City break in Ilha Grande. Active leisure ideas for Ilha Grande - attractions, recreation and nightlife

Ilha Grande can be proudly called as one of the cleanest islands in the world. The pure and unspoiled nature, many kilometers of forests, clean beaches, waterfalls, mountain rivers – any fan of active tourism will find here something for themselves. There is just no sense to try to find a car rental here on the islands. The reason for it is that all kinds of motorized wheeled vehicles are forbidden on Ilha Grande’s territory. Town Council’s transport, police and ambulance cars, and garbage trucks are the only exception. Here you won’t find any motorbikes or scooters. In case if you need to get to the remote parts of the island, then you’ll have to rent a powerboat or a bicycle.

However, it’s pretty comfortable to move around the city with a mountain bike. The kilometers of the dirt roads can easily lead you to any destination you’re looking for. There is also a bunch of bicycle rent points on the island for quite a good price, so you’ll certainly find something proper. But still, the best transport would be your own feet. There is the local national park which stretches all over the island and it includes more than 150 km of routes of any complexity. So here you can slowly walk around the territory for a few hours or you can go camping for a whole day and try different landscapes from lowland to hills and mountains and feel like a true conqueror of the wild nature.

If you’re really good shaped, take a chance and go to a two-hours-long climb of Pico do Papagaio. In addition, the pick of the mountain is the highest point of the island. During the hike you would see a great diversity of local flora and fauna and then, as you reach the pick, take some picturesque photos of the island - the view from Pico do Papagaio is really fascinating. Pygmy marmosets, sloths, lizards, iguanas, various snakes, and even caimans inhabit the island. Commonly the animals don’t try confronting with people, but still be careful. For instance, pygmy marmosets could actually steal something if you are not vigilant. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

During the walks around the Ilha Grande forests you can sometimes hear heartrending noises. These are just screams of howler monkeys (also known as «bugios»). There are few colonies of these endangered animals. If you wish to see the nature of the adjacent lands, then you can rent a boat in the capital’s port. The excursion boats also come from there. Besides, if you’re found of sea fishing, here you can rent equipment and a boat and find one of the local instructors who are keen on fishing. Fans of windsurfing and kiteboarding would also like it here on the island. And those who want to learn water skiing would easily find a coach among the islanders (it’s better to do on Dois Rios or Parnaioca).

Those tourists who enjoy snorkeling would definitely enjoy clear water and a great variety of marine animals of Saco do Céu. Here you can not only swim in the sea but also bask in the river mouth, as water there is always so nicely warm. If you’re not that good in swimming, then Lopes Mendes – one of the most popular beaches on the island – is a perfect choice for you: it’s not deep here and all the points with the dangerous flow are marked with buoys. Abraão Cove is a perfect option for people who prefer to take everything from a trip. Here there are shallow waters for the beginners, a rent point for snorkeling and surfing, lots of shops, cafes, and bars nearby. And all the major nightclubs of the island are located in the vicinity of Abraão.

Cachadao is a perfect place for romantics. It’s a small cozy beach 15 meters long and it’s not touristy. What is more, according to a legend, pirates hid their treasures just right here. Las Palmas is divided into five different beaches and the most popular one is named the same. The wild Aventureiro beach is also tremendously beautiful and it’s covered with silver sand. More and more divers come to the island in recent years. And it’s quite clear – here you can dive all year round and there are also various sets both for beginners and professionals, the diving school, and the plurality of sunken ships in the water area along with reach flora and fauna and underwater caves.