Ilha Grande is an island off the coast of Brazil, it’s about 160km from Rio de Janeiro. It’s a popular getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, with white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters and lush forest to explore. No cars are allowed on Ilha Grande so it really feels like an island paradise. You can visit on a day trip, but in order really enjoy the laid back vibe you stay for at least 2 days.
How to get to Ilha Grande
The main port on the island is Vila do Abraao so that’s where you’ll catch a boat to. There are 3 different options where you can catch a boat from, each with their perks.
- Mangaratiba
- This port is closest to Rio however there is only one boat a day. It leaves at 8am, on Fridays there is another boat at 10pm. This boat is really big and can carry between 500-1000 people. The boat trip takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to get to Abraao.
- Angra dos Reis
- This port is closest to Sao Paulo however there is only one boat that departs. It leaves at 3:30pm on weekdays and 1:30pm on weekends. This boat is also really big and can carry between 500-1000 people. The boat trip takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to get to Abraao.
- Conceicao de Jacarei
- This is the closest port to Ilha Grande so the journey by boat is much shorter and there are lots of departures. The trip takes around 20 minutes to get to the island and each boat can carry around 40-50 people. The boats run regularly and you can buy tickets from the shops when you get to Conceicao de Jacarei. We got the boat from here because there were so many departure options and since we were flying into Rio in the morning we would’ve missed the boat from Mangaratiba.
You can book a bus or transfer to Ilha Grande, many of these will include the boat fare as well. From Rio most of these transfers will go from Conceicao de Jacarei due to flexibility of departures. However when we looked at booking a transfer, we wouldn’t have been able to make the transfer as there wasn’t enough time after our plane landed. So we actually took an uber. This was super easy to get from the airport. There are massive signs encouraging you to use uber and of course with free wifi there was no problem ordering one.
I’d recommend taking Uber if you are going from the airport as it wasn’t very expensive and was in fact cheaper than the transfer. However on the way back from Ilha Grande we left late in the afternoon and so booked onto a transfer to take us to our hotel in Rio which we booked from one of the shops in Abraao. We did this because we didn’t see any ubers in the area when we arrived so didn’t want to be stuck in Conceicao de Jacarei at night trying to get an uber. I’d definitely recommend dong this as it saves your stress about figuring out how to get back to Rio.
What to do?
There are so many things to do here from hiking, diving, snorkelling and relaxing on the beaches. Unfortunately when we were on Illha Grande it rained the whole time! We still didn’t let that stop us from visiting some of the places. However, it did mean that it wasn’t quite the tropical paradise we were hoping for. I really want to go back to experience Ilha Grande properly! I’ve listed some of the best things to do below
Lopes Mendes Beach
This beach is absolutely amazing it is a long white sandy beach with shallow turquoise blue waters. One of the best things about this beach is that you have hike a short 20 minutes to get there. You’ll have to take a boat from Abraao to Pouso and then hike through the forest. The boats leave 3 times a day in the morning and depart Pouso to come back 3 times in the afternoon. Whne we visited it started torrentially raining which made hiking the short 20 minutes a lot longer. Especially as flip flops don’t have a lot of grip on the muddy ground especially when it’s uphill. On the beach there are a few people selling water, beers and caipirinhas but if you want other snacks I’d recommend bringing your own!
Half/Full day boat tour
Boat tours are very popular in Ilha Grande. There are two options a half day tour or a full day tour. Both take you to similar places however the full day will obviously have more stops. We chose a half day tour as we only had a limited amount of time especially with the poor weather as well. It was such a fun tour, we visited the green lagoon, the blue lagoon, ate lunch on the beach and visited a few other places. You can book your tour when you get to Abraao, there are lots of tour operators and different tours depending on what you fancy.
Pico de Papagaio
This is the second highest peak on the island and it’s a 2-3 hour hike to get to the top. The views look absolutely amazing! I really wanted to do a sunrise hike here however when we enquired at one of the tour agencies. They phoned the guide who said that the trail was not open due to the rain it wasn’t safe.
Hiking
There are so many hiking trails round Ilha Grande. We followed one round the island along the coast which took us to 5 different beaches which was so beautiful. You could hike to Cachoeira de Feticiera waterfall. When you get to Abraao, any of the tour agencies can point out the best walks to you and recommend some!
Top tips for Ilha Grande:
- Bring cash as not everywhere accepts card and there aren’t many ATMs on the island
- Book your accommodation in advance as during the peak season and on long weekends in Brazil places get booked up quickly
- Since there are no cars you’ll be walking everywhere so you’re responsible for carrying your baggage to your hotel
- Bring a good sturdy pair of shoes especially if you want to go hiking
- There are lots of easy trails round the island which are really nice to walk along
Have a read of my 10 day Brazil itinerary and how to make the most of your visit to Iguazu Falls!
