Plan on about 9 h 18 min of driving for the 367-mile (590 km) trip from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 367 mi (590 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → RJ-228 → ES-257 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Rio de Janeiro–Aracruz drive in a few lines
BR-101 (304 mi) and RJ-228 (43 mi) carry about 95% of the 367 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 11–198 | 187 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-228 | 198–241 | 43 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 241–358 | 117 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-257 | 358–366 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 366–367 | 1 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 213 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
What to see on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 318), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 349)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia do Buraco (mile 18), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 227), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 245), Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 296), Fonte Grande State Park (mile 319)
- Museums and history: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 227), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 245), Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (mile 318), Ruins of the Church of São José do Queimado (mile 330), Casa da Cultura de Fundão (mile 349)
Praia do Buraco
About four kilometers from Praia Central in Balneário Camboriú, Praia do Buraco borders Praia do Canto; strong waves make it unsafe for swimming, so it draws mostly fishermen and photographers.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
Paulo César Vinha State Park
Along the Atlantic shore in Guarapari, Paulo César Vinha State Park protects dunes, lagoons and marshes. Its trails lead to the beach and to Lagoa de Caraís.
Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo
In Cariacica, the Espírito Santo Military Police Museum holds more than 600 objects and 900 photographs on the force's history, in a building that closely resembles the state's first barracks, Quartel do Moscoso.
Fonte Grande State Park
Fonte Grande State Park is a state-protected park in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.
Ruins of the Church of São José do Queimado
In the Queimado district of Serra, Espírito Santo, these church ruins stand as a historic reminder of the Queimado Insurrection, an 1849 slave uprising.
Casa da Cultura de Fundão
Once the Agostini family residence, this two-story house in Fundão is protected as cultural heritage by Espírito Santo state and now works as a museum.
Buddha of Ibiraçu
Beside the BR-101 highway in Ibiraçu, a 35-meter Buddha statue rises at the Morro da Vargem Zen monastery. The giant figure, part of the monastery grounds, was officially inaugurated in August 2021.
More drives to Aracruz
- Cariacica to Aracruz
- Vitória to Aracruz
- Guarapari to Aracruz
- Itaperuna to Aracruz
- Rio das Ostras to Aracruz
- Itabira to Aracruz
From Rio de Janeiro to other places in Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaguaí
- Rio de Janeiro to Guaratinguetá
- Rio de Janeiro to Pindamonhangaba
- Rio de Janeiro to São José dos Campos
- Rio de Janeiro to Mogi das Cruzes
- Rio de Janeiro to Caraguatatuba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz?
About 9 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 367 miles.
How far is Aracruz from Rio de Janeiro by car?
About 367 miles (590 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz?
In order: BR-101, RJ-228 and ES-257. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Aracruz?
Closest to the road: Museu da Polícia Militar do Espírito Santo (police museum, mile 318, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa da Cultura de Fundão (museum, mile 349, 0.2 mi from the route); Buddha of Ibiraçu (statue, mile 355, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.