A paradise on Earth

A little island with no cars or traffic lights. Pristine beaches, waterfalls, deep jungle, nice hikes.

Sunset barbecues on the beach, night talks with the help of some caipirinhas and good music until the end of the day.

Is this a dream? Is this the paradise? No, this place is very real and it is called Ilha Grande, on Brazil’s Green Coast.

After almost eleven months traveling, I decided to slow down a bit and I spent almost one week in Ilha Grande. I was staying at Che Lagarto hostel, definitely not the most quiet place on the island, but I liked the idea to reach my hostel barefoot (when the tide was high), through the beach and . . . its view! Breakfast and night caipirinhas where always taken on the hostel’s wooden deck with fabulous views over the bay, it was fantastic.

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Despite its size it is quite easy to escape the crowds and beach parties by hiking a few steps out of the town in any direction and that’s what I did: nice short walks crossing virgin Atlantic forest cover the whole island and the effort was always rewarded with a (cold) bath in a remote pristine beach. In Ilha Grande there are also boat tours and other sea activities but I preferred to walk in the morning and chill out with my computer on the deck in the afternoon.

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And like this, without not many adventures to tell, 5 quiet days in Ilha Grande flew by and it was time to take the boat back to the mainland (and another destination).

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My Tips :

  • If you are coming from Rio, the best (and safest) transportation option in my opinion is the shuttle (van + boat) option proposed by the hostels. Of course it costs a little bit more but it’s faster (Rio – Ilha Grande is a long journey), more comfortable and it avoids you to go through Rio’s bus station with all your stuff which is not the safest place on earth;
  • To go from Ilha Grande to Paraty there is the same shuttle boat + van option proposed by the hostels but in this case it is very easy to do it by yourself because in Angra dos Reis, where the boats drop you off, the bus stop to Paraty is just in front of the harbor.

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Quirky explorer with a preference for lesser-known sights, I am continuously looking for new ideas and tips to help you plan your dream World Tour!