Parati Off The Beaten Path

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In our way to Parati Mirim we passed by an Indian village. The Indians forbidden us to make pictures, but, as you may guess, some Reais, opened all the needed smiles.

One thing I owe them: not telling you the way. But if you find it for yourself... or reading the Lonely Planet guide...

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If you want to visit the beautiful beaches and islands of the Paraty's Bay (in fact, there are 65 islands and about 200 beaches to choose from), plus snorkel or dive in the calm and clear waters of the bay, the best option is to take a boat tour.

Schooners and fishing boats run daily trips from the pier. They leave in the morning after breakfast and return before the sunrise. The route can varies depending on weather - the schooner tour prefers to visit the quiet islands - but what never changes is that you will visit some secluded bays with deserted beaches surrounded by rocks and jungle, and tiny islands with white sand washed by clear turquoise water. Be sure not to miss Praia da Lula and Praia Vermelha, two beaches great for swimming. The schooner stops for about an hour at each place for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. Masks and snorkels are provided for this, and lunch, water, coffee and tropical fruits are available on ther tour.

Tickets for trips out to the islands cost around RS 20 per person. You can book it with one of the town's agencies or buy it directly at the pier. I booked it with John in the hostel where I was staying and was quite satisfied.

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Approximately 30 kilometres south of Paraty is Trindade, a village and coastal region that offer some of the prettiest beaches in the area. Not long ago it was a sleepy fishermen's village. In the 1970's Trindade became popular with a hippie community. They chose an alternative lifestyle and shared the place with the fishermen.

Foothpaths connect most of the beaches and the small village. The first beach is Praia Brava, which is a small, sandy strip surrounded by lush vegetation and a small stream that empties into the ocean. Praia do Cepilho is famous with surfers as it often produces waves of up to four meters. The village itself is on the banks of Praia de Fora and if you walk down Rua das Cachoeiras to the left, you'll hit Praia do Meio, one of the prettiest in the area with white sand and warm blue waters. This is the most popular beach for sunbathing and swimming. Farther down the trail is Praia do Cachadaco which has excellent pools for snorkeling with a wide variety of colourful fish and sea life. Finally, the Praia da Figueira is a small, hidden strip of sand and clear water that is often used for nude sunbathing. Nearby are more pools for snorkeling.

Trinidade village has a few pousadas and if you get hungry, order at the beach kiosks a portion of squid rings, fresh fish or even a full meal. For dessert wait for the guy that comes with a tray full of fresh strawberries covered in brigadeiro fudge - ask for two! :) There are a couple of kiosks kept by the remaining hippies offering handicraft, trippy T-shirts, jewellery and flip-flops made of recycled tires.

The bus from Paraty, called Paraty-Trindade, leaves every 40 minutes starting at 5:20. The last one back is at 23:20. You can get off at Praia Brava, which is before the end of the line. Be sure to ask the driver to stop for you. After the Praia Brava stop the bus will drive through a stream of water before stopping in the village. You can walk to Praia do Meio from there.

I don't know if the best place to put this would be "off the beaten path", "tourist trap" or... well, I dunno. To say the truth, I got a bit disappointed. From Pontal beach, in the way to Jabaquara beach, you can easilly find the path to Fort "Defensor Perpétuo", the fort whose cannons defended the port of Paraty, centuries ago. The fortress itself is just a house. It's located -however - inside a green area, so for those who like walking it's an interesting journey, even because you can have a great view from city center and the bay. But the fort itself... come on!

During the waterfall hiking tour, we took a break to taste cachaca made at the local distilleries. The distilleries were rustic, set against the backdrop of mountains in the Atlantic rainforest. We learned about how the cachaca was made and the different varieties of cachaca (aka pinga). You can also buy the locally made cachaca from these distilleries - the pinga here is not available anywhere else!

During the waterfall hiking tour, we took a break to taste cachaca made at the local distilleries. The distilleries were rustic, set against the backdrop of mountains in the Atlantic rainforest. We learned about how the cachaca was made and the different varieties of cachaca (aka pinga). You can also buy the locally made cachaca from these distilleries - the pinga here is not available anywhere else!

" PEDRA BRANCA " WATERFALLS:a very special place,about 10km from town.
The last 3km of the way is acessible only by foot or jeep.
Its charm is the pools sculptured in stone.
Abit dificult to find and reach I'm afraid,I recomend to ask directions before setting
out.

Get to know the islands and beaches that make up the paradise that is Paraty Bay in a schooner!!
We took the "Andromeda".
Daily schooner trips departing at 11:00 and return at 16:00,from Paraty's pier.
We had 3 stops on the route,bar service on board,lunch on the beach.
You can choose between day or night fishing trips as well!