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São Luis do Paraitinga: Thrills intead of glitter

Escape the Partying

São Luis do Paraitinga used to be an old stop off for traders transporting gold from Northern Minas Gerais. The city never progressed, never went through an industrial revolution, and for this reason managed to preserve its natural beauty.

The mountain landscape and the rivers surrounding the region have meant that eco-tourism has taken off in the area. This natural beauty is all part of the Serra do Mar State Park, a wall of mountains covered in Mata Atlantica that run along the Sao Paulo coastline. The 310 thousand hectares of land have been officially declared Patrimony of Mankind by UNESCO.

The Núcleo Santa Virgínia is situated within the Park, and São Luis do Paraitinga takes up 70% of it. Tourists can check out the 17 exhuberant waterfalls dotted along the Ipiranga, Ribeirão Grande and Paraibuna Rivers. If you’re looking to escape all the partying, you’ll come across some peace and quiet along the riverside trails, where you can splash around in crystal clear water.

Cachaça and Canoes

Just 35km from the city centre, cachaça is produced in an archaic fashion, conserving the drink’s handmade flavours. You can get to see how the drink is made and, of course, taste the local product, which is exported to the US and Europe.

Sports fanatics who don’t take a break even during their holidays have a range of activities to choose from. White water rafting is a guaranteed adrenalin-rush. There are two different routes on offer: the shorter one, which takes two hours, is for beginners. The second route takes six hours and the currents are considered professional.

The city now also has a forest assault course. The 1km route includes two flying foxes - the largest being 700m in length - and a wall for climbing. The reward for anyone reaching the end of the course is a trip along the main square, where the old-style mansions of the city’s historical centre are situated.

Where: São Luis do Paraitinga, rodovia Oswaldo Cruz, 171 Km from São Paulo.
When: Carnaval 2007: from the 16 to the 20 February
Where to stay: Local hotels, guesthouses, campsites and rooms to let are always packed. You need to reserve accomodation in advance. For further information, contact
www.paraitinga.com.br.

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Tourism