Angra dos Reis is comprised of 365 islands and two thousand beaches filled with natural beauty, legends and social events. It is located in the Fluminense Green Coast, between the States of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, on the margins of the Rio-Santos Highway (BR-101).
To know well this part of the Fluminense Green Coast, one must travel by boat, being able to see the crystalline waters, and the mansions of the rich and famous, erected on private islands.
Among all of its islands, Ilha Grande stands out. Considered the paradise of adventurers, with its trails, waterfalls and deserted beaches, it played an important role in Brazil’s historical-cultural scenario for having housed a prison for almost 60 years.
In the past, Angra dos Reis was one of the most important ports of the Fluminense coast. Ships loaded with goods docked there from the other side of the world. Slave ships also arrived there with hundreds of slaves to supply forced labor in the coffee plantations of the region.
Today, in addition to a national and international tourism reference point, Angra is the stage to intense debate due to the installation of the only Brazilian nuclear plants, Angra I and Angra II.
Ilha Grande
It is the largest of all Angra dos Reis Islands. It has fascinating landscapes, 86 beaches with different characteristics, backwaters, rivers, lagoons, waterfalls, plains, mountains and peaks spread out over 193 km². The proximity between the Atlantic Forest and the sea is quite close and the paradisiacal sites are abundant. Many beaches are accessible only by trail or boat.
The Ilha Grande bay accommodates one of the largest concentrations of shipwrecks in the world, and is an excellent option for the practice of diving. Standing out in these scenarios, locations such as Lage do Guriri (Ponta de Castelhanos), Jorge Grego Island, Meros and Naufragios Island. The ocean floor presents a great variety of fish, corals and caves with sizes varying between 10 and 20 m tall.
Ilha Grande is a sensational location for trekking, trails and walks. There are many options, from hills, mountains, brooks, rocks, slopes and beaches, most of which are within the Atlantic Forest. The island has some urban centers such as Abraão Village, where one can find restaurants, inns and commerce. It is 1 hr 30 min by boat from Angra dos Reis.