Ilhabela

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Without a shadow of a doubt, Ilhabela is one of the most beautiful spots on the coast between Santos and Rio, though it can get rather crowded in late December and early January. Of volcanic origin, the island’s startling mountainous scenery rises to 1370m and is covered in dense, tropical foliage. With 83 percent of the island protected within the boundaries of the Parque Estadual de Ilhabela, the dozens of waterfalls, beautiful beaches and azure seas have contributed to the island’s popularity. Old or new, most of the buildings are in simple Portuguese-colonial styles, as far removed from brash Guarujá as you can get. The island is a haunt of São Paulo’s rich who maintain large and discreetly located homes on the coast, many with mooring facilities for luxury yachts or with helicopter landing-pads.

Travel ideas for Brazil

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Welcome to a lavish journey that marries adventure with style, featuring stays in carefully chosen four-star hotels. This reinvigorating trip will have you sightseeing in São Paulo, gazing at the spectacular Foz do Iguaçu falls and relaxing on Rio's finest beaches before you know it.

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Explore the lively city of Rio de Janeiro, home to Ipanema and Copacabana beaches; experience the stunning Foz do Iguaçu National Park and see the world’s largest waterfalls system; immerse yourself in cultural Salvador, the magnificent former capital of Portugal’s New World colony.

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Jaguars in North Pantanal

Spend a week in a lodge in North Pantanal with boat tours, walking trails, horseback riding and an unforgettable Jaguar expedition. Experienced wildlife guides are available in the lodge to explain more of the fascinating fauna and flora around you.

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Pure Wildlife - North Pantanal & Amazonia

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Pure Wildlife - North Pantanal & Amazonia

Discover the world's largest continental flood area - the Pantanal, one of the richest places in biodiversity. Continue your wildlife trip to the Amazon River. Your lodges throughout the trip are located right in nature, with easy access to lodge trails around.

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Keith Drew

written by
Keith Drew

updated 26.04.2021

A former Rough Guides Managing Editor, Keith Drew has written or updated over a dozen Rough Guides, including Costa Rica, Japan and Morocco. As well as writing for The Telegraph, The Guardian and BRITAIN Magazine, among others, he also runs family-travel website Lijoma.com. Follow him @keithdrewtravel on Twitter and @BigTrips4LittleTravellers on Instagram.

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