Ilha do Mel
©
Ilha do Mel

Ilha do Mel

Car-free Paraná island of Atlantic Forest, sandy tracks, fishing villages, and an 18th-century Portuguese fort.

Ilha do Mel — the Island of Honey — sits off the coast of Paraná state in southern Brazil, where the Paranaguá Bay meets the Atlantic. It is a protected area with no cars allowed, which gives the island a calm, unhurried quality that the more famous beach destinations of Brazil rarely manage. Getting around means walking or cycling the sandy tracks that connect the small settlements.

The island divides roughly into two sections joined by a narrow strip: the northern half, mostly undeveloped and rich in Atlantic Forest, and the southern half where the main beaches and guesthouses are concentrated. Nova Brasília and Encantadas are the two main villages, each with a cluster of simple pousadas, bars, and restaurants serving fresh fish.

Surfing, kayaking, and hiking are the main activities. The Fortaleza dos Prazeres, an 18th-century Portuguese fort on the northeast tip, is the island's main historical site, and the small Farol das Conchas lighthouse on the central ridge is the obvious viewpoint. In the south, the Gruta das Encantadas sea cave gives the village its name and a half-day walk through the forest. The easiest access is by ferry from Paranaguá, or from the mainland town of Pontal do Sul — and most visitors come via Curitiba, around an hour and a half inland.

Guide

Eating Out

Eating on Ilha do Mel means fish. Almost every restaurant in Nova Brasília and Encantadas serves a version of the same simple menu: grilled or fried whole fish (the sea bass-like robalo is the prize), shrimp moqueca, oysters from the bay, and the inevitable beach-side caipirinhas. Prices are reasonable, helpings generous, and dinner is usually at sunset on the beach.

Guide

Getting There

There are no roads or cars on Ilha do Mel, so getting in means a boat.

From Pontal do Sul on the mainland, a regular ferry crosses to either Nova Brasília or Encantadas. The crossing takes about 30 minutes. Pontal do Sul is reached by bus from Paranaguá (an hour) or, less frequently, direct from Curitiba. Buses are timed to ferries but check the day's schedule.

From Paranaguá, a longer and less frequent ferry sails through the bay. The crossing is more scenic — passing fishing villages and the protected mangrove channels — but takes nearly two hours.

Once on the island, you walk. Sandy tracks connect the settlements and the beaches. Bring only what you can carry; wheelbarrows are available at the piers if you're carrying heavy luggage to a pousada.

Guide

Things to Do

Ilha do Mel is small enough to walk across in a day. The main activities — beach walking, surfing, light hiking through the Atlantic Forest — are spread between the two main settlements of Nova Brasília in the north and Encantadas in the south. Between them, the sandy paths cut through a low forest of restinga and emerge onto a series of empty beaches.