My Budget Brazilian Beach Adventure in Recife aka “The Reef”
In late 2016, after finishing up a quick tour through Europe, I was looking to escape the approaching fall and winter by booking an incredibly inexpensive $250 direct flight from Belgium to Recife, Brazil. However, after showing up at the wrong Brussels airport and having to buy a new $700 ticket, I finally touched down in the northeastern Brazilian city locally pronounced “Hesifi”.
Despite the expensive travel hiccup, I quickly acclimated to Recife’s hot, sunny weather, sparkling blue Atlantic waters, and constant reminders that sharks patrol these beaches looking for their next meal. I ended up staying in Recife for about a month and a half in total. Here’s a snapshot of my budget Brazilian beach living experience.
Recife Translates to “The Reef”
Known as “Hesifi” by locals, Recife translates directly to “the reef” in English. The city earned this name from an ancient coral reef that lines parts of its beachfront. Over time, the dead coral and calcified plankton hardened into a rocky structure that became incorporated into the coastline.
I stayed in the tourist district called Boa Viagem, which fittingly means “good trip” or “happy travels” in Portuguese. The area stretches several kilometers down the coast, flanked by tall beachfront hotels and condo buildings on one side and Recife’s iconic golden sand beaches on the other.
Shark Infested Waters
One of the first things I noticed is the bright yellow shark warning signs posted every few hundred feet. Several swimmers and surfers have been killed or injured in shark attacks here over the years. While the chances are still low, it seems locals are more worried about tourists becoming a shark’s next meal than getting robbed or assaulted. I still swim and enjoy the beach but avoid going too far out without a surfboard.
Old Town Charm in Historic City Center
They call Recife Antigo (“Ancient Recife”) the historic heart of the city. This is where the Portuguese first settled when they arrived in the 1500s before the Dutch later took over the area. Recife Antigo still retains an outdated, colonial vibe with decrepit and decaying government buildings, once grand churches, and narrow European-style streets.
I was originally planning to stay in Old Town instead of the beaches but found the neighborhood too worn down and unsafe at night. Nonetheless, I took Uber to visit and check out the nightlife scene several times over the past month.
Lively Street Parties in Nearby Olinda
Just north of downtown lies the well-preserved colonial city of Olinda. Its picturesque churches, artist quarter, and vibrant street culture have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. During my first weeks here, I took a cheap Uber up to Olinda to adventure with locals late at night, and even chill with some of the local hippies. Visitors can also tour historic churches and monasteries in Olinda dating back nearly 500 years.
Day Trip to “Chicken Beach”
Using Uber as my preferred way to explore greater Recife, I escaped the city for crystal clear waters an hour south at Porto de Galinhas. The name translates to “port of the chickens”, which refers to African slaves once traded here like poultry. Now a trendy resort town, Porto de Galinhas offers basic tropical paradise vibes with no shortage of tourists and backpackers. The beach exceeds even Boa Viagem’s soft white sands but retains an eco-friendly layout prohibiting high-rises.
Endless Good Weather
During my month and a half in Recife, it was sunny and warm for 28 out of 30 days. Temperatures reach 30+ degrees Celsius (mid-80s Fahrenheit) daily. Coming from three months in occasionally rainy Rio de Janeiro, Recife provides consistently ideal beach weather nearly every day. The humidity and heat index climb extremely high, so I try to avoid direct sun between 11 AM and 3 PM. Late afternoons take on a comfortable breeze.
Nightlife, Health & Fitness
Recife boasts plenty of nightlife options once the sun goes down. Most evenings you’ll find me hanging out with new Brazilian friends I’ve met at local bars or dance clubs playing sertanejo country music and forró dance beats. There are several Muay Thai gyms and MMA schools where I trained most days. However, an unfortunate front kick to my thigh during MMA practice left me limping around Recife for a week or two before recovering.
Vegetarian Options Lacking
As a dabbling vegan, I struggled to find decent vegan restaurants in Recife at the time. The one purely veggie place near my Airbnb served barely edible food. Therefore, I survive mainly on the buffet livres (unlimited buffets) all around the city. Brazilian cuisine centers heavily around meat, though the abundance of fresh exotic fruits somewhat offsets the lack of veggies.
Making Local Friends
Despite warnings about favela violence and robbery, I didn’t face any real safety issues staying mostly in my tourist-friendly neighborhood. Through Couch-Surfing meetups and language exchanges, I made several educated Brazilian friends to show me around. They seemed excited to practice English and teach foreigners about their culture. Overall, Recife residents gave me their signature Brazilian warmth and hospitality.
New Year’s Brazilian Beach Traditions
I decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve here before returning to Rio. My Brazilian friends invited me to join their symbolic tradition of wearing all white and jumping over seven waves at midnight while making a wish. Then it was time for some brazilian dancing and drinking.
After New Years, I eventually packed my belongings and headed towards my next living adventure in the southern-central metropolis of Curitiba… a full 180 from the warmth and beaches of Recife.
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AI Disclaimer
In the hopes of efficiency, I used Claude.AI to write a blog post based on my Video Review of Recife, Brazil, which you can check out above.
The AI was used to write the blog post, but Leonidas still had to edit it for truthfulness, relevance to my personal adventure (the AI likes to invent a lot of things I didn’t do) and ensuring it all made sense 😉
