The view from the port of Angra dos Reis
First I want to let you know why I choose Ilha Grande. I love going to untouched places and Ilha Grande is just that. My trip started in Sao Paulo and we took the bus to Angra dos Reis, which by the way was the best bus drive I have experience. In the way there we met some people from Israel and USA that were traveling around Brazil and since I am from Brazil I could help them out a little bit . After you arrive in Angra you need to buy a boat ticket to Ilha Grande for about $10. The boat ride takes about one hour from Angra to Abrao which is the arriving port. They have a little village there with some restaurants and souvenir stores. The rest of the island is all protected and untouched by men. The water is clear and its perfect for scuba diving. We went to Lopes Mendes in the second day. You need to take a boat halfway and than walk half hour to get to the beach, and it is totally worth it. We went to the end of the beach where the water is clear green and there is a sweet water also running down the mountains. I felt like I was in a private island since it was just my husband and I over there. The hotel and food are really expensive since you don't have anywhere else to go unless you are camping and bringing your own food from the main land be prepared to spend big bucks. But I would totally recommend to anybody that wants a new and exciting experience.
