Ilhabela translates to “Beautiful Island”. That is a correct description of Brazil’s third largest island, located just a few hours from São Paulo. It’s a popular weekend getaway for Paulistas with some incredible beaches, hiking trails, and waterfalls. One warning – bring lots of bug spray. The mosquitoes and flies are brutal!
Ubatuba is Brazil’s self-proclaimed surfing capital. This laid-back beach city with a funny name and some of the most spectacular beaches in Brazil gave me the opportunity to live a surfer’s life for a few days. I never actually got out into the water to surf, but I had a great time in a house full of surfers.
Paraty (pronounced para-CHEE) is an open-air museum of Portuguese colonialism in Brazil. Wandering the cobblestone streets, visiting the art galleries and shops, and eating at one of the many good restaurants in town is well worth a visit for a day.
The longest and best boat tour I took on Ilha Grande, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the full island tour (Volta à Ilha). It takes visitors around the entire island in a speedboat, beginning and ending at Vila do Abraão. In my opinion, this boat tour stopped at the most beautiful beaches on the island. It should cost about R$220 (as of June 2025).
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.
Ilha Grande is an island just a few hours away from Rio de Janeiro, but a completely different world. There are no cars, no banks (so bring plenty of cash!), and dirt roads. The island is a lush green tropical paradise full of hiking trails and empty beaches, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. (UPDATE: a Caixa ATM machine has been installed at Vila do Abraão)
Armação dos Búzios, better known as Búzios, is a resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro. It was made popular in the 1964 when French actress Brigitte Bardot visited with her Brazilian boyfriend, Bob Zagury. This small town has several good beaches, great nightlife, and lots of shopping and restaurants.
With lots of choices for dining, eating in Brazil can be a great experience. Sometimes it’s cheap, sometimes expensive, but there are definitely some interesting options.
Petrópolis is a city in the highlands of Brazil, not too far from Rio de Janeiro. It was the summer residence of Brazilian emperors in the 19th century. Besides a beautiful drive from Rio through green forested hills, the climate is cooler and less humid, making it a nice escape for a day.