Small colonial town beach town vibes, many cute shops and restaurants, not crazy crowded, and many beautiful beaches and islands nearby.
monkeys and leopards, all kinds of nature and animals in this area.
3 days gets you a sense of the area, 1 week would be more appropriate to have chill days exploring both the town and all the water activities and nature nearby. If you had to stay a month, you still wouldn’t be bored…there are many things to do and see.
Where to stay:
- Old town – makes most sense since that’s where you’ll want to spend your time. Hanging around the vibrant old town and visiting historical sites.
Hostels & Hotels:
- Pousada Morada Do Sol – aka (Hostel Morada Do Sol).
Neighborhoods, walking areas, public squares:
Activities to do:
- Viewpoints, landmarks, sunsets, hikes:
- Buildings & architecture:
- Parks, gardens, green spaces:
- Beaches, bridges, water-points:
- Praia Grande (easy close beach) – ugly beach with boat and dirt, many kiosks around selling food but this really isn’t the place to be. Follow the short 300m hike trail from the parking lot to the next door Prainha de Praia Grande (little beach). Here there is one kiosk (which has good food) and enough room to chill. At high tide, the beach almost disappears.
- Praia de Sao Goncalo (to reach Praia da Ilha do Pelado):
- Nice beach. Crowded and full of people at the center, but then much more people and remote if you walk to the sides. Walk 10min to the east side and you reach the smaller Praia de Sao Goncalinho for more relax chill vibe.
- Most people come here to take a boat to Ilha do Pelado or Ilha do Cedro. Ilha do Pelado has a really nice small beach (lighter color sand & rocks). You can’t really walk around the island, only the front developed side can be explored. But you can get far enough to where there’s almost nobody around.
- There are multiple kiosks even though it all looks like one when you arrive. Walk around and check menu and prices. We regret choosing ours because the food and prices were expensive. Indeed it might have been better to eat at Goncalo but we didn’t want to waste any time there.
- Pro tip when you buy your boat ticket. Ask them to drop you off at Praia do Iriri, instead of back at Goncalo. This way you get to see 2 different beaches. And honestly, I liked Praia do Iriri better anyway!
- Praia do Iriri:
- My taxi driver’s favorite beach for good reason. It’s big and beautiful, nature scapes all around, lots of room on the sides to be away from people. The bonus is the big river passing by in the back and looping around to connect to the sea in front. The water in this area is much less salty due to the river oulets.
- Just across the street is the Cachoeira do Iriri waterful where you’ll also find the indigenous village Aldeia Pataxo. It looks like a small bunch of booths selling souvenirs and snacks on your way up to the waterfall. The waterfall is nice, easily reached within 2mins walk and interesting rock angles to relax around. Check photos to see if it’s worth your visit.
- Toca do Pastel – a well-decorated restaurant atop the hill with amazing views of the sea and islands. Right next to the restaurant is a semi-challenging 10min hiking trail down to a small beautiful beach below (Praia do Porto portela do Para).
- Arts, museums, culture:
- Markets, shopping:
- Tours:
Restaurants & Cafes:
Bars, clubs, and nightlife:
- There many bars everywhere.
Miscellaneous tips:
- ______ – quick travel guide
Itinerary:
- DAY 1 –
Nearby towns:
- Trindade** – nice hippie beach town nearby, has a different vibe from Paraty and only 35mins drive away. Also many nice beaches, must see if you’re already in the area.
Unfiltered notes: