Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pedra Azul
q
Espírito Santo.
@
from Vitória.
n
Parque Estadual da Pedra Azul,
(027) 3248 1156.
#
8am-5:30pm
daily.
9am & 1:30pm onward
daily.
www
.pedraazul.com.br
&
8
Sitting in a tiny island of
remnant Mata Atlântica forest,
the 500-m (1,640-ft) high
Pedra Azul (Blue Stone) rises
in the middle of the Parque
Estadual da Pedra Azul,
forming a stunning center
piece. Its natural color is an
almost polished blue-grey,
but shifts in hue and shade
depending on the light, coal-
black and brooding under a
dark cloud, burning orange
with the setting sun, or silvery
white under a full moon.
There is a small visitors'
center at the foot of the stone
which is a good place to
collect a detailed map of the
park. A park ranger will also
point out the trail leading up
to the stone - a fairly easy
but long walk punctuated by
nine natural pools where
visitors can take a refreshing
dip. The trail is closed during
and after heavy rains. Serious
climbers are permitted to
camp in the park for free.
The forest surrounding
Pedra Azul is small but it
is the nesting ground for a
diverse variety of wildlife.
Hummingbirds, tanagers, and
tiny tufted-eared marmosets
are a common sight.
Dramatic Pedra Azul, a granite monolith
Itaúnas
w
Espírito Santo.
behind the sea. Ocelots,
caimans, and capybaras live
here, along with an impres-
sive variety of rare waterbirds
and small mammals.
The smattering of hotels
in town offer dune buggy
tours, crossing dozens of
towering dunes and empty
turtle-nesting beaches, event-
ually reaching the sandy cliffs
on the state border with Bahia.
Itaúnas itself is surprisingly
lively for a town so small. It
is famous, particulary among
students, for its exuberant
samba
and
axé
parties, which
continue from December to
March, and exciting
forró
dance festival in July.
*
2,500.
@
from
Vitória.
_
Festa de Forró (Jul).
This sleepy little fishing town
lies tucked away in the far
north of Espírito Santo on
the border with Bahia. Long
strands of beaches stretch to
the north and south of the
town. These have drifted into
dunes so large that the first
Itaúnas lies submerged, the
remains of the original church
tower occasionally appearing
from the sand after a strong
wind. The town lies next to
the Rio Itaúnas which spreads
into broad marshy meadows
Sand dunes flanking the sleepy fishing town of Itaúnas along the Rio Itaúnas
