Explore the sights of Ilha Grande

Despite its proximity to Brazil’s major cities — the nearest mainland port, Angra dos Rios, lies just 110 miles south of Rio de Janeiro — Ilha Grande was long closed to visitors. It was only when local authorities dynamited the much-feared Cândido Mendes Penitentiary in 1994 that the island began slowly to open to tourism. The path from Abraão to Praia Lopes Mendes winds delightfully over a series of headlands, descending regularly to idyllic beaches, where amiable locals in beachside shacks sell grilled prawns and ice-cold beer.
Colin Barraclough for The Boston Globe

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Despite its proximity to Brazil’s major cities — the nearest mainland port, Angra dos Rios, lies just 110 miles south of Rio de Janeiro — Ilha Grande was long closed to visitors. It was only when local authorities dynamited the much-feared Cândido Mendes Penitentiary in 1994 that the island began slowly to open to tourism. The path from Abraão to Praia Lopes Mendes winds delightfully over a series of headlands, descending regularly to idyllic beaches, where amiable locals in beachside shacks sell grilled prawns and ice-cold beer.