Beach hikes
Two hikes in our catalogue end at the sea, and both start on an island. What rules the day isn't the climb: it's the boat or the ferry, and the time you get back.
Praia de Lopes Mendes, Ilha Grande (RJ)
There are no cars on the island. From Rio, a bus from Rodoviária Novo Rio toward Angra dos Reis, getting off at Conceição de Jacareí, then a boat to Vila do Abraão (fast boat about 15 min, schooner about 50 min). From Abraão there are two ways:
- Boat to Praia do Pouso, about R$ 30 round trip, then trail T11, 1 km, in 20 to 30 minutes.
- On foot from Abraão, by trails T10 and T11: about 5.6 km and 3 h one way.
Angra dos Reis' sustainable tourism fee, R$ 47.50 with the 2026 discount, mainly hits people arriving by bus, van or cruise ship; sources disagree on the amount. Lopes Mendes is open ocean, with waves, colder and rougher than other beaches on the island. The Super Sul boat, which stops there, can't anchor in rough seas: don't count on it.
See my day at Lopes MendesExample: a day on foot from Abraão, hour by hour
| 08:00 | Leave Vila do Abraão on trail T10. |
|---|---|
| ~11:00 | Lopes Mendes, about 3 h later. The left side, where the stream flows in, is usually quieter. |
| 14:30 | Start back on T11 to Praia do Pouso, 20 to 30 min. |
| ~15:00 | Boat from Pouso to Abraão. Check the last boat's time when you reach Pouso. |
The sources give no boat timetables: ask the boatman. Bring drinking water; on a cloudy weekday there are no vendors.
Trilha do Bonete, Ilhabela (SP)
Drive to São Sebastião and take the ferry to Ilhabela (15 to 20 min, 24 hours). From the ferry it's about 17 km to Ponta da Sepituba, where the trail starts; without a car, the Borrifos bus takes about an hour and drops you some 3 km from the gate. There's drinking water at the gate.
The whole trail is about 24 km round trip, with at least four climbs before the Curva da Mentira, your first view of the beach. For less, go only as far as Cachoeira da Laje (4.6 km round trip). Between Laje and Rio Areado there are fallen trees, erosion and no phone signal; there are snakes and blackflies. Residents say heavy rain makes the trail impassable. One source says the state park's trails need a free booking 24 h ahead; we couldn't confirm it.
See my day on the Bonete trailIf the first Bonete climb already feels hard, turn back: the rest is harder. Your free day shows the rain forecast while you're out.
Sources: Melhores Destinos, CVC, Esse Mundo é Nosso, Tribuna Online, Mochileiros (2017), Viagens e Caminhos. Boat prices from undated guides.
The trails in this guide (pages in Portuguese): Praia de Lopes Mendes, Bonete trail.