Ilha Grande: The Ultimate Brazil Travel Guide for Vegans

Ilha Grande, a car-free island near Rio de Janeiro, is the perfect getaway for a beach vacation in Brazil. With beaches ideal for sunbathing and snorkeling, scenic boat tours, and a lush jungle interior just waiting to be explored on foot, the island offers something for everyone. We spent four days in this paradise, and in this article, we’ll share everything you need to know to plan your own trip: from how to get there and where to stay to, of course, how to navigate Ilha Grande as a vegan.

Introduction to Ilha Grande

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through these links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This supports our work and allows us to keep offering free content here on the blog.

Where is Ilha Grande?

Ilha Grande is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean, just off Brazil’s southeast coast near the towns of Angra dos Reis and Conceição de Jacareí. Rio de Janeiro is about 150 km (94 miles) away. From the city, it takes around 3 hours by bus, followed by a short ferry ride, to reach the island.

How to Get to Ilha Grande?

There are two main arrival point on the island, Vila do Abraão and Araçatiba. Getting from Angra dos Reis to Ilha Grande is straightforward, but because both locations are on different sides of the island, it’s important to choose the right boat. There are no roads connecting them on the island, so boarding the wrong boat means a lengthy and expensive private water-taxi detour.

Here is exactly how to reach both destinations from Angra dos Reis:

Angra dos Reis to Vila do Abraão (The Main Hub)

Abraão is the “capital” of the island and has the most frequent crossings. You have two main options departing from downtown Angra.

Angra dos Reis to Araçatiba (The Quiet Side)

Araçatiba is located on the western coast of the island. Do not take the public ferry or a standard Abraão boat to get here, but the fast boat specifically destined for Araçatiba.

Luggage Tip: Once you disembark, most ways to the accommodations lead over dirt roads or even the beach, so bring only what you can easily carry.

Where to Stay on Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande’s blissful ambiance stems largely from the fact that there are no cars on the island. In fact, there are also virtually no roads at all, so unlike other car-free destinations (such as the Gili Islands in Indonesia), there are, thankfully, no horse carriages either. Because the different villages are only accessible on foot or via (expensive) taxi boats, it’s important to choose your base well. We mainly recommend two locations:

Abraão

This is the main hub on the island, the most accessible, and therefore the first choice for many travelers. This also means it can get quite busy, especially during weekends and holidays. If you enjoy a lively atmosphere and want a certain level of comfort, then Abraão is for you! The main beach in the village is lined with colorful boats, small bars, and restaurants. While it’s not the most spectacular beach on the island for swimming, it’s the perfect place to relax, watch the sunset, or enjoy a caipirinha by the water. Several other beautiful beaches can easily be reached on foot from the village, such as Praia da Crena, Praia Preta, Praia da Júlia, and Praia Comprida. There are also countless boat trips starting from here, making it easy to explore the best spots around the island.

Accommodations in Abraão

The most important question when looking for a place to stay in Abraão is: do you want to cook your own meals, or is a standard hotel room sufficient? Whatever you prefer (be sure to read our tips on shops and restaurants below under “Vegan on Ilha Grande”!), there are tons of options for every style and budget:

• Canoa Abraão (50-150€ / ~55-165$ per night, depending on room and season): A cozy hotel featuring a pool, located just a short walk from the beach.
  
• Casa na Vila de Abraão (45-75€ / ~50-82$ per night): A charming one-bedroom bungalow equipped with a full kitchen. It is surrounded by forest and offers direct beach access, ideal for anyone who loves being close to nature.
  
• Pousada dos Meros (65-130€ / ~71-143$ per night): Comfortable, standard hotel rooms in an excellent location close to the beach, local restaurants, bars, and grocery stores.
  
• Pousada Tagomago (~110€ / ~121$ per night): This beautiful eco-lodge offers stunning sea views and is enveloped by lots of plants that give it an authentic jungle feel. The staff is attentive to dietary requests and will provide vegan breakfast options upon request.
  
• Pousada Só Natureza (~126€ / ~138$ per night): Offering standard hotel rooms right in the center of the village, this pousada features a lovely pool area and puts you just steps away from the beach, dining, and shops.

Araçatiba

Araçatiba is the village we personally chose as our base. It is smaller and far more tranquil than Abraão, sit has no large supermarkets or big hotels. Instead, it’s the perfect escape if you’re looking for that authentic “remote island” vibe. The area is home to beautiful golden-sand beaches and fantastic hiking opportunities. Araçatiba is just a short distance from Lagoa Verde, one of the island’s best snorkeling spots, and within hiking distance of Praia do Aventureiro, famous for its iconic coconut tree growing sideways over the beach at an almost perfect 90-degree angle.

Accommodations in Araçatiba

Same as in Vila do Abraão, when looking for accommodation in Araçatiba, it’s worth considering whether you want to cook for yourself or mainly eat out. We found the restaurants here rather expensive, and since Araçatiba only has small grocery stores, we bought some essentials on the mainland beforehand. More on that below in the section “Vegan on Ilha Grande.” Here are some recommendations on where to stay in Araçatiba:

• Suítes Carla e Carol (~65€ / ~75$ per night): Lovely hotel rooms featuring private balconies and beautiful sea views, all within easy walking distance of the beach.
  
• Casa Quintal (50-70€ / ~58-81$ per night): A cozy holiday home equipped with a full kitchenette, situated just a short walk from the sand. It is ideal for anyone looking to self-cater during their stay.
  
• Ocean View Hotel (100-120€ / ~116-139$ per night): Spacious beachfront rooms that can accommodate up to four people, complete with a private pier. The hosts here are known for being incredibly welcoming and attentive.
  
• Pousada Mar de Sonhos (100–120€ / ~116-139$ per night): A peaceful chalet offering stunning beach views while completely enveloped by nature. Just keep in mind that it sits about a 15-minute walk from the center of Araçatiba.

What to Do on Ilha Grande

With Ilha Grande being a roadless island, with no cars or even motorbikes to take you anywhere, it’s the ultimate invitation to slow down and fully immerse yourself in the place you’ve chosen as your base. (Does the idea of not being able to move around sound like a nightmare? Maybe that’s exactly why you should give it a try! 😀 )

When we first arrived, we were perfectly content to lie in the sand, staring at the water and thinking about how lucky we were to find ourselves in this beautiful part of the world. Then we’d go for a swim, turn around to admire the beach and jungle, and think exactly the same thing. Honestly, we could have gone on like this all day, with perhaps the occasional coconut or açaí bowl in between (while still thinking the same thing).

But don’t worry, there’s plenty to do on Ilha Grande besides relaxing on the beach! You can take a boat tour to snorkel or explore other beaches around the island, rent a kayak or SUP, or head out on a hike to discover the island’s lush, jungle-covered interior.

Beaches

Ilha Grande’s beaches give you true paradise vibes: golden sand, tranquil warm water ideal for swimming and snorkeling, and a picture perfect background of colourful houses and tropical forest.

Best Beaches Within Walking Distance of Vila do Abraão

These spots are all reached via an easy coastal walking path that heads east out of the main village.

• Praia da Júlia & Praia da Crena: Just a short stroll from the center, these two interconnected coves are absolute favorites for a relaxed beach day. Praia da Júlia is tiny, shaded by almond trees, and has a great little kiosk. Walk just a bit further over the rocks to find Praia da Crena, which features incredibly calm, clear water. From Abraão, it takes about 15-20 minutes of flat walking along a well-traveled dirt path from the town center.
  
• Abraãozinho: This beach is heavily shaded by lush jungle foliage, completely protected from big ocean waves, and home to a couple of fantastic, laid-back waterfront bars where you can grab a cold drink with your feet in the sand. To reach it from Abraão, keep walking past Praia da Crena along the coastal path. It takes about 35–45 minutes total from the center.

• Praia Preta (Black Beach): Located on the opposite (western) side of Abraão, this beach gets its name from its unique, dark monazite sands. It’s right next to the ruins of the historic 19th-century lazareto (quarantine hospital) and the old stone aqueduct. From Abraão, it’s reachable via a flat, 10-15 minute walk from the main pier.

Best Beaches Within Walking Distance of Araçatiba

Because Araçatiba is much quieter, its local beaches feel entirely untouched and are often almost empty during the week.

• Praia de Araçatibinha: This is the immediate neighbor to Araçatiba’s main beach, separated only by a tiny, green forested hill. The bay is sheltered and calm, making it perfect for stand-up paddleboarding. From Araçatiba,it’s accessible by a simple 5-10 minute walk along the main village path (heading north toward Lagoa Verde).

• Praia Vermelha (Red Beach): A peaceful local beach named for the slightly reddish hue of its sand. It features a tiny, sleepy village community, a couple of rustic waterfront (but mostly seafood) restaurants, and the underwater wreck of the Pingüino (a famous scuba diving spot just off the coast). From Araçatiba, it’s an easy to moderate 20-30 minute walk over a lush, forested hill trail (Trail T6).

Water Activities

The calm and sheltered waters of Ilha Grande are perfect for all sort of water activities:

• Snorkeling: You can either rent snorkel equipment from one of the stores on the island, bring your own or join a snorkeling trip.
• Boat trips: Many boat trips are organized to bring you around the island to discover different beaches and lagoons, go for a swim and snorkel.
• Kayaking/SUP: Rent a kayak or sup to explore the waters.

Hiking on Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande is a great place for hiking, with trails winding through dense forest, over hills and along the coastline. There are options for different fitness levels, from relatively easy walks to longer and more challenging hikes. And one of the best things about hiking here is that you can often combine a day on the trail with a swim at a beautiful beach or lagoon afterwards.

We did two hikes during our stay:

• Araçatiba → Lagoa Verde: Around 4 km return, taking roughly 1-2 hours of walking. This is a relatively easy hike through the jungle to the beautiful Lagoa Verde, where you can cool off with a swim. You can also extend the route by adding nearby beaches or viewpoints.
• Araçatiba → Praia do Aventureiro: Around 8.5 km one way and roughly 4 hours of walking. This was the more challenging hike, with plenty of ups and downs through the forest. The reward is reaching the spectacular Praia do Aventureiro with its famous L-shaped palm tree on the southern coast.

There are plenty of other hiking possibilities around the island, including trails connecting different beaches and longer routes through the jungle. Some can be combined into a full day of walking, swimming and exploring, while others are perfect if you just want a shorter hike before spending the afternoon at the beach.

Vegan on Ilha Grande

Being vegan on Ilha Grande takes a bit of planning, but it’s totally doable. It’s an island with not a lot of shops (remember, there are no cars and everything gets imported by boats) and so naturally not a huge selection of food. Here is how we organized ourselves:

Self Catering as a Vegan on Ilha Grande

We ended up cooking quite a lot of our own food during our stay on Ilha Grande. Partly because we were travelling on a budget (the island’s restaurants aren’t exactly cheap), but also because it gave us much more freedom when it came to eating vegan. Depending on where you stay, finding a proper vegan breakfast can be surprisingly tricky. Unless, of course, you’re happy with fruit, because there’s plenty of that around! 😀

The most important thing we learned is to stock up on your vegan essentials on the mainland before taking the boat. Think about your non-negotiables. Do you like oats or cereal in the morning? Get some plant-based milk before you leave. The same goes for bread spreads, cookies, snacks and anything else you know you’ll want during your stay.

We also stocked up on vegetables before heading to the island. In the small shops on Ilha Grande, you’ll find staples like pasta, rice, beans and some vegetables, but don’t expect a huge variety. One day, a shop might have tomatoes and peppers; another day, you might find sweet potatoes instead. It varies between shops and even from day to day.

So, if there’s anything you absolutely want to eat during your stay, buy it on the mainland before you take the boat.

Vegan Restaurants on Ilha Grande

Despite the fact that there’s not a huge variety of vegan food on Ilha Grande, we must say that the vegan options that did exist were pretty exceptional!

Vegan Restaurants in Abraão

• Gurisa: Serving vegan poké bowls.
  
• Café & Bistrô Lady Roots: Several vegan options, including a vegan version of moqueca (Brazilian fish stew).
  
• Júlia Surtô: Serving pizza with vegan cheese (!) and a vegan burger.
  
• Bravas – Empanadas Argentinas: Serving mostly fried food, such as vegan Empanadas and vegan mozzarella sticks.

Vegan Restaurants in Araçatiba

• Pizzaria Govinda: Restaurant that offers pizza with vegan cheese (!!) and vegan side dishes, like hummus. It has a lovely atmosphere and an unbeatable view overlooking the sea.

• Sea Food Araçatiba: Despite the not so charming name, this restaurant actually offers quite a lot of vegan options. They have vegan paella and moqueca (Brazilian stew). We didn’t get to try this one, but the place has great reviews, seems to have a relaxing atmosphere and gorgeous sea views.
  
• Aloha Restaurante/Bar: Restaurant with vegan options on the menu and willing to create or adapt their dishes to a vegan version. It’s a bit of a walk from the center of Araçatiba, but perfect to discover for lunchtime.

Ilha Grande on a Day Trip

Don’t have time to spend a few nights on Ilha Grande? You can also visit the island as a day trip from Rio de Janeiro. These are long days, with the journey to the coast and boat trip taking up a significant part of the day, but they can be a convenient way to get a taste of the island if you’re short on time. There are several Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis day tours from Rio available, including options with transport from Rio and a boat trip with several swimming stops. Most day trips focus on the coastline rather than hiking inland. Depending on the tour, you may visit places such as Lopes Mendes, Praia do Caxadaço, Praia de Dois Rios, Lagoa Azul or Lagoa Verde, with time for swimming and snorkelling along the way.

If you’re joining a full-day boat tour, we’d also recommend to bring your own vegan snacks and lunch unless the tour specifically confirms vegan food.

Practical Tips for Ilha Grande

Packing List

Because Ilha Grande is car-free and many accommodations are reached via sandy paths, stairs or dirt tracks, pack light if you can. Dragging a huge suitcase through a tropical island village is not exactly the perfect start to a relaxing beach holiday😄

Here are the things we found most useful:

Money

Bring enough Brazilian reais (BRL) with you before arriving on Ilha Grande. There are no reliable ATMs on the island, so don’t plan on simply withdrawing cash once you get there. Even though some restaurants, pousadas and tour operators accept cards, internet connections and electricity can occasionally be unreliable. Small shops, beach vendors and boat operators also usually prefer cash.

Getting Around

The best thing about Ilha Grande? There are no cars. There are also no roads connecting the different villages, so you won’t be renting a car or hopping on a local bus here.

Most of the time, you’ll get around in one of three ways:

• On foot: This is the main way to explore the island. Many beaches, restaurants and hiking trails can be reached by walking from your base.

• By boat: Boat trips and water taxis connect villages and more remote beaches. They’re particularly useful when you want to visit somewhere that would otherwise require a long hike.

• By hiking trail; Several trails connect beaches and villages. This can be a beautiful way to get around, but distances can be deceptive because the trails often involve steep climbs and descents.

This is also why choosing your base carefully matters. If you want lots of restaurants, shops and boat-tour options, Abraão is the more convenient base. If you want somewhere quieter and don’t mind having fewer services, Araçatiba offers a much more peaceful island experience.

Internet & Electricity

Wi-Fi is available at most pousadas and restaurants, but don’t expect perfect connectivity everywhere. Once you head into the jungle or to more remote beaches, mobile signal can be weak or completely disappear. Download anything you need before leaving your accommodation, especially:

• Offline maps
• Hiking routes
• Boat schedules
• Accommodation information
• Important booking confirmations

Power cuts can also happen, so a power bank is worth bringing.

How Many Days Do You Need on Ilha Grande?

For a first visit, we’d recommend at least 3-4 days.

That gives you enough time to combine a few different experiences without constantly feeling like you’re rushing from one thing to another. For example, you could spend one day exploring beaches, another hiking, another taking a boat trip and still have some time to simply do absolutely nothing.

1-2 days: Enough for a quick taste, but you’ll need to be selective.
3-4 days: A good balance for beaches, hiking, a boat trip and some downtime.
5+ days: Perfect if you want to slow down, explore more remote beaches and properly embrace island life.

Honestly, one of the nicest things about Ilha Grande is not having a packed itinerary. Leave some space for completely unplanned afternoons when you end up sitting by the sea for three hours because… well, why wouldn’t you?

Weather & Boat Trips

The weather matters more on Ilha Grande than you might expect because boat trips can be affected by wind, rain and rough seas. If you have a particular boat trip or beach excursion you really want to do, avoid scheduling it for your final few hours on the island. Giving yourself a little flexibility means you have a better chance of moving the trip if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

The same goes for travelling back to the mainland: don’t plan an extremely tight connection after your island departure. Leave some buffer in case your boat is delayed.

Final Thoughts

Ilha Grande was one of those places where we quickly realised that we could have stayed much longer. Between the beaches, jungle trails, boat trips and simply sitting by the water doing absolutely nothing, four days went by ridiculously fast.

As a vegan, Ilha Grande does require a little more planning than some other destinations in Brazil. The island is remote, groceries are more limited and eating out isn’t particularly cheap. But with a bit of preparation,especially stocking up on your essentials before taking the boat, we found it very easy to make it work. We loved having a kitchen and cooking some of our own meals, but we were also pleasantly surprised by the vegan options available in both Abraão and Araçatiba. From vegan moqueca to pizza with vegan cheese and poké bowls, there were definitely some delicious surprises along the way.

And honestly, that’s probably our biggest tip: don’t try to plan every minute of your Ilha Grande trip. Pick a good base, bring enough food, explore a few beaches and trails, and leave some time to just sit by the ocean and wonder why you don’t live on a tropical island. 😄 For us, Ilha Grande was the perfect combination of jungle, beaches, hiking, slow travel and vegan food, and we’d happily go back.

This guide is completely free. If it helped you plan your trip and you’d like to say thank you, you can do so here 🙂

Buy us a coffee

FAQ: Ilha Grande Travel & Vegan Planning

About the Authors

Lynn & Daniel are the vegan couple behind VanderlustJourney, combining their passion for adventure and plant-based living. They share stories and visuals of natural places, hikes, vegan discoveries, and meaningful encounters from around the world – always striving to travel with kindness.

👉 Follow us on Instagram
✉️ Contact: vanderlustjourney@outlook.com

Further Reading

Blog Articles

Brazil Adventures:

• Discovering the Iguazu Falls as a Vegan: The Ultimate Guide

Vegan Guides:

• Vegan Travel Guides
• Vegan in Torres del Paine

Useful Resources

• Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis Day Tours