Brazil islands to visit: how to choose and get there

At a glance

How to pick among Brazil’s islands

Brazil’s coastline has hundreds of islands, from small rocks near the beaches to ocean archipelagos. For a trip, pick the one that fits your days and your base. Three things decide it:

1. Distance from where you are staying. Ilha Grande works as a two or three night trip from Rio. Ilhabela and Ilha do Mel fit a trip through São Paulo or the south. Fernando de Noronha and Abrolhos need flights and a plan of their own.
2. Rules. Several islands charge a visitor fee or limit visits. We plan around them so you do not lose a day at a closed counter.
3. Season. Whales at Abrolhos have a season, and on Noronha the tide decides when you can visit the natural pools.

Islands near Rio and São Paulo

Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande lies in Ilha Grande Bay, south of Rio. In 2019 UNESCO listed “Paraty and Ilha Grande: Culture and Biodiversity”, a site that includes Ilha Grande State Park and the Praia do Sul Biological Reserve together with Paraty’s historic centre.

• Getting there: the state ferry (Barcas Rio) from Mangaratiba takes up to 110 minutes. Angra dos Reis, the other main departure point, is 155 km from Rio on the BR-101, according to the city’s tourism site.
• On the island: Vila do Abraão, the main village, has sand streets and no cars.
• Visitor fee: Angra dos Reis requires visitors to issue its Sustainable Tourism Fee (TTS) since June 2026. The city’s simulator asks who is travelling, where you are going (mainland, or Ilha Grande and the other islands) and whether you have accommodation in Angra, then shows the amount and validity.

For a day trip or a short stay, see Ilha Grande from Rio. Many travellers pair it with Paraty.

Ilhabela

Ilhabela is off the north coast of São Paulo state, about 200 km from the city of São Paulo according to the state’s protected areas guide. Ilhabela State Park, created in 1977, covers 27,025 hectares, about 85% of the municipality, with more than 250 waterfalls and 13 listed trails, including Pico do Baepi, Bonete and Castelhanos. Park visits need advance booking and the park opens daily from 8:00 to 18:00.

The south: Ilha do Mel

Ilha do Mel is on the Paraná coast. The state government lists two boat departures: Pontal do Sul (about 30 minutes) and Paranaguá (about 1 hour 30 minutes). Crossings run from 8:00 to 18:00 and can stop in bad weather. Parking is at the boat terminals; on the island you get around only on foot or by bicycle. For trail and camping rules, the state refers visitors to the state park.

Atlantic islands: Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is about 340 km off the coast and, with Atol das Rocas, has been on the UNESCO list since 2001. It is the most regulated island on this page:

• Every non-resident pays the TPA environmental fee, per person and by number of days.
• A separate marine park ticket is valid for 10 days from its first use.
• The natural pools need a booking, with a fixed number of daily spots and times that follow the low tide.
• Daily flights of about one hour leave from Recife.

All the rules are in our Fernando de Noronha trip guide.

Bahia: Abrolhos

The Abrolhos Marine National Park is off southern Bahia. Caravelas is the closest town, with the visitor centre and most licensed operators. Only companies authorised by ICMBio and the park run commercial visits, and diving or landing on the islands without authorisation is prohibited. On park tours, visitors are supervised by guides throughout, and Siriba Island is visited on a monitored trail about 1,600 metres long. ICMBio gives July to November as the humpback whale watching season.

Combining islands with Rio

• Short: Rio plus two or three nights on Ilha Grande, with a private driver to the pier.
• Two weeks: Rio, Ilha Grande and Paraty, then a flight north to Recife and Noronha. See our two-week Brazil itinerary.
• Beach focus: compare the coasts in beach holidays in Brazil.

Check entry requirements on official websites before you travel.

What to tell us in your request

• Which islands interest you, or what you want there (beach, trails, diving, whales)
• Dates and total nights in Brazil
• Number of people and ages of any children
• Where you start (Rio, São Paulo, another city)
• Type of accommodation and budget range
• The language the guide should speak

How we help

We pick the islands that fit your dates, book transfers, boats and nights in the right order, handle visitor fees and park bookings on time and add a guide who speaks your language where a guide is needed. In Rio we also arrange a private tour and airport transfers. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm.