Guide
The Best Paraty Beaches for Swimming and for Snorkeling
February 14, 2026 5 min
Not every beach is good for everything. Where the water is calm for swimming and where the rocks deliver the best snorkeling — so you pick right.
A great swimming beach isn't always the best for snorkeling — and vice versa. Calm, shallow water invites a swim; snorkeling wants rocky walls, where the fish gather. Here's where to go for each.
For swimming: calm water
- Saco da Velha — a sheltered cove, water as still as a pool.
- Praia do Pontal and Jabaquara — town beaches, shallow and easy, walkable from the center.
- Praia do Meio (Trindade) — wide and calm, good for families.
- The schooners' inner stops, always chosen for their stillness.
For snorkeling: living rock walls
- Lagoa Azul — the most famous snorkeling spot, fish used to people.
- Ilha Comprida — rock walls great for free-diving.
- Cachadaço natural pool (Trindade) — a ring of rocks with crystal water.
- The discover-scuba sites, chosen for their visibility.
Tip: snorkeling visibility is best in the morning and in winter (July/August), when the water clears. For swimming, any calm-sea day will do.
