Are you looking for a relaxing getaway, hiking through green forests, and relaxing on stunning beaches? Look no further: Ilha Grande is the perfect place for a detox after the Rio parties. There are many great things to do in Ilha Grande, and I will tell you about the best ones in this blog.
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Table of Contents - The best things to do in Ilha Grande
What is Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande translates to Big Island and that is pretty much what it is: a rather big island just off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. It’s a very popular holiday destination for Cariocas (a nickname for people from Rio). The island is very green and has some stunning beaches. It’s the perfect getaway if you need a break from the buzzing city.
When to visit Ilha Grande
We visited Ilha Grande in the beginning of July and for me, this was perfect! It’s low season in Brazil, meaning that the island wasn’t super busy but also not deserted. The weather was also great. While it was hot and humid, we did still enjoy the hikes and it was also perfect weather for a nice swim at the end of the hikes.
I’d avoid the summer months (December to February) when it’s extremely hot and humid and also very busy. I would also avoid the weekends if you can because many Cariocas do like to spend the weekend on Ilha Grande (and for good reason!).
How to get to Ilha Grande
The best way to Ilha Grande is from Angra dos Reis. There are several daily buses that go to Angra dos Reis from other popular destinations in Brazil like Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, and Ubatuba.
The cheapest option to get from Angra dos Reis to Ilha Grande is by local ferry. There is one a day, leaving Angra dos Reis at 3.30 pm on weekdays and at 1.30 pm on weekends (at the time of writing). The crossing takes about 1.5 hours. In high season the ferry fills up quickly, so make sure to queue up in time. In the low season it’s fine. Tickets are sold on the spot.
If this time doesn’t suit you, or there is no more space, there are fast boats as well that make the crossing several times a day. Do note that they are 4-5x more expensive and are leaving from the neighboring pier.
You can also take a boat to Ilha Grande from Jacarei (speed boats) or Mangaratiba (both speed boats and ferries). For a complete overview of companies, routes and prices, you can find a good overview here.
If you don’t want any of the fuzz and don’t mind paying a little extra, it’s also possible to book a bus + boat transfer between the city of Rio de Janeiro and Ilha Grande.
Getting around Ilha Grande
While there are some roads on Ilha Grande, large parts of the island are only accessible on foot or by taxi boat. There is no public transport on the island, except for some public boats that travel between the central point of Abraão and smaller remote towns on the island.
Where to stay in Ilha Grande
The main port and the most popular and central place to stay is Abaão. I recommend staying here, as this is most likely the town where you’ll arrive and leave from and has everything you’ll need.
From here you can also hike to some of the most popular beaches on the island like Lopes Mendes (considered the most beautiful beach on the island) and Dois Rios.
What to do in Ilha Grande
The best thing to do in Ilha Grande is getting out and enjoying nature. From hiking trails to beaches, there are many beautiful places on this island worth a visit.
Hiking
Abraão to Lopes Mendes beach
This hike is about 7 km one way and leads past several beautiful beaches before reaching Lopes Mendes Beach. The hike is a little challenging since you need to cross three hills. The first one is quite tall, but the good news is that, once you’ve conquered that one, the rest of the trail is easier. The other two hills are not nearly as high.
What makes Lopes Mendes such a nice beach is the fact that it’s a huge and virgin beach. The boats that take you here, only take you as far as Praia Pouso. From here you’ll still need to walk. This is also the last place to buy food and drinks if you want to, but I recommend bringing everything with you from town since it’s expensive here.
The beach is not so good for swimming, due to the currents. The lifeguards might let you enter the shallow water at certain places, but if you’re looking for a good swimming beach, the beaches on the way here are better. Lopes Mendes Beach does offer some nice natural shade. Or you can go for a stroll on the beach and see if you can find some of the Mico monkeys that are quite common in Brazil.
Boat transfer- If you don’t want to hike all the way to Lopes Mendes, you can also get here by boat. You can buy a return trip for a slow or fast boat. It’s also possible to just get a one way, so you could hike there and opt for a boat transfer if you don’t want to hike back.
Abraão to Praia de Dois Rios
The best way to hike to Praia Dois Rios is via the road on Google Maps. Mapy.cz (my all-time favorite hiking app) will also show you some shortcuts on hiking trails, but the first one is very steep and quite slippery. The road, while longer (about 9.5 km one way), is easier. This was the only shortcut we took. For the rest of the hike, and the whole way back, we just followed the road. The way back took us the same time as the way there.
Dois Rios means two rivers and at this beach, two rivers disembark in the sea: one on each side. The beach is nice, but the beauty does depend on the weather. We visited after a day of rain and the rivers brought down a lot of mud and other stuff from the hills. The sea was also quite choppy since it was getting high tide. So the water was quite dark and turmoil. If circumstances are better, the water can be crystal clear. But I still enjoyed it.
There is a small town here as well, where you can go for a stroll and look at the former prison and some ruins.
Pico do Papagaio
Pico do Papagaio is one of the highest points on the island. It’s an intense hike to the top, as you’ll need to ascend 900 meters in 5 km and the climate is very humid. So we decided to skip this one.
We enjoyed the above two hikes, which were about 350m ascend each, one way, but that was also quite enough for us. And we had the bonus that we could finish at a beach. If you are up for a bigger challenge, you can consider Pico do Papagaio. The views from the top are very beautiful on a clear and we did certainly consider doing this hike as well.
Other hikes
There are many other hiking trails on the island. You could for example hike to the Feiticeira waterfall and beach, or there is even a trail that goes around the whole island! The complete loop is of course not possible in a day, but if you are up for the challenge it’s a great way to get to know the island and the different towns on it. It didn’t quite fit our itinerary this time, but it’s something I’d love to do if I go back to Ilha Grande.
Boat tours
If you don’t feel like hiking, but still want to visit some nice beaches, fear not. You can also visit some of the island’s stunning beaches by boat. The most popular boat trip is one that takes you to Lagoa Azul (blue lagoon, only accessible by boat) where you can snorkel, amongst other places.
Relax on the beach
If you just want to relax at a beautiful and remote beach, you might want to look at one of the more remote accommodations to stay at. They will have more beautiful beaches than Abraão. But Abraão also has some smaller beaches which are close to town. We spent our last day at the small but nice Praia do Galego for example. At next door beach Praia Preta you can find a stall that prepares delicious caipirinhas to make the whole experience complete.
Party
Ilha Grande is not known as a party destination, but that doesn’t mean there is no party at all! Brazil wouldn’t be Brazil without a party. Two of the most popular places to go are Che Lagarto and Aquario.
