never leaving the boat, which is technically an option.

In order to get from the main boat to shore at Praia do Farol and Praia do Pontal do Atalaia, all tour companies use small motorized dinghies. Note what your dinghy and your tour guide look like. There are going to be a handful of them on the beaches and it can be easy to lose track of them.

Furthermore, pay attention to how long you have on each beach. Employees appear to do headcounts before moving on from each stop, but you don’t want to be the person to hold up the boat because you lost track of time. If you don’t understand the announcements in Portuguese, ask for help! Employees will almost certainly be able to translate into English and Spanish!

Snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, are served for an additional cost on board both companies’ boats. You can also purchase something to eat from a vendor at Praia do Pontal do Atalaia.

Expect the boats to have a professional photographer or two, but know that they are contractors who you have to pay if you want to purchase any of the shots they take. They are unfortunately not there to take pictures of you with your phone. I personally just asked other passengers to take photos free of charge.

A Comparison of the Tours

In general, I really liked both tours. I can’t really say that one was better than the other, but Tortuga was slightly cheaper and their boat with an upper deck was an added bonus. I don’t think you could go wrong by booking with either of these companies.

Another interesting question is whether you should book a tour in the morning or afternoon. Although there are tradeoffs for both, I have to say I think morning is better for a number of reasons. Although being out the door by 7:00 a.m. was a little rough, the beaches are less crowded in the morning. It’s also still a bit cooler for the first hour or two of the tour, although by noon it can already be quite hot.

If you care about taking pictures, the natural light is definitely better on Praia do Farol in the morning. In contrast, it’ll be easier to take good shots on Praia do Pontal do Atalaia in the afternoon. In my personal opinion, the color of the water in the bay is a little more impressive in the morning. It’s a stunning light blue all day long, but it tends to be just a shade darker in the afternoon.

The main drawback to booking a morning tour is that you might wake up to cloudy weather. For an afternoon tour, you have the option of trying to buy tickets once you’ve confirmed that it’ll be a nice day, although this might be more difficult if you’re trying to do so on a weekend.

Jeep (Buggy) Tour Summary

Don’t forget that buggy land tours are also a common offering in Arraial do Cabo! I chose to do one with Tortuga Tur, which cost 200 BRL. However, the Jeep looked like it would accommodate up to three passengers, so if you’re in a group you could split that cost. Here’s a quick overview of what we did.

After leaving the Tortuga Tur main office, we drove to the edge of town to see the southern end of Praia do Pontal. This is too far from the town center to walk, and I wouldn’t have thought to check this beach out on my own, but it was pretty amazing. The dark blue water here is totally different from the beaches that are part of the boat tour itineraries.

We continued to go further north along the shore before eventually heading back.

The last stop was Mirante da Boa Vista, a scenic viewpoint overlooking Praia Grande on the western side of town. Although you can technically get to this lookout without a tour, it’s on the edge of a small favela. If you’d like to visit the Mirante without a buggy tour, I would at least recommend hiring an Uber to get there and back instead of walking up and down the hill.

After this, we headed back to the office. This Jeep tour was nice but I would personally say that it’s optional. In contrast, I highly recommend doing at least one boat tour during a visit to Arraial do Cabo.

Enjoy Your Tour!

I hope that this post will help guide visitors to Arraial do Cabo in the right direction! Are you in town and shopping around for the best deal? Have you been to Arraial do Cabo before? Leave a comment below and let me know! If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer them! Thanks for reading, and bon voyage!

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This post was published on Jan 27, 2021

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Arraial do Cabo: Crystal Clear Caribbean Waters In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000

Arraial do Cabo: Crystal Clear Caribbean Waters In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Published January 25, 2021

One thing I love about the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro is that it has much more to offer than the world-famous city of the same name that serves as its capital. Along the state’s coastline are dozens of idyllic small towns that all have unique vibes and stunning beaches. To the east, you can find the historic gems of Paraty and Angra dos Reis (Ilha Grande). Further west of the city, you’ll find the resort towns of Cabo Frio, Armação dos Búzios, and Arraial do Cabo.

A four-day visit to Arraial do Cabo was my first exposure to the southeast corner of RJ state, and the beaches here are better than what you’ll find in Angra dos Reis or Paraty. That’s because the water is such a light shade of blue that you’ll think you were somewhere in the Caribbean!

Arraial do Cabo (pronounced “ah-hai-OW du CA-bo”) is about a two or three hour drive east of Rio (the city). If you’re planning on spending two weeks or longer in RJ state, I highly recommend scheduling two or three days to check out one of these coastal towns, and you can’t go wrong by choosing Arraial do Cabo. This post will explain what to expect and why you should go! I’ll highlight some of the beaches, mention a few tours, give my opinion of the town, talk about restaurant options, and end with a few tips.

Beaches

If you look at a map of Arraial, you’ll notice that there are about half a dozen main beaches. Some are only accessible by boat tour (more on that below), but most are easy to get to from the town center on foot. Here’s a quick overview of four of them.

Praia dos Anjos

This beach is adjacent to the town’s marina, and admittedly is the least impressive of all the ones mentioned here. Take a quick walk along the water, but don’t spend all day on this beach. Every other one mentioned below has nicer waters.

Praia do Forno

Praia do Forno, which means “Oven Beach,” can be reached by walking along a short hiking trail that starts near the marina and ends on the beach’s southern side. It takes about fifteen minutes each way, and there are some steps. The only other way to get to this beach is by boat as it’s surrounded by forests and no roads lead to it.

Normally, I’m quite cautious about hiking in Brazil because it’s notorious for being unsafe due to thieves, but this short hike has enough people walking along it throughout the day that it’s not dangerous. Arraial do Cabo has a lot of other hiking trails, but I wouldn’t recommend doing any other treks without consulting a local.

Prainha

Of the four beaches listed here, this one (pronounced “praiña” and meaning “Little Beach”) has to be my favorite! It’s easy to get to, and the color of the water is stunning!

A number of hotels are built right along the sand, and they all seem to set up umbrellas and chairs for their guests. I imagine some are also available for the general public to rent for the day. Because Prainha has beautiful water but isn’t a huge beach, it’s more crowded than the others in town.

Praia Grande

As the name suggests, this is the largest beach in town. In fact, it technically stretches on for miles and miles uninterrupted, well beyond the city limits of Arraial do Cabo. There’s a little scenic plaza right here that offers a good view, or you could venture down to the beach itself.

Since Praia Grande is the only west-facing beach in town, it’s undoubtedly the best place to catch the sunset. This is a much more pleasant time to visit anyways, since the beach is wide open with no shade. During the day, the white sand here can actually get pretty hot to the touch.

All About Tours

As mentioned above, a couple of the town’s best beaches are only accessible by boat tour. This is why you simply can’t miss booking one during your visit to Arraial do Cabo! I did two different boat tours to compare the experience between companies, which are discussed in a separate post.

The other type of tour you can do in Arraial is a buggy (jeep) tour. I’ve covered this in my separate tour review post as well. In short, the buggy tour is nice to do if you have an extra day with nothing planned, but it’s not a must.

The Town

This is the one less-than-positive comment I’ll make about Arraial do Cabo: the town itself isn’t super quaint. It’s by no means bad, but there isn’t really a historic center or anything like that. Don’t let that stop you from visiting, though! The gorgeous beaches more than make up for it.

Dining Options

In terms of food, I found that the town had pretty standard Brazilian options. Needless to say, there were quite a few seafood restaurants. Everything I tried there was good, but I did notice while browsing online that a fair number of places had many negative reviews. I always take online reviews with a grain of salt, but it does suggest that restaurants in Arraial do Cabo could be hit or miss.

Here are a couple of the places I recommend.

1. Restaurante Casa da Piedra

Address: R. Santa Cruz, 4 – Praia dos Anjos, Arraial do Cabo – RJ, 28930-000
Website: https://casadapiedra.com.br/home/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casadapiedra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casadapiedra/

This was a great place to grab dinner, and its location right next to the town’s boat tour dock is convenient. I enjoyed both the fish with rice and shrimp sauce and fresh mango salad I ordered.

Casa da Pedra has a nice open-air patio and even offered live music after nightfall. For good food and a casual atmosphere, this is the place to go.

2. Restaurante Saint Tropez

Address: Praça Daniel Barreto, 2 – Praia dos Anjos, Arraial do Cabo – RJ, 28930-000
Website: https://www.saintropez.com.br/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantesainttropez/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantesainttropez/

If you want a sit-down dinner experience that is still fairly casual, check out Saint Tropez. They offered a very extensive couvert (appetizer platter) complete with mussels, quail eggs, salami, cheese, butter, and bread. I also tried a fish curry with mango and yellow rice, which was very interesting and fragrant.

3. Quiosque Flor do Caribe

Address: Praia dos Anjos

Sometimes these beach kiosks can really miss the mark, but this one on Praia dos Anjos was quite good! I ordered fried fish with pirão, a kind of orange fish-based gravy that is often served with seafood in Brazil. Adventurous eaters should definitely try it if they see it on a menu, or it may automatically come with some dishes. You’ll often get fries and/or a salad with a lunch combo like this, too.

4. Restaurante Tio Dorp

Address: Praça Daniel Barreto n10 – Praia dos Anjos, Arraial do Cabo – RJ, 28930-000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiodorp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantetiodorp/

I wasn’t sure if this restaurant would be good or not because it was pretty empty when I went, but it ended up being one of my favorites! I ordered octopus which was cooked perfectly and served with just the right combo of grilled potatoes and onions, white rice, and a small salad to balance out the meal perfectly. I also tried a cocktail and an appetizer of fried cheese, which were both equally good. Don’t pass this one up if you’re in the general area near Praia dos Anjos!

Tips

A visit to Arraial do Cabo is pretty self-explanatory, but here are just a few tips for a smooth visit.

Where to Stay

The town is fairly small and compact, so I don’t think there’s any “wrong” answers here. However, I stayed in a guesthouse a short walk from the marina and I’m glad I did, because boat tours leave early in the morning from here. If I didn’t stay here, I would’ve probably chosen a place near Prainha or Praia Grande.

Safety

In general, the town of Arraial felt safe to me as a solo traveler. There are some favelas but if you stick to the main streets in Centro and near Praia dos Anjos, you shouldn’t accidentally wander into one. Favelas are almost always located on hills and are easily distinguished from other parts of towns by their colorful cube-shaped brick houses, so this shouldn’t be a point of concern.

Walking around the main streets in Arraial do Cabo after dinner also felt safe, but I tend to stay in after about 9:00 p.m. if I’m in a town I’m not very familiar with in Brazil.

How to Get to Arraial do Cabo

I’m sure that there are many bus options to get to Arraial do Cabo from Rio de Janeiro, but due to COVID-19 I took an Uber both ways with windows down the entire time and masks on. Each ride cost about 300 BRL and took between two and three hours.

Who should visit Arraial do Cabo?

Rio de Janeiro has so many seaside towns near the capital that choosing only one can be tough. Options include Paraty, Angra dos Reis, Ilha Grande, Cabo Frio, Armação dos Búzios, and Arraial do Cabo. (This list doesn’t even include popular weekend getaway destinations that are further inland.)

What kind of a traveler should choose Arraial do Cabo? If you love amazing beaches but don’t need a historic city center, this is the destination for you. Words can’t describe how beautiful the water is here, and pictures don’t do it justice. It’s something you simply have to experience in person!

What do you think? Would you set aside a couple of days on a visit to Rio de Janeiro to see Arraial do Cabo? Leave a comment below and let me know! And if you’re headed out this way, be sure to check out my boat and buggy tour review post, too! Thanks for reading!

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This post was published on Jan 25, 2021

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The post Arraial do Cabo: Crystal Clear Caribbean Waters In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

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A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?

The Cruise Itinerary

Day 1: Boarding in Miami

Day 2: At Sea

Day 3: Cozumel, Mexico

A Review of Our Sailing and Snorkeling Excursions

Exploring San Miguel de Cozumel

The Best Part of Day 3: Scarlet Night!

Day 4: At Sea

Day 5: Beach Club at Bimini, Bahamas

Exploring Bimini on Foot

Eat a Conch Feast

The Beach Club at Bimini

Day 6: Return to Miami

Food & Restaurants on the Ship

All About the Scarlet Lady

Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

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Where To Eat In Guadalajara: My Top Restaurant And Bar Recommendations

Restaurants to Try in Guadalajara

Breakfast

Restaurante y Menudería Lidia

El Terrible Juan Café

Mexican Food for Lunch and Dinner

La Chata

Restaurantes La Gorda

Kamilos 333

Birriería Las 9 Esquinas

El Pilón de los Arrieros

Súper Tortas Ahogadas El Pique

Taquería Los Faroles

Quelite

International Options & Others

El Habanero Negro

Restaurante La Roma (Food Hall)

Mercado de San Juan de Dios (Mercado Libertad)

Bar Recommendations

Pulque Degollado

Vietnam Bar

Amargo Cervecería

Coffee

Café La Flor de Córdoba

Café San Pedro

Enjoy Your Culinary Journey Through Guadalajara!

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What It Was Like Returning To The US After Spending The Pandemic Abroad

My Final Month in Brazil (Mar-Apr 2021)

Returning to Rio & Departing Brazil

Arriving in Chicago

What About Seattle?

What's Next

Closing Remarks

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