Just a few hours from Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande feels much farther away. There are no cars in its main village, and much of the island is still covered in Atlantic Forest. Getting around means taking a boat—or walking. Naturally, we chose plenty of the latter.
Our base was Vila do Abraão, reached by ferry after a long drive from Rio. Even getting to our Airbnb required a hike uphill with our bags, but Abraão immediately delivered the atmosphere we were looking for: sandy streets, restaurants around the main square, boats bobbing offshore, and evenings that seemed to spill naturally into live music.
Our first hike began with a boat ride to Praia do Pouso, followed by a short trail through the forest to Lopes Mendes. The reward is one of Ilha Grande's most celebrated beaches: a huge sweep of brilliant white sand with remarkably little development behind it. We spent the afternoon walking the beach and reading beside the water before the weather turned. The return became considerably less idyllic—cold rain, rough water, and three increasingly soggy hikers wrapped in towels on the boat back to Abraão.
The following morning brought even more rain, so we settled into the house with books and waited. By early afternoon the clouds finally began to break, and we set off on foot from Abraão toward Praia de Abraãozinho.
This became my favorite walk of the trip. The trail follows the island's coastline through lush Atlantic Forest, repeatedly emerging onto little beaches and beautiful views across the water. At one point, the route required us to wade around a rocky section along the shore. It was exactly the sort of hike Ilha Grande does particularly well: not a grand mountain expedition, but a tropical journey where rainforest, rocks, and beaches continually blend into one another.
And the day had an appropriately Brazilian ending. Back in Abraão, we headed out for forró, where cocktails turned into dancing and my parents joined the floor. After a few days of boats, beaches, tropical rain, seafood, and forest trails, it was difficult to imagine a better final night on the island.
Ilha Grande is a place that rewards slowing down. Take the boat to a distant beach, but walk the last stretch. Follow the trail around the next headland just to see what's there. And when the rain comes—as it inevitably might—find somewhere to eat a moqueca, open a book, and wait for the forest to dry.
We unfortunately did not have the chance to walk the full Ilha Grande circuit. But if you are interested, check out the route planner for Ilha Grande and get working on organizing your next long-distance hike!