Sustainable Travel in Paraty: How to Visit Without Leaving a Mark

Paraty is surrounded by fragile riches: one of the largest remaining stretches of Atlantic forest, traditional caiçara communities and a bay full of life. Tourism supports the local economy, but it also pressures all of this. A few simple choices make your visit lighter.

Support local people

Favor local pousadas, guides, boatmen and restaurants; buy crafts and food directly from the communities. Money that stays in the region is what keeps the caiçara way of life — and the care for nature — alive.

Protect the forest and the sea

• Carry all your trash back, especially on beaches and trails with no collection.
• Use reef-safe sunscreen near rock walls and reefs.
• Don't feed or touch wild animals; watch from a distance.
• Don't collect shells, coral, plants or stones.

Choose responsible operators

Favor tours that respect group limits, don't chase wildlife and follow conservation-unit rules. On trails like the Caminho do Ouro and Pão de Açúcar, going with credentialed guides also spreads income and protects the territory.