About Us

Blue Ocean Tour is your local connection in Rio de Janeiro!

Blue Ocean Tour was founded by carioca schoolmates that shared the same vision about tourism. We believe that traveling can make the world a better place once it offers the opportunity to understand other people realities.

Gathering different skills, we created a Tour Operator focused on providing solutions in tourism. We work to exceed expectations combining high quality services and competitive rates.

We understand that being an incoming tour operator in Rio means being able to offer the traveller the best experience he or she can get from the city. In an accessible way, Blue Ocean Tour wants to make you feel like a real carioca. To pull this off, we offer exclusive assistance through the 'tourism of solutions' concept. Since we know every traveller is unique and has his or her own preferences, we are aware of the importance of tailoring our services and packages.

Blue Ocean Tour also has a strong policy of developing long-term partnerships with suppliers. Doing so, and keeping a solid and permanent management of costs, we are able to maintain excellent rates. The perfect combination to fulfill your needs and expectations!

Apart from the traveller, we have a loyal commitment with the environment and its sustainability. Nature is our most valuable partner, because only through it are we able to offer you the best experience of your life.

WHL project has come to perfectly match with Blue Ocean Tour's Tourism Ideology. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to show our beloved hometown and helping to develop our local community, preserving our history, culture and environment.

Every year, Blue Ocean Tour neutralises the emissions of CO2 of its office by buying carbon offsets, following the pattern set by the global IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change), the body of scientific affairs for the UN climate change. Besides this action, we are constantly reducing waste in our operation such as having digital files rather than printed ones. Reusing is also a mandatory and important word throughout the office.

Our Team

Luiz Renato Malcher is the CEO of Blue Ocean Tour. He has studied  Computer Science and Physical Education at the State University of Rio de Janeiro and is an official licensed guide in Rio.

He is also a former professional football player and has been in the Tourism Business since 2003. He has shown his hometown to people from all the five continents and loves being in touch with the visitors that are eager to get to know the Carioca way of life and the city's highlights, sharing his time between the office duties and guiding people from different cultures. This is what makes him crazy about tourism.

During his time off Luiz goes for outdoors activities such as hiking into Tijuca National Park, bicycling around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon or playing foot-volley at Ipanema Beach. One of the most delightful moments he enjoys best in Rio is watching the sunset from the Arpoador Rock.

José Augusto Rocha is director of Blue Ocean Tour. He graduated in Engineering at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, has a master degree in Corporate Finance from the same school and has worked for some of the main companies in Brazil.

Nothing gives him more pleasure than travelling to get to know different places, cultures and people. Even though he has been to many countries, he assures nothing compares to his hometown. He is a sharing experience lover and wants to show travellers around the world the ‘Carioca way of life'.

Marcio Sarmento is also a director of Blue Ocean Tour and is in charge of the marketing department. He has graduated in Business Management at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and has developed business consulting focused in marketing for many companies in Rio.

As a former Water Polo professional athlete, he has joined the Brazilian National Team in different international competition such as World, Panamerican and South American tournaments. Travelling is one of his main passions and he has lived in Montreal, Canada for one year.