Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 252

ARRAIAL DO CABO
Tipped by those in the know to have the
best beaches east of Rio, the small fishing
town of ARRAIAL DO CABO has many of
the attractions of Búzios, 40km northeast,
but without the crowds, nightlife and price
tag. The draw here is relaxing on a
stunning peninsula between sea, sand dune
and lagoon, with beaches like the 23km
Praia Grande and smaller turquoise gems
Praia do Forno (for snorkelling), Prainha
da Pontal and Praia Brava (for surfing). All
have a rich marine life and excellent diving.
Boat trips are available to the beaches of
nearby Ilha do Farol and the aptly named
Grotto Azul (Blue Grotto), a cavern
famous for its deep blue water.

980m. There's little to see in Abraão itself,
but it's a pleasant base from which to
explore the island. A 30-minute walk
along the coast west are the ruins of the
Antigo Presídio , a former prison for
political prisoners that was dynamited in
the early 1960s. Among the ruins, you'll
find the cafofo , the containment centre
where prisoners who had failed in escape
attempts were immersed in freezing
water. Just fifteen minutes inland from
Abraão, overgrown with vegetation,
stands the Antigo Aqueduto , which used
to channel the island's water supply.
There's a fine view of the aqueduct from
the Pedra Mirante , a hill near the centre
of the island, and, close by, a waterfall
provides the opportunity to cool off.
For the most part the beaches
- Aventureiro , Lopes Mendes , Canto ,
Júlia and Morcegoare , to name a few
- are wild, unspoilt and most easily
reached by boat, though most have
some form of basic accommodation or
campsites. Araçatiba is home to a sizeable
village, accessed by boat direct from
Angra dos Reis on the mainland.

3

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Direct buses leave Rio daily at 2 hourly intervals,
more frequently early in the morning and after 5pm (4hr;
R$42).
Destinations Frequent buses ply the route from Arraial do
Cabo to neighbouring Cabo Frio (14km), which is halfway
to Búzios.

ACCOMMODATION
Marina dos Anjos Rua Bernardo Lens 145 T 22 2622 4060,
W marinadosanjos.com.br. Drawing mainly Brazilians from
Rio and Minas Gerais for the easy-going beach life, this
HI hos tel is pleasingl y social l with great communal areas.
Dorms R$50 , doubles R$130

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By bus Buses depart from Rio's rodoviária to the ferry ports.
Mangaratiba (5 daily; 4hr); Angra dos Reis (hourly; 5hr).
By ferry Boats depart from Mangaratiba, leaving at
8am (and 10.30pm Fri), returning at 5.30pm ( W www
.grupoccr.com.br/barcas; R$5; 80min). From Angra dos
Reis, boats leave at 3.30pm Mon-Fri and 1.30pm at
weekends, returning at 10am every day (R$6.50, R$10 at
weekends; 1hr 20min).
Tourist information There is a tourist o ce in Angra
dos Reis at Av Ayrton Senna ( T 24 3365 5186), but no
o ce on the island itself. Online try W ilhagrande.org.
Bring plenty of cash: there's no ATM, nowhere to change
money and few places accept credit cards. The Elite Dive
Center ( T 24 3361 5501, W elitedivecenter.com.br) is the
only PADI-registered dive centre on the island.

ILHA GRANDE
ILHA GRANDE comprises 193 square
kilometres of mountainous jungle,
historic ruins and beautiful beaches;
excellent for some scenic tropical
rambling. The entire island, lying about
150km southwest of Rio, is a state park
with limits on building development and
a ban on motor vehicles.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Ilha Grande offers lots of beautiful
walks along well-maintained and fairly
well-signposted trails. As you approach
the low-lying, whitewashed colonial port
of Vila do Abraão , the mountains rise
dramatically from the sea, and in the
distance there's the curiously shaped
summit of Bico do Papagaio (“Parrot's
Beak”), which ascends to a height of

ACCOMMODATION
Great pousadas are to be found all over Ilha Grande, though
Abraão has the largest choice (generally mid-priced).
Reservations are essential in the high season, especially
at weekends, but prices may be halved off-season. Camping
at a designated site is a decent alternative too (expect
to pay R$15-20/person). Abraão has a number of basic
campsites (ask at the jetty) while nearby Praia das Palmas
is a more scenic alternative: W campingparaiso.com and