Ilha Grande, an island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, lives mainly from tourism. There are 15 hiking trails, snorkelling trips to the islands next to Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, or simply sunbathing on the beaches. Want to stay for 2 or 3 days, but don’t know where to stay on Ilha Grande?
In this guide, you’ll find all the information you need to know about where to stay in Ilha Grande, the best places to stay and their atmosphere, things to do in the area, how to get around and where to stay. For each location, we also provide a list of hotels.
Things you need to know
Before going into detail on each area to help you decide where to stay in Ilha Grande, here are some key things you need to know about the city. This’ll give you a better idea of the city.
Our favorite places to stay
If you’re in a hurry, here are our top places to stay in Ilha Grande:
- $ This affordable establishment overlooks the beach,
- $$ This quality accommodation, faces the sea,
- $$ This typical hotel, offers suites with lovely views.
Map of different areas to stay in Ilha Grande
Here’s a map which includes our picks of hotels and flats. You can also use this map to pinpoint the different areas we’ll cover in this guide.
We’ve used the following colour code: green for budget hotels, blue for mid-range hotels and red for luxury hotels.
Essentials to stay in Ilha Grande
Areas where to stay in Ilha Grande
Let’s get to the heart of the matter with a review of the main areas where we recommend staying in Ilha Grande.
Stay in Abraão, the vibrant heart of the island
Abraão is the largest town on the island. Dynamic and touristy, this is generally where most tourists prefer to stay, simply because the rest of the island is wilderness.
Being the most urbanised, it is the gateway to Ilha Grande. Coming by boat, you'll disembark on the only pontoon on the main beach. With your feet in the sand, you'll discover colourful little houses, street art, beach restaurants, cafés in the centre, travel agencies, souvenir shops and more. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
Note that there aren't really any roads - it's forbidden to drive a car or motorbike anyway. So we travel by taxi-boat. This means of transport allows you to reach the various beaches of Ilha Grande. The other way is on foot. The various hiking trails take you to the most remote corners of the island. Ilha Grande is very popular for its hiking trails. At the start of walk T1, you can see the ruins of the old aqueduct or the Ruínas do Lazareto.
As you will have gathered, the second major activity is relaxing on the various beaches. Note that the Lopes Mendes beach, reputed to be the most beautiful in Brazil (and in the world in 2016), is surrounded by lush greenery. This is where Brazilian surfers go to practise. It can be reached by following a precise itinerary. From Abraão, take hike T10 and you'll arrive at Praia do Mangue, where you can take hike T11. It will take you 3 to 4 hours to get there. For the less sporty, opt for the taxi boat.
Abraão has a lively nightlife. When night falls, the atmosphere is festive, with lots of music and young people.
The most common type of establishment in Brazil, and especially around Rio, is the ‘pousada’. These are small inns set in typical natural surroundings. As there is very little accommodation on the whole island, you should be aware that these places to stay in Ilha Grande are fairly expensive. This is clearly where you'll find the most pousadas.
Places to stay
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Inexpensive establishment directly on the beach. Its location is therefore excellent: it is also 50m from the ferry landing stage. A varied breakfast is included in all packages. Clean rooms and attentive staff. This is the place to stay if you're on a tight budget.
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This pousada is 60m from the beach. Several rooms have a hammock on the balcony facing the sea. Breakfast is included in all packages. Clean, modern and welcoming, this is one of the best places to stay in Ilha Grande.
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Very pleasant pousada facing the sea. Some rooms have a small terrace with a hammock. It is conveniently located just a few minutes from the centre of Abraão.
Accommodation in Praia de Araçatiba, between beach and jungle
To the west lies Praia de Araçatiba, the second best place to stay in Ilha Grande. Here you can relax, enjoy nature and take advantage of the hiking trails. There's not much to do here, but it's the change of scenery that's the main attraction.
The main reason for coming here is to enjoy the beaches, particularly Praia Grande de Araçatiba, which runs along the entire bay. Other nearby beaches include Praia de Araçatibinha and Praia Longa. Don't miss Flutuante Lagoa Verde, a cove to be discovered at dawn when it is still deserted, before the tourists invade.
As for hiking, there's the T6, which heads north, and the T7, T8 and T9, which explore the south towards Acaia and Proveta.
To get to Praia de Araçatiba, you need to take a taxi-boat from Abraão. It takes an average of 30 minutes to connect the two points.
As for places to stay in Ilha Grande in this area, there are a few interesting pousadas. They are ideal for those on a budget. In the evenings, these are quiet places to enjoy a certain tranquillity.
It's a good compromise between nature and a small village , with walks and beaches, without being completely isolated.
Our choice of places to stay
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An idyllic setting for this pousada in the heart of nature. From its hilltop terrace, you can enjoy views over the Lagamar lagoon. The place is welcoming and the rooms have a hammock on the balcony. A real haven of peace where you can stay in Ilha Grande.
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A quality establishment facing the sea. Breakfast, which is of good quality, is served on the terrace overlooking the bay. There are a number of activities available in the surrounding area and the staff are very helpful.
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An establishment with a terrace overlooking the water. This pousada offers suites with a view. The restaurant's cuisine is very good, with fresh fish. The place is authentic and stands out from the tourist establishments. One of the best places to stay in Ilha Grande.
Stay in the north, near Lagoa Azul
The last place to stay in Ilha Grande is in the north, near Lagoa Azul. This is the perfect place to relax, since it's conducive to total disconnection. Located in the middle of nature, it still has that authentic, heavenly, isolated-from-the-world feel.
Unsurprisingly, the island's main activities are to be found here: sunbathing on the beach and hiking in the jungle. However, there's a must-see here: Lagoa Azul. This natural site is made up of several islets and turquoise waters where you can snorkel to admire the turtles. Excursions are available for this outing.
The area is only accessible by cab boat. It takes about 30 minutes by boat from Abraão.
We suggest two of the few establishments to be found in the area. Accessible, they promise a change of scenery and total tranquility. Note that these two addresses are scattered to the north. To get around or reach Lagoa Azul, you'll need a cab boat.
Unless you want to deliberately go off-center to enjoy the calm and serenity of the area, we don't recommend this remote zone to those in need of comfort.
Our places to stay
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Facing the Praia de Bananal Grande, this guest house offers spacious rooms with sea views and home cooking. Breakfast is included in all packages. The site is beautiful and surrounded by nature. Taxi boat required to get to Lagoa Azul.
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This pousada is completely isolated from the rest of the world, has its own private beach and faces the sea. There is a spa area with sauna, swimming pool and jacuzzi. There is a restaurant and bar on site. Rooms have a hammock on the balcony overlooking the beach. A good place to stay in Ilha Grande to recharge your batteries.
This guide ends here. Now you know where to stay in Ilha Grande. Choose Abraão for a lively, friendly atmosphere, the west with the Praia de Araçatiba for more nature and the north near Lagoa Azul for total tranquillity.