Green Coast port town used as the boat gateway to Ilha Grande and island-studded bays.
Angra dos Reis sits on a spectacular stretch of Brazil's Green Coast, surrounded by hundreds of islands and countless beaches. The town itself is not the main attraction — it is the jumping-off point for Ilha Grande and the dozens of smaller islands scattered across the bay, many of them fringed with white sand and accessible only by boat.
The old centre of Angra has a few colonial churches worth a look — the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição and the churches of Santana and Piedade among them — but most visitors pass through quickly on their way to the water. The downtown was built in curves following the shoreline, and while not much of the colonial architecture survives, it has a pleasant enough waterfront.
For beaches close to town, Vila Velha and Praia Grande are the best options, both reachable by local bus.
Guide
Getting Around
Angra dos Reis itself is compact enough to walk, with the bus station, ferry pier, and historic centre all within reasonable distance of each other. Local buses run along the coast road to beaches like Praia Grande and Vila Velha, and taxis are plentiful for the run between the bus station and marina.
Boats are the real transport network of the bay. Water taxis and schooners depart from the marina throughout the day for Ilha Grande and the smaller islands. Ferries to Abraão on Ilha Grande take about an hour; smaller speedboats make the crossing faster. Once on Ilha Grande, you travel on foot — the island has no roads for motor vehicles, and trails connect Abraão to the other beaches and villages.
Guide
Getting There
Buses from Rio de Janeiro's central bus station (Rodoviária Novo Rio) run regularly to Angra dos Reis, taking around two to three hours along the Costa Verde. The service is operated by Costa Verde bus company.
From Angra, ferries and small boats cross to Ilha Grande — the marina is a short taxi ride from the bus station. The boat ride takes about an hour. There is no ATM on Ilha Grande and no cars on the island, so bring cash and pack light.
