About 15 miles across at its widest point, Ilha Grande is a beautiful, tranquil island covered by tropical forest and rimmed by white sand beaches off Brazil’s Costa Verde. It is reached by a two hour car ride from Rio de Janeiro to the port of Mangaratiba, followed by a two hour ferry ride. Cars are not permitted on the island so there are no roads, just tracks through the forest, and this has helped restrict development on the island. Much of the island is a State Park which should hopefully limit any future development.
The reason that the forest has remained largely intact owes to what Brazilians call ‘Forces of Evil’. The island was first a pirates lair, then a leper colony and then up until 1994 an infamous prison which housed some of Brazil’s most notorious criminals. Today the island has a population of about 3000, mostly in the small town of Vila do Abraao.
The pousada we recommend on the island is a short boat ride or a few minutes walk from your arrival point in Villa do Abraao giving you the freedom to explore the island and its people on foot. There are other options we can arrange for you in more remote locations accessible only by boat. As well as plenty of time for relaxing, swimming and snorkelling, this extension includes a day trip to Lopes Mendes beach, considered by many to be the most beautiful beach in Brazil. This pristine 1.8 miles of white sand is reached by a boat ride to Mangues followed by a one hour walk through the forest.