Schooner trips out into the Bay of Paraty are the most popular excursion from town. The standard "schooner tour" visits three or four beaches and islands over a full day, with stops for swimming, snorkelling, and occasionally a caipirinha or two on deck. The boats depart from the waterfront in front of the historic centre, and the trip is relaxed enough to suit all ages.
If you prefer more solitude, smaller boats and kayaks can be hired for private trips to beaches that the larger schooners miss. The best of the accessible beaches — Praia do Jabaquara, Praia do Sono, and the islands in the Laranjeiras Archipelago — have remarkably clear water given their proximity to a busy tourist town. The Atlantic Forest comes right down to the shoreline on most islands, and howler monkeys are a common soundtrack.