Planning
The Best Day Trips from Paraty
Sea, mountains or island? From Trindade to Cunha, from the bay to Ilha Grande, the best day trips with Paraty as your base.
One of Paraty's great advantages is that it's a perfect base: within an hour or a boat crossing, you can reach sea, mountains and islands that feel completely different. Here are the best day trips — and how to combine them around your time.
By sea
- The bay's islands and beaches — by schooner or speedboat, Paraty's essential outing.
- Saco do Mamanguá — the tropical fjord, to paddle or to climb the Pão de Açúcar peak.
- Ilha Grande — Lopes Mendes and Vila do Abraão (best with a night on the island).
By mountain
- The jeep waterfall circuit — Tobogã, Poço do Tarzan and cachaça distilleries.
- Cunha — pottery, Japanese kilns and high-altitude wineries, over in São Paulo state.
- Caminho do Ouro — the historic stone trail of the Estrada Real.
By road
To the south, along the Rio–Santos, is Trindade — a beach village with the Cachadaço natural pool, about 40 minutes away. Further on, into São Paulo, Ubatuba opens dozens of beaches. The other way lies Angra dos Reis and its islands.
How to combine
The golden rule is to alternate: a day at sea, a day in the mountains. That way you rest different muscles, balance sun and shade, and have a plan B if the weather turns. Book the boat trips ahead, especially in high season.
