The 15 Best Boat Trips in Rio de Janeiro

1.Rio de Janeiro: Sunset Sailing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 994 reviews · 3 hours · from $75Our pick

See Rio from Guanabara Bay on a small-group sunset sail with Sugarloaf views, caipirinhas, snacks, and optional swimming.

“This was SO such fun!! Clarisse and the crew made sure everyone on board was well taken care. There was about 10 of us on board and it definitely didn’t feel overcrowded. The drinks were unlimited and the snacks were yummy! Clarisse was the absolute sweetest person and made sure everyone was happy the whole time. An absolute gem! I would HIGHLY recommend this tour! Especially for solo travellers like I was! 5 stars all around!”

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2.Rio de Janeiro: Sunset Sailboat Tour with Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 785 reviews · 3 hours · from $57

Watch Rio’s sunset from Guanabara Bay on a three-hour sailboat ride with caipirinhas, snacks, music, swimming, and Christ the Redeemer views.

“The views and hosts were great. Big shout out to Captain Carlos. He was so knowledgeable and we simply loved him. Watching the planes take off and swimming in the middle of the ocean were highlights for us. Drinks and food were average, but everything else made up for it.”

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3.From Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 737 reviews · 14 hours · from $63

Spend a full day sailing Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande, with island stops, fish-filled waters, buffet lunch, and Rio hotel transfers.

“The activity was fun, interesting, fulfilling. We watched people dancing, singing, which was new to us, since it was our first rip to South America. Watching fish was interesting. Snorkeling was new experience.”

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4.From Rio: Arraial do Cabo Day Trip with Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 400 reviews · 14 hours · from $65

Sail Arraial do Cabo from Rio on a schooner, swim at Farol and Praia do Forno, and see cliffside caves on a long but rewarding day.

“All the crew really made this trip amazing, very sweet, fun and friendly people.”

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5.Arraial do Cabo Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro: Boat Tour & Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $70

Review of the Arraial do Cabo day trip from Rio, with a schooner cruise, swim stops, beach views, lunch, costs, and practical tips.

“What a delightful day! Even though the wind was too high for the boat excursion,Vivi took us to three wonderful beaches, each with something different to offer. There was plenty of time to make friends, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. This was a day we’ll never forget, thank you to Vivi and our fellow travelers”

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6.Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Bay Sunset Sailing Tour & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 331 reviews · 3 hours · from $70

Sail Guanabara Bay at sunset with Rio views, caipirinhas, snacks, and an optional swim from Marina da Glória.

“Really nice tour, the staff was great, it was relaxing with nice music and drinks. The weather was not great today, but still the trip was totally worth it.”

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7.From Rio de Janeiro: Arraial do Cabo Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 321 reviews · 14 hours · from $65

Review of the Rio to Arraial do Cabo boat trip, with clear-water beaches, four swim stops, lunch, practical tips, and honest drawbacks.

“Excelente tour. Arraial do cabo es increíble. La guía cumplió todo lo que nos habían prometido y los tiempos acordados fueron cumplidos. El lugar de almuerzo está ok.”

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8.Sunset Boat Tour with Beer, Water, Soda and Snacks included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 227 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74Top rated

Review of Rio’s 3-hour sunset boat tour with beer, snacks, swimming, small groups, and views from Marina da Glória for $74.

“Nice weather, the boat had snacks and drinks which was very nice. The tour guide was very informative and very friendly! I would definitely book this tour again.”

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9.Rio: Boat Tour of Guanabara Bay

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 214 reviews

See Rio, Niterói, Sugarloaf, and Guanabara Bay from a catamaran, with photo pauses, multilingual audio, and morning or sunset departures.

“REALMENTE FOI ACIMA DAS MINHAS EXPECTATIVAS, PASSEIO MARAVILHOSO, ONDE VOCE Vê A CIDADE E SUAS BELEZAS DE UM OUTRO ANGULO, guia super simpática e agradável, tripulação muito legal também. Preço das bebidas a bordo bem razoáveis sem exploração. Mesmo sendo morador do Rio eu e minha esposa adoramos o passeio”

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10.From Rio de Janeiro: Búzios Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 129 reviews · 14 hours · from $68

Spend a full day from Rio exploring Búzios by schooner, swimming at scenic beaches, eating lunch, and strolling Rua das Pedras.

“Ainda não acabou mas foi o horror da minha vida tenho 71 anos, já viajei pelo mundo todo. 10 vezes no Brasil e nunca tive uma guia tão horrível, como mandei mensagem devido a um atraso de 1 hora a senhora RAQUEL péssima guia quando chegou e depois de lhe dizer que não me avisaram do atraso, simplesmente me mandou sair do bus, dizendo que seria uma pena eu continuar (somos 4 pessoas de 72, 71, 72e 74 anos chamou-me por imensas vezes merda de portugueses, vocês são uma merda. Acham isto normal. O mínimo que a agência devia ter feito era mudar-nos a excursão. Tive medo de seguir com…”

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11.Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: Small-Group Fast-Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 119 reviews · 14 hours · from $200

Speed through Angra dos Reis to Ilha Grande for five beach stops, clear water, snorkeling, hotel transfers, and a small-group boat day.

“Such a beautiful tour just 2.5 hours from Rio - the transportation was incredibly smooth and I much preferred the small speedboat option to the other large tours available. Only thing to keep in mind is that lunch is the last stop so you will want to bring/get a bunch of snacks so you don’t get hungry! All the beaches and snorkeling spots were beautiful but would recommend maximizing your time at the first two - they were our favorite :)”

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12.Brunch & Sunset Cruise with Capirinha in Rio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $50Best value

Sail Guanabara Bay from Marina da Glória with Rio views, snacks, drinks, swimming, and a caipirinha for $50 per person.

“Nice trip! We got to enjoy the view and hear about some history about Rio de Janeiro City. Free drinks, fruits, and sandwiches were included.”

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13.Rio From the Sea: Guanabara Bay Cruise with Optional Barbecue Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 88 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $74

See Rio’s icons from Guanabara Bay on a two-hour schooner cruise, with hotel transfers and an optional Brazilian barbecue lunch.

“Really nice tour, overall. The 2 hour cruise was the perfect amount of time to be out on the bay. We saw all of the 'must see' locations and the ride was very comfortable. Our guide gave us valuable tips for staying in Rio during our transport to and from the hotel. Totally worth the price of admission.”

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14.Sailboat Tour in Rio de Janeiro

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $54

Review of Rio’s 3-hour Urca sailboat tour, with sunset views, swimming, snacks, caipirinhas, and a small group of up to 15.

“Always a great day on the water. Tour was operated by the owner, and wife of the boat. Abundant food and beverage with spectacular views. Opportunity to swim”

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15.Angra dos Reis Boat Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $71

Review of Angra dos Reis boat tour from Rio, with island stops, swimming, buffet lunch, transport tips, costs, and honest comfort advice.

“This was by far the worst guided tour we ever did. Not only was the boat loaded with close to 100 people (although the description said it would be max 45 people) but not one person from the staff spoke a single word of English although we specifically chose this tour because it was supposed to be offered in English. On top of this the transfer took more than 1 hour longer than it should have, the music on the boat was so loud that we couldn’t speak. almost all the drinks in the bar solf out during the first 2 hours and the lunch buffe was terrible. This was…”

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