Praia do Forno, located in Arraial do Cabo, Brazil, is a secluded beach known for its crystal-clear waters, soft white sand, and lush green hills. Accessible by a short hiking trail or boat ride, this beach offers a more tranquil atmosphere compared to the busier shores nearby. Its calm, turquoise waters are perfect for snorkeling, revealing a vibrant underwater world of fish and coral. A unique feature is the natural viewpoint along the trail, providing a panoramic view of the bay before descending to the beach. If you’re looking for a quieter escape with great swimming and scenic beauty, this hidden gem is worth the effort to reach.
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We visited Praia do Forno twice during our month-long stay in Arraial do Cabo—once on a boat tour that also included Cabo Frio Island and another time on a hike. Here, I share the story of the latter visit, where you’ll find useful information on doing the same hike.
If you’re in Rio, you can also visit Praia do Forno on a day trip by joining one of the many Arraial do Cabo tours, such as this best-selling option with hotel pick-up.
We left our accommodation in downtown Arraial on a hot, sunny morning and soon reached the trailhead, located here, at the north end of Praia dos Anjos near the tour boat port.
Praia do Forno is part of an environmental conservation area and a navy jurisdiction zone. For this reason, the military maintains a checkpoint at the beginning of the trail where they inspect hikers’ bags. Among other prohibited items (speakers and possibly others that I’m not aware of), drones are not allowed.
We learned this during our first attempt at the hike—a few days earlier—when we brought our drone and weren’t allowed to proceed. They suggested that we leave it at a storage service operating on-site, but we decided against it since they charged something like 5 euros.
Having come prepared this time, carrying only beach gear and cameras (which were allowed), we were let through with a smile.
The trail was mostly paved and smooth, with frequent rubbish bins helping to keep it clean despite the hundreds of daily users. Near the end, you can take a short detour to the best viewpoint above the beach. The entire distance is half a kilometer, with a 40-meter elevation change, and can easily be completed in under ten minutes—even in sandals.
The beach was almost empty when we arrived around 9 a.m. Unlike the main beaches of Arraial, this one had substantial natural shade beneath the broad foliage at the beach’s edge. Still, parasols are available for rent if you arrive later and don’t have your own.
Before settling in to enjoy the sea, we took advantage of the still-cool morning to hike a bit farther. Our goal was to reach the tip of the bay’s northern promontory, called Ponta da Jararaca. After crossing the length of the beach, amid wakes of vultures scavenging the sand for washed-up fish, we reached the jungle trail.
Hardly anyone, it seemed, had attempted this hike in a long time. The trail was abandoned and overgrown. As if conservation mattered only where tourists could see it, the more accessible early section was full of trash and human feces.
We pushed on as far as we could—through thorns, vines, and webs spun by orange-dotted spiders the size of my palm—reaching about 200 meters before the cape. Continuing was all but impossible without a machete to clear a path.
By the time we got back, the beach was bustling with swimmers, sunbathers, and vendors roaming with açaí and skewers. We still managed to find a spot in the natural shade and spent some time going in and out of the sea, which, for some reason, was much warmer than the typically frigid beaches of Arraial.
Photos
View (and if you want use) all my photographs from Praia do Forno in higher resolution.
