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Brazil🇧🇷 | beachesPraia das DunasWhite dunes, kite sails, sandboarding, Forte São Mateus | things to do and best time to go

Explore Armação dos BúziosExplore Praia das Conchas

Backpacking in Praia das Dunas
👌 Worth visitingbeach ranked #18
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 19, 2026

The water at Praia das Dunas is often noticeably colder and clearer than elsewhere on Rio’s coast, because cold currents rise up here. The beach sits in Cabo Frio, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Skip the lazy swim, since waves and wind can be strong. Go for the white dunes and kite action. A fresh coconut water from a beach vendor cost me about US$1.50 and beat any overpriced cocktail. Budget food and hostels are in town. Best for wind lovers and walkers, poor for calm-water families.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 Brazil Travel Guide.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #18 beach in BrazilReasons people choose to visit here

Praia das Dunas works for backpackers who want Cabo Frio without the packed sand of the town beaches. The big draw is the wind that fills kite and windsurf sails along the shore, so you can watch riders or take a lesson. The white dune ridge behind the beach gives you free viewpoints and room to walk, climb and sprawl. It also fits neatly into a Região dos Lagos route, since the town’s hostels, bakeries and bus links are close, and you can leave the beach quiet and come back cheaply.

💡 HighlightsTop highlights of Praia das Dunas

  1. The white dunes: The sand ridge behind the beach is the reason to come. Climb it for a view over the sea and the town, and walk the soft crests where the beach feels wide open.
  2. Kitesurfing and windsurfing: Steady wind makes the water busy with colorful sails. Watch from the sand or book a beginner lesson with a local school.
  3. Dune sunset: Late in the day the dunes turn gold and the sand cools underfoot. Climb up early to claim a spot.
  4. Sandboarding: On the Duna Mãe (Dama Branca) above the beach, a booked instructor takes you sliding down the dune faces, since no one rents boards on the spot. Bring water and wear a hat, as there is little shade.
  5. Forte São Mateus: This colonial fort at the neighboring Praia do Forte dates to the early 1600s. Its stone walls and sea views make a short history stop.
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  1. The white dunes: The sand ridge behind the beach is the reason to come. Climb it for a view over the sea and the town, and walk the soft crests where the beach feels wide open.
  2. Kitesurfing and windsurfing: Steady wind makes the water busy with colorful sails. Watch from the sand or book a beginner lesson with a local school.
  3. Dune sunset: Late in the day the dunes turn gold and the sand cools underfoot. Climb up early to claim a spot.
  4. Sandboarding: On the Duna Mãe (Dama Branca) above the beach, a booked instructor takes you sliding down the dune faces, since no one rents boards on the spot. Bring water and wear a hat, as there is little shade.
  5. Forte São Mateus: This colonial fort at the neighboring Praia do Forte dates to the early 1600s. Its stone walls and sea views make a short history stop.
If time is short, skip the fort and spend it on the dunes.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Praia das Dunas

Boat Tour Open Bar A Floor Arraial do Cabo

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Snorkel Dive with Turtles

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Buggy ride in Arraial do Cabo with Joseph Photographer

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Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo

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Rio Private Transfer ⇄ Búzios, Cabo Frio & Arraial do Cabo

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Transfer Rio to Búzios, Arraial Do Cabo, Cabo Frio, Angra dos Reis

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Tour of Bugre in Arraial (Buggy)

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?When to go for the best experience

  • Summer (December to March): Hot and humid at 24 to 33°C (75 to 91°F), with long days of roughly 13 hours of light. Beaches are packed on weekends, and lodging runs 40 to 80 percent higher.
  • Autumn (April to June): Warm at 20 to 27°C (68 to 81°F), calm, and the best balance of space and sun.
  • Winter (July to August): Dry and mild at 17 to 25°C (63 to 77°F), with cooler water and bigger swells.
  • Spring (September to November): Warming up, with occasional showers and rising prices.
Book Carnival and New Year weeks months ahead, or skip them.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

Praia das Dunas sits in the Cabo Frio area, so your best bases are in town rather than on the dune-backed sand itself. The Centro and Passagem neighborhoods near the Canal de Itajuru have the most budget beds, with hostels and simple pousadas at roughly US$15 to 40 a night. Both put you within walking distance of bars, bakeries, and the bus station, and solo travelers meet others easily at shared tables and boat-tour desks. Praia do Forte also works if you want a longer beachfront walk and a calmer evening. Stay away from isolated stretches after dark.
Best hostels in Brazil


Best quality hotels in Brazil

🛡️ SafetySafety Tips and Common Scams in Praia das Dunas

Praia das Dunas is a popular, well-used beach, and most days the main concern is the sun, which is strong from late morning, so bring shade and water. Waves can be punchy, and the Atlantic side can have rips, so swim where locals and lifeguards cluster and respect any flags. Currents ease on calmer days. Keep phones and cash minimal on the sand, and never leave bags unattended while you swim. Go early on weekends for space and cooler air.
Check Country Safety

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Praia das Dunas is in the Cabo Frio area on Brazil’s Costa do Sol, about 150 km (95 miles) east of Rio de Janeiro. Buses from Rio’s Rodoviária Novo Rio to Cabo Frio take roughly 2.5 to 3 hours and cost about US$10 to 15. From the Cabo Frio bus station, a taxi or rideshare to the beach takes about 10 to 15 minutes and costs around US$3 to 6.
Praia das Dunas is better for swimming on calm days and for beach walks than for snorkeling. Surfers and bodyboarders use it when swells build, mostly in the cooler months from May to August. For clear water and snorkeling, take a boat trip from Cabo Frio, which costs about US$15 to 30 per person.
Yes, Praia das Dunas is free to enter, and like all Brazilian beaches it has public access with no ticket. You only pay for extras such as a chair and umbrella, typically US$4 to 10 a day, or for food at beach kiosks. Parking nearby is usually free or costs a few dollars.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Brazilian beaches near Praia das Dunas

Explore more nearby:

  • Armação dos Búzios—peninsula beaches, cobblestone streets, boutique shops| 19 km away
  • Copacabana—Wave-pattern promenade, footvolley nets, Posto 6, Forte de Copacabana| 118 km away
  • Ipanema—Arpoador applause, Posto 9, Dois Irmãos, Hippie Fair| 120 km away

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We 💚 feedbackFinal thoughts on visiting Praia das Dunas

Praia das Dunas is best late afternoon, when the wind is steady, the sand cools and the dunes glow. I would go on a clear weekday outside summer holidays, and bring a windbreaker, because the breeze can chill you after swimming.

✈️ When did I visit Brazil?
Call it good timing or luck, but I was able to celebrate Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro in February 2022, after a round trip in the north and east coast.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Brazil, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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