Brazil · ILHA GRANDE BOAT TRIPS
No cars on the island, so everything arrives by hull. These 15 compare the day boats out of Angra dos Reis, the Lagoa Azul snorkelling stops and the longer runs that add Lopes Mendes, on price, sailing time and lunch.
Leave Rio’s south zone by coach and cruise around Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande. Swim at Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde, visit Cataguases and Freguesia de Santana, and eat a Brazilian buffet lunch at Japariz. Multilingual guides such as Marcelo and Thiago keep the large group moving.
“A wonder place, a great organisation and wonderful people. A memory that will last for ever.”
Travel from Rio’s South Zone to Angra dos Reis, then cruise to Ilha Grande for swimming, snorkeling, white-sand beaches, Freguesia de Santana, and a late seaside buffet lunch. English, Portuguese, and Spanish guides are available, with guides such as Nayt, Flavia, Daniel, and Marcello praised for their care.
“only the weather was bad but everything else was amazing ! amazing landscapes”
Join LencoisPrime EcoTour for a full day at Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita, with pickup, sandy 4x4 rides, a regional lunch stop, lagoon swims, and sunset from the dunes. Portuguese-speaking guides such as Diego lead the outing, while Sebastian helps with arrangements and support.
“This is a fantastic tour of Lencois! Sebastian and Diego were so fun, friendly and helpful and they made sure we had a great day. This tour takes you to various places, avoids the crowds and the lunch stop was delicious and relaxing. Best way to enjoy the area with amazing service! Highly recommend!”
Join Angra dos Reis Turismo at 11:30 a.m. for a six-hour schooner ride from Santa Luzia station. You will stop at Lagoa Azul, Praia de Araça, the Botinas Islands, and Gipoia Island, with time for snorkeling, swimming, beaches, and an optional lunch at Bar do Luiz.
“Passeio básico para quem vai a Angra, pelo preço vale a pena e você consegue mergulha e curtir um pouco a praia. Porém, levem lanches. No barco a única opção de compra era fandangos e o preço do almoço (se não estiver incluso) é absurdo. Um prato simples de filé de frango com batatas fritas é 170 reais, e não há outra opção para se alimentar. De resto, o passeio vale a pena.”
Travel from Rio to Angra dos Reis, then board a speedboat for up to five stops around Ilha Grande. You may visit Blue Lagoon, Green Lagoon, Botinas, Cataguases, Japariz, or Saco do Céu. Guides such as Lucas, Jessie, Erica, and Max have led past departures.
“Everything was great. Great trip and guides and beautiful beaches. Definitely recommending.”
Leave Rio early for a full-day schooner trip around Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande. You’ll visit quiet beaches, Lagoa Verde, Lagoa Azul, and Japariz for buffet lunch. Guides such as Daniel, Nayt, Erica, and Thiago have earned strong praise for clear multilingual help, though traffic can stretch the day well past 12 hours.
“The tour is fine until you get to the boat. It was chaos, felt extremely overbooked. All this would have been tolerable if the boat staff was even a little polite. I have been on many an excursion and boat related excursion and none have ever bee”
From Vila do Abraão, you’ll speed across Baía da Ilha Grande to Cataguases, Botinas, Piedade, Dentista Beach, and a final lunch stop. The Portuguese-speaking crew keeps the day simple: hear the timing, then choose swimming, snorkeling, beach time, or a seat on board.
“All the different beaches were beautiful. Snorkeling was fun. Guides were great.”
Leave Rio’s South Zone early for a 130 km ride to Angra dos Reis, then board a schooner for Baleia’s Beach, Blue Lagoon, Freguesia de Santana, and Japariz Beach. You get Portuguese, English, or Spanish ground support, swim stops, and optional local lunch.
“Infame. 4 h de bus : 1h30 pour récupérer tout le monde à son hôtel et 2h30 de route, qui n’était pas prévues au programme. Ensuite, un bateau inconfortable, bondé, avec musique,m à tus tête comme en boîte de nuits , impossible de se détendre, des plages sales, des bateaux qui se klaxonnent entre eux, un restaurant ignoble, des arrêts à certaines plages injustifiés, pour sauter dans une eaux huileuse des déjections de moteurs, . Bref, une catastrophe.”
Leave Rio in a private air-conditioned vehicle, then explore Ilha Grande by speedboat with a guide such as Tatiana, Romeo, or Angelica. Swim at Lagoa Azul, visit six coastal stops, eat lunch by the water, and set the pace for your private group.
“An excursion worth more for the fun of the experience than for the destination itself. We had a great day with friends. The team was excellent. The only bad thing was the traffic jam on the way back, but that's something alien to the organization.Auto-translated”
Spend a long day from Rio exploring Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande by coach and boat. Swim at Blue Lagoon and Green Lagoon, visit quiet beaches, enjoy a regional buffet lunch, and travel with a bilingual guide. Bring ID, cash for the marina fee, and no large luggage.
“Muy buena actividad. Tuvimos un muy buen guia. Estaba preocupado por nosotros todo el tiempo. En el bus que ibamos tuvo un problema pero rapidamente nuestro guia solucionó el problema y la actividad se hizo a tiempo.”
From Barreirinhas, a Portuguese-speaking guide takes you by transport into Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Walk across the dunes, admire the park from above, then visit two lagoons on the Lagoa Azul or Lagoa da Prata circuit, with about 30 minutes to swim at each.
“Wspaniała wycieczka. Odbiór prosto z hotelu. Środowisko międzynarodowe, bardzo miłe. Laguny i wydmy są przecudowne. Polecam”
From Angra dos Reis, a Portuguese-speaking host leads a five-hour shared speedboat trip for up to 18 people. You will swim at Lagoa Azul and Grumixama, stop for lunch at Praia das Flechas, walk near Ilha Grande’s first church, and visit the small islands of Cataguás.
“Não tinha nada de paradisíaco. Passeio simples, pouco atrativo. Não faria novamente”
From Vila do Abraão, a Portuguese-speaking captain takes you by speedboat to Blue Lagoon, Green Lagoon, Enseada das Estrelas, and nearby shores. You get time to swim, snorkel, float, and eat at a local restaurant. Bring a jacket, since the ride can be cold and windy.
“Unfortunately the guide did not understand a word of English so it was hard to know how much time we had at every location. Besides that, the trip was great, the lagoons were amazing and we had enough time to swim in the lagoons and other beaches we visited. We also had a stop for lunch and walking on the beach. Definitely bring a coat or thick jacket as the wind can be very cold on the boat.”
Spend eight hours circling Ilha Grande from Vila do Abraão by speedboat. Stop at Caxadaço, Parnaioca, Aventureiro, and Meros for swimming, snorkeling, photos, and shore time. The tour runs in Portuguese, but its self-guided format makes it easy to enjoy without constant commentary.
Spend 5 to 8 hours hiking about 12 km from Vila do Abraão through Atlantic Rainforest, past Imperial-era ruins and the Aqueduct, to Feiticeira Waterfall and beaches at Camiranga, Pereque, and Fora. Guides including Quintino and Matteus lead private groups in English, Portuguese, or Spanish.
“Wonderful to hear — we’re glad you loved the hike! 🌴”
Pick a summit, a shoreline or a dancefloor.
