Snorkeling in Angra dos Reis: five stops with speedboat

Five island stops, five chances to snorkel in clear water

A five-hour speedboat tour of Angra dos Reis with five swimming and snorkeling stops: Blue Lagoon, Cataguás Island, Flechas Beach, Grumixama Beach and Araçá Beach. The boat holds 14 to 34 passengers and stops last 20 to 30 minutes each, except lunch which runs about an hour. A guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese; floating noodles and a sailor are included. Bring your own food in a cooler of up to 20 liters (no glass), towel, sunscreen and cash for any extras.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Angra dos Reis by speedboat

• Ride shared fast boat
• Swim and snorkel at Blue Lagoon
• Relax at Araçá Beach on Ilha Grande
• Visit Cataguás Island for swimming
• Enjoy Praia das Flechas on Gipóia Island

The Experience

The boat leaves from Angra dos Reis and makes five stops over five hours, each one a chance to get in the water. Blue Lagoon comes first—the famous natural aquarium with calm, clear blue-green water where you can snorkel among colorful fish and corals. Cataguás Island follows, a small, quiet place with white sand and turquoise water surrounded by native forest, no buildings, no crowds. The stops are short enough that you move through them without the day dragging, but long enough to actually swim and look around instead of just floating past.

Grumixama Beach is harder to reach by land, so it stays peaceful—golden sand, greenish water, Atlantic Forest right up to the shore. Araçá Beach on Ilha Grande sits in a cove with large rocks and calm water, good for snorkeling or just floating. Flechas Beach on Gipóia Island is the last stop and wider than the others, with kiosks and restaurants on one side if you want lunch there, and sea turtles sometimes visible nearby. Each stop runs 20 to 30 minutes; the lunch break is longer, around an hour, and you can bring your own food in a cooler bag up to 20 liters (nothing in glass).

The speedboat is shared—you'll be with other passengers, usually somewhere between 14 and 34 people depending on the day. A guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese narrates the route and points out what you're seeing. Floating noodles are on board if you want them. You need to bring a towel, sunscreen, hat, and cash or a card for anything you buy at the stops; the tour itself doesn't include food or drinks.

What’s included

• A guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• floating noodles.
• a sailor on board.
• five stops for swimming and snorkeling across Angra dos Reis (Blue Lagoon, Cataguás Island, Flechas Beach, Grumixama Beach and Araçá Beach).
• 20 to 30 minutes at each stop to swim or snorkel, plus about an hour for lunch.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by MOVE TOUR MARANHAO

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit five different snorkeling spots in one morning or afternoon on a shared fast boat—you'll see calm lagoons, quiet islands, and water-only beaches rather than staying at a single location.

Top questions

What's the water like for snorkeling at Blue Lagoon?

Blue Lagoon has calm, incredibly clear blue-green water that works like a natural aquarium—you can see colorful fish and corals without much depth or current, which is why it's one of the most popular stops on speedboat tours in Angra dos Reis.

How long do you actually spend in the water at each stop?

Each of the five stops lasts between 20 and 30 minutes, so you have time to swim and snorkel without feeling rushed; the lunch stop runs about an hour if you want to eat and rest longer.

Can I bring food and drinks on the speedboat?

You can bring a cooler bag up to 20 liters with your own food and drinks, but nothing in glass containers; the tour doesn't include meals, though some stops like Flechas Beach have kiosks and restaurants if you want to buy lunch there.

Is this tour just snorkeling, or do you stop at beaches too?

The tour includes both—you snorkel at stops like Blue Lagoon and Cataguás Island, and you also beach-hop to quieter places like Grumixama and Araçá where you can swim, relax on the sand, or explore the rocks without the snorkeling gear.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English, Spanish, or Portuguese depending on the group, so you'll get narration in whichever language fits your tour.

How many people will be on the boat?

The speedboat holds 14 to 34 passengers and is shared with other visitors, so it's a group experience rather than a private tour.