Praia de Lopes Mendes, Ilha Grande
Consistently ranked among the most beautiful beaches in South America, Lopes Mendes is a 3-kilometre arc of powder-white sand backed by untouched Atlantic Forest with zero development in sight — no kiosks, no jet-skis, no roads. Getting here is part of the magic.
A beach that earns its reputation
Lopes Mendes faces the open Atlantic on Ilha Grande's eastern shore, which means the surf here is real — rolling, translucent barrels that attract bodyboarders and surfers while the shallower northern end stays calm enough for swimming. The sand is extraordinarily fine and bright, almost white, fringed by almond trees that provide the only shade.
The beach has no permanent structures by law, sitting entirely within Ilha Grande State Park. A single mobile kiosk may appear in peak season, but otherwise you bring what you need and carry out what you bring. That restraint is exactly what keeps it extraordinary.
How to reach it
There are two approaches: a 20-minute water-taxi ride from Vila do Abraão to Praia do Pouso followed by a well-marked 20-minute forest trail, or a longer overland hike (Trail T10 + T11, roughly 13 km each way) from Abraão through the jungle interior — the latter rewards serious walkers with wildlife sightings and hidden stream crossings.
Aim to arrive before 11 am; by midday the water taxis from Abraão deposit enough day-trippers to fill even this vast beach. Late afternoon, when the light turns golden and most visitors have left, is genuinely one of the most beautiful hours in all of Angra dos Reis.
Praia de Lopes Mendes, Ilha Grande on video
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