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Ilha Grande: Devil’s Paradise

View of Rio

If that trail’s too easy for you, then check out my next stop off. Enthusiastic after the previous day’s discoveries, I decided to head off to Pico do Papagaio. Luckily, I didn’t ask too many questions beforehand, because if I’d have known that the mountain was 3,215 feet tall, I wouldn’t have left my hammock. The climb was tough. If you’re physically fit, you should complete the trail in three hours. Even if you take a bit longer, it’s worth the effort: the view from above is spectacular. As well as being able to see the grandeur of the island, on a clear day you can even make out Pedra da Gávea, in Rio de Janeiro.

So many adventures, so many emotions, but I still had to visit Dois Rios. The walk from Vila do Abraão is moderate; around 7km of rough dirt track that more adventurous souls travel along on mountain bike. It’s quite a different journey to the one that Graciliano Ramos took. Until 1940, anyone condemned to passing their days in Cândido Mendes had to walk up a steep track and received raps on the head from the guards. The prison actually helped preserve the area’s natural beauty; Dois Rios was only opened up to the public after the penitentiary was knocked down.

There are still some ex-prison guards living in Dois Rios with their families to this day; they’re less open than the inhabitants of other parts of the island. The ruins of the “Devil’s Cauldron” are still there and are open to visitors, creating a rather bizarre tourist attraction amongst all the natural beauty. And it was at this juxtaposition between hell and paradise that my adventures in Ilha Grande came to an end. But not because of a lack of options; after all, there were still 104 beaches left to discover…

How to get there
Daily ferry boats depart from Angra dos Reis (Lapa dock) and Mangaratiba to Vila do AbraĂŁo. Private boats serve some pousadas and other villages from the Tourism dock in Angra.

Where to stay
Vila do AbraĂŁo concentrates most of the lodging, catering for all budgets (camping, hostels, pousadas). Those with deeper pockets can enjoy stunning views from remote locations like the hip-chic pousadas SĂ­tio do Lobo and Asalem.

More info - www.ilhagrande.com.br

TAGS

Brazil, trip