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A nice boat tour I took on Ilha Grande, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the half island tour (Meia Volta). It took me to a few of the beaches and coves on the bay side of the island to the north.
The beaches on the tour had calm waters and were suitable for swimming and snorkeling. We stopped for about 30-40 minutes at each spot. The tour should cost about R$150 (as of June 2024).
Blue Lagoon
At about 10:30am, I joined a group and took a speed boat from Vila do Abraão. Our first stop was the Blue Lagoon (Lagoa Azul), about 45 minutes away. We had a chance to jump off the boat and take a quick swim.
Parcel do Aripeba
Next was Parcel do Aripeba. I enjoyed this stop. It’s a cove with a tiny beach and a very short trail for some nice views.
Green Lagoon
We continued to the Green Lagoon (Lagoa Verde). This was the best place for snorkeling. There were lots of fish in the water and it was very calm. At this spot, we ordered lunch. The tour guide phoned our orders into the restaurant at the next stop.
Japariz
We had about an hour for lunch at Japariz. My fish lunch was ready on arrival which was nice, but it was overpriced and wasn’t the best quality. After we ate, there was time to walk along the beach. It wasn’t a good place to swim because there were lots of fishermen.
Saco do Céu
Saco do Céu, a large inlet, was the next stop. Nobody swam here. The boat just did a short loop through it. We saw a few stand-up paddle boards and some yachts.
Feiticeira Beach
The final stop was the relaxing Feiticeira Beach (Praia da Feiticeira). It had calm waves and soft powdery sand.
Conclusion
The tour was great, but the weather was cloudy and took away from the experience. A light rain fell a few times. I also didn’t like the giant oil platforms off the shore of Ilha Grande taking away from the scenery, but there’s nothing anyone could do about that.
