Where to go in Green Coast

Watched over by a series of jungle-clad mountains, Paraty, once a prominent station on the ‘Gold Trail’, is a whimsical, history-ridden town. Wandering through its cobbled, car-free streets feels like you’ve entered a living museum lined with whitewashed colonial mansions, Baroque churches and the hilltop Forte Defensor Perpetuo – enjoy the best views in town while you’re up there. Paratay is also a gateway to dozens upon dozens of delicious islands and beaches that are home to every watersport imaginable, while hikes or horseback rides into the jungle will leave your head spinning with visions of banana-billed toucans, blue morpho butterflies and monkeys. Then there are the festivals, which range from literary celebrations and Cachaça tasting events (Brazil’s beloved sugarcane liquor) to exquisite, fresher-than-fresh seafood feasts, just as the local fishing communities make it.

A seaweed-ensconced shell just off the coast of Paraty, Ilha Grande is the kind of place where a successful day is measured in the distance hiked or hours snorkelled. A pirates’ hideout turned leper colony turned high-security prison – aka Brazil’s own Alcatraz – Ilha Grande is now a beach paradise (there are over 100 of them) where cars don’t exist and everyone’s always welcome. A protected Biological Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island’s interiors are a riot of wildlife from toucans to endangered woolly spider monkeys, while its waters are as idyllic as they come – snorkel, surf and beach-hop by boat to your heart’s content. The main hub (if you can call it that) has a handful of charming pousadas and cafes, but zero ATMs, so bring cash, plenty of sunscreen and your sense of adventure.