Ilha Grande: a Rio Treasure

If your trip to Rio is long or if you already know the city and you would like to explore more highlights of the state of Rio de Janeiro, there are great options, like Búzios and Petrópolis (you can read our in-depth blogs about them here and here). But farther away from the Marvellous City you will find Costa Verde, an area that includes Paraty, Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande (that actually belongs to the second one) and is famous for its pretty green waters, paradisiacal beaches and amazing landscapes. We can guarantee a short trip to Ilha Grande will make your trip to Rio even better!

If you have just a day to explore the area, the easiest way to get there is with a guided tour to Angra and Ilha Grande. It's almost a 4 hours drive, but is not really exhausting because of the amazing views on the way. You go south of Rio and drive through Serra do Mar. Once you get to Angra, you will go on an incredible boat trip and visit some of the most beautiful beaches of Rio. The main stop is at Ilha Grande, where will you stop for lunch and have time to sit back and enjoy the beautiful nature and beaches.

If you have more time to explore the Costa Verde, we would recommend a longer trip to Ilha Grande – which is the biggest of the more than 300 hundred islands Angra dos Reis city has. The “Big Island” is relatively easy to get to from Rio. You get the bus from Rio's central bus terminal Rodoviario Novo Rio to Mangaratiba, Conceição Jacareí or Angra and then take a boat to Vila do Abrãao, the touristic and commercial hot spot of Ilha Grande.

[caption id="attachment_8041" align="alignnone" width="640"] Vila do Abrãao: Ilha Grande "downtown" / source[/caption]

Once you are on Ilha Grande, there are a lot of activities to choose from. You can hang out on the closest beach, do a hiking trail to a waterfall, or take a boat tour – the favourite activity for tourists there. The tours in Ilha Grande are sold in various tour provider shops in the village centre and vary from a simple trip to Lopes Mendes Beach (considered one of the best beaches in Brazil) to a night excursion to a romantic restaurant out at sea. The prices range from R$ 15 to R$ 500 and there is a tour for every taste – you will definitely have a favourite by the end of your trip to Ilha Grande.

[caption id="attachment_8042" align="alignnone" width="640"] Beautiful Lopes Mendes beach - an Ilha Grande must see! / source[/caption]

The most famous one is the ride to Lopes Mendes, but there are other popular options, like half-day boat trips to places like Lagoa Verde,Gruta do Acaiá and other islands of Angra dos Reis. Another great option is to go all around the island with a more modern boat (lancha), in a full day tour, where you'll get to see beaches you would not visit otherwise, like Aventureiro Beach.

[caption id="attachment_8043" align="alignnone" width="640"] Aventureiro Beach's / source[/caption]

If you prefer walking or hiking, there are trails all over the island. You could explore all the beaches on the island, which would probably take you almost a week. More accessible routes take you from Vila do Abrãao to stunning beaches in 20 minutes or to a more far flung, deserted ones in about 3 hours.

[caption id="attachment_838" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Lagoa Verde - one of Ilha Grande's snorkelling spots / source[/caption]

But its not how you get to the beaches, it's the landscape itself. Just to have an idea, Brazilians from all over the country – that are used to natural beauty – visit Ilha Grande and tend to classify it as one of the most beautiful places they have ever been to. Some of it has to do with its atmosphere: it is an inhabited, but still beautifully preserved island, where there are people living and co-existing with nature, without cars, buses, trains and anything that could categorise it as a regular neighbourhood or city. It is is simply Ilha Grande. And you should definitely visit it!

If you want more ideas of places to visit close to Rio de Janeiro, check out our tours and activities outside of Rio!