Here’s our annual rewrite of our list of our list of favourite places in Brazil (previous editions include Top 10: favourite places in Brazil and 10 must-see places in Brazil).

Here is the 2011 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

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4. the Pantanal (Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul)

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5. Alter do Chão and the river Tapajós (Pará)

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6. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

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7. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

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8. Brasilia (Distrito Federal)

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9. Boipeba (Bahia)

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10. Curitiba (Paraná)

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RELATED POSTS:
10 must-see places in Brazil (2010 edition)
10 must-see places in Brazil (2009 edition)
Brazil 12 months 12 destinations
top 10 Brazilian beaches – 2009 edition
São Paulo’s top ten

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The latest round of imagery update by Google brought updated high-resolution coverage to new areas of Ilha Grande.

You can now see the details of all the constructions at the former Dois Rios penitentiary.

See larger map

If you need any reasons to visit the island, have a look from above at idylic Lagoa Azul.

See larger map

Or the equally beautiful Mangues and Pouso beaches.

See larger map

How about reaching this beautiful yet unknown corner of the most famous Ilha Grande beach?

See larger map

The recent images show the scar left by the landslide that provoked the Ilha Grande tragedy at the beginning of the year.

See larger map

Memories of the tragedy returned this week when I saw the publicity being made of a new “luxury” and supposedly “eco” pousada recently opened on the island and built (literally!) on top of giant boulders by the sea. God knows who gave permission for that horrendous building to be constructed. Chances are we will only find out if there is ever a new tragedy.

The starting point to all the information we have on Ilha Grande is this blog’s post destination: Ilha Grande.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Ilha Grande
trekking in Ilha Grande
map of Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande: photo album
the situation in Ilha Grande after the tragedy

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Facebook

Here’s our anual rewrite of our list of our list of favourite places in Brazil (previous editions include Top 10: favourite places in Brazil and 10 must-see places in Brazil). Here is the 2010 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

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4. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

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5. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

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6. Brasilia (Distrito Federal)

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7. Boipeba (Bahia)

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8. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

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9. Inhotim (Minas Gerais)

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10. Rio de Janeiro

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RELATED POSTS:
Brazil 12 months 12 destinations
top 10 Brazilian beaches – 2009 edition
São Paulo’s top ten

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter

Up until very recently both Google Maps and Google Earth had low-resolution coverage for most of Ilha Grande. Now the resolution has been improved and it is a good time to give Google Earth a go and perform a virtual tour around the island – make sure you mark the option “terrain” on the Layers menu.

You will be able to see the exact location of the enseada de Bananal, scenario of the recent Ilha Grande tragedy.

From higher above you’ll get an overall view of the island and a good understanding of the location of its different beaches. Vila do Abraão is at the bottom left of the picture.

If you go to the continent you will spot the unlikely location for the two Brazilian nuclear reactors.

If downloading and using Google Earth is not an option, you can always check the map of Ilha Grande we prepared for the blog.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Ilha Grande
map of Ilha Grande
photos of Ilha Grande

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Most of you will be aware of the tragedy in Ilha Grande that resulted in the loss of 31 lifes.

The situation

The situation on the island has become a hot topic among many travelers who were heading to Ilha Grande on the coming weeks and months. Reliable information is scarce and hard to come by. So far the best resource I have found is the following page. It is updated on a daily basis. As it is in Portuguese I am going to translate and summarize here the main points covered there:

• All is normal in the Vila do Abraão, the main village on the island. There have been some sporadic power cuts but they are a common occurrence during the high season.
• All is normal with the boats sailing to the Vila do Abraão. Sailing schedules have not been affected.
• There are currently no diversions on the roads leading to Angra dos Reis.
• The beaches of Araçatiba, Matariz, Praia Vermelha, Provetá and Sítio do Forte, on the continent side of the island, have had no electricity for nearly a week. Phone lines are not working either (only cellphones are in operation). The landslide at Enseada do Bananal destroyed the power lines leading to the beaches I’ve just mentioned.
• Enseada do Bananal is off the tourist circuit for the time being.

I will be updating this information as new facts emerge.

My advice

Unless you are heading to Bananal or Araçatiba and the other beaches mentioned above, there is no particular reason to cancel or postpone your trip to Ilha Grande. Vila do Abraão is perfectly ok and you will be able to do all the treks and sails around the island as if nothing had happened.

If you are heading to Araçatiba, get in touch with your pousada to find out the latest on the power supply situation. There are electricity generators in action but they are just a poor substitute to proper power supply.

Heavy rains on the coming days might imply on changes to road conditions on the continent. I will post any changes here.

Blog resources on Ilha Grande

We have a detailed destination card on Ilha Grande, as well as a annotated map of Ilha Grande.

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NAME: pousada dos Meros

WHERE: Vila do Abraão, Ilha Grande, Río de Janeiro

WEBSITE: www.pousadadosmeros.com.br

IN ENGLISH: yes

PRICES ON THE WEBSITE: yes

LOCATION: in the Vila do Abraão, two blocks from the beach and a short walk from shops, restaurants and the main pier.

THE PREMISES: a two-storey building with all the rooms facing a small garden.

THE ROOMS: smallish rooms with a comfortable bed. A small tv and a mini-bar. Electric shower.

PRICES IN NOVEMBER 2008: we paid R$80 per room per night.

BREAKFAST: included on the price. Reasonable breakfast with sweet and savoury options.

FOOD: the pousada doesn’t serve meals. However, complimentary coffee and cakes are served every afternoon. There is a crepe parlour right next to the pousada.

RECEPTION: helpful and kind. If you book by email, print all the messages and take them with you, as the person who handles email communication with the pousada is not based in Ilha Grande.

CONTACT BY EMAIL: All our enquiries were replied to in less than 24 hours.

OUR OPINION: if being right by the beach is not a must, Pousada dos Meros is a good option in Ilha Grande, offering a correct balance between price and quality. The location is good and its staff is kind and helpful.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Ilha Grande
map of Ilha Grande
trekking in Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande: photo album

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follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter

Nearly two years after the publication of my first list of favourite places in Brazil (Top 10: favourite places in Brazil) a revamped version of that list makes the blog’s frontpage – gaining a catchier title in the process. So here is the 2009 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. Bear in mind I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

Noronha is where you will find the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Brazil, and crystal-clear waters of unparalleled beauty. If that wasn’t enough, locals do care about the environment, no mean fate in the Brazilian context. A unique place. Not even its dear price tag will remove it from the number 1.

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

Atlantic rainforest, desert beaches and the best preserved colonial architecture in the country come together to make of Paraty a very special destination.

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

While it’s not easy to reach the Lençóis Maranhenses, the reward more than makes up for the long journey. A unique landscape of dunes and lagoons where mass tourism hasn’t left its mark yet.

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4. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

In spite of the numerous threats looming, Ilha Grande is a fantastic and incredibly beautiful nature destination.

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5. Boipeba (Bahia)

Wild beaches and crystal-clear waters the way you won’t find anywhere else in Brazil – bar Noronha. On top of that, a charming quiet village where civilization has yet to leave its imprint.

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6. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

The breathtaking beauty of the falls will captive you the moment you set your eyes on them.

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7. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

In the southernmost tip of the Pantanal lies Bonito, a mecca for ecotourism and fun in close contact with nature.

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8. Morro de São Paulo (Bahia)

A unique combination of sublime beaches with a great atmosphere at the end of the day.

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9. Arraial d’Ajuda (Bahia)

Great variety of beaches and a lovely village. Rest and relax during the day, have fun when the night begins.

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10. Jericoacoara (Ceará)

Another destination with a nearly-mythical status among travellers. Captivating sand dunes in a remote setting.

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HONOURABLE MENTION. Florianópolis (Santa Catarina)

The only reason for Florianópolis not making the top 10 is that rather than a single destination, the island of Florianópolis contains an exciting collection of villages and beaches.

Ready to make that trip and looking for accommodation in Brazil? Choose from a wide range of cheap to luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro and many other cities from beautiful Brazil!

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Ilha Grande is a paradise for all of you out there trekking fans. The good news is that the island combines awesome landscapes with paths that are unusually well signposted. There are signposts on all paths showing the route and the location of interesting places. We just thought it would be nice to hand out a little map with all the paths on it – we were told at the Visitor Centre such map does not exist. Never mind, this is Brazil. The fact that the paths are signposted should be cause for celebration.

Each path is identified by the letter T (path is trilha in Portuguese) and a number. At the Vila do Abraão you will find the following map with details of all the trilhas:

Next to the map, specific details for each trilha, including its length and approximate duration.:

The following are all the official trilhas in Ilha Grande (you are strongly discouraged to explore new paths), with its ID and number. Many paths start where the previous path ended, allowing you to walk around most of the island.

T1 Circuito do Abraão
T2 Aqueduto Saco do Céu
T3 Saco do Céu – Freguesia de Santana
T4 Freguesia de Santana – Bananal
T5 Bananal – Sítio Forte
T6 Sítio Forte – Praia Grande de Araçatiba
T7 Praia Grande de Araçatiba – Gruta do Acaiá
T8 Praia Grande de Araçatiba – Provetá
T9 Provetá – Aventureiro
T10 Abraão – Mangues/Pouso
T11 Mangues/Pouso – Lopes Mendes
T12 Mangues/Pouso – Farol dos Castelhanos
T13 Abraão – Pico do Papagaio
T14 Abraão – Dois Rios
T15 Dois Rios – Caxadaço
T16 Dois Rios – Parnaióca

For each particular path there is a panel at the beginning with detailed information. This is the panel for T1, a pleasant walk leaving from the Vila.

If you read Portuguese, at Trilhas na Ilha Grande you have very detailed information on all the paths.

From the Vila do Abraão the most popular paths are T1 (suitable for everyone), T13 (a very steep climb for fit people) and T14 (long but not too difficult). If you go to Lopes Mendes beach the boat will leave you in the Pouso beach and you will have to cover T11 (short but steep).

Good footwear is a must. Any rainfall turns the paths into a skiing slope.

You can leave any questions you might have about the island at the entry destination: Ilha Grande.

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Penguin-watching is definitely not part of any tourist offering in the Ilha Grande. In fact, nothing could sound more unlikely than the match of a tropical island with penguins (unless, of course, you happened to be a scriptwriter for Lost). But hey, on our recent trip to the island we got to see penguins not once but twice. The first time near the Bananal, the second time near Palmas.

The poor things looked quite weak and, above all, lost. I mentioned the appearance of Magellanic penguins along the Brazilian coast in Penguins in Brazil.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Ilha Grande
map of Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande: photo album

Here is a complete map of Ilha Grande I’ve prepared using GoogleMaps. Although you can browse through it here at the blog, my advice is that you open it on a new page.

Open the map on a new page

The map contains the following information:

• the main sailing routes to Ilha Grande from the continent
• the main towns and villages on the island (the yellow houses)
• the main beaches (the sun symbols)
• all the treks (trilhas) on the island, identified with an initial T followed by a number. The paths are approximate
• other points of interest
• the camera symbol shows photos taken at the place where the symbol is found

At destination: Ilha Grande you will find all the details about this fantastic place.