Green Coast, Brazil

Green Coast Luxury Travel

Tucked between lush Atlantic Forest and hemmed by emerald waters, Brazil‘s Costa Verde (Green Coast) boasts a string of charming beach towns. Threaded along this 325-mile route are nearly 400 idyllic islands and islets, and scores of deserted, pearlescent beaches tucked into protective bays.  

Located within driving distance of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the Green Coast is an easy jaunt from Brazil’s two largest cities that doesn’t require getting on a plane (which is often times the case in a country the size of Brazil). You’ll find weekenders from both hubs in places such as Itaguai, Ilhabela, Caraguatatuba, Angra dos Reis, and Ilha Grande, but Paraty is our favorite. 

Green Coast Travel Highlights

Explore secretive coves and hidden beaches on a private boat trip. Sun yourself on the bow until you’re coaxed into forest-hugged glimmering shallows for a refreshing dip. 
Snorkel atop schools of fish and starfish, kayak, or go stand-up paddleboarding.
Hike part of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Trail) in Serra da Bocaina National Park, visiting a set of waterfalls.
Wander the romantic, cobbled streets of UNESCO-designated Paraty.
Sample cachaça, a Brazilian spirit distilled from sugarcane.
Escape to a car-free island paradise, taking a ferry to llha Grande to play castaway.
Take a boat to Lopes Mendes, one of Brazil’s best beaches. 

Where to Stay on Brazil’s Green Coast

We recommend spending three or more nights on the Green Coast, ideally more when staying at two different locations. When combining Paraty and Buzios, we prefer to overnight in Rio de Janeiro to break up the six-hour drive.  

Paraty

Cradled by forest-blanketed mountains and fronting the sea, darling Paraty is one of the best-preserved colonial coastal towns in Brazil. Its present-day appeal owes much to its past. In the late seventeenth century, Paraty was the terminus of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Trail). Gold flowed from inland Minas Gerias to the port of Paraty, and onward to Europe. It was also a place where the cultures of Indigenous peoples, European settlers, and enslaved Africans collided. 

Today, the town’s footprint remains largely unchanged, and history is worn on church spires, colonial facades, and cobblestone streets. In the UNESCO-designated historic center, trace pedestrian-only streets where strings of flags flutter overhead. People watch from trendy restaurants while sampling specialty fusion dishes that emerged when global influences mingled. After dark, the town is backlit by glowy lighting, giving it a romantic aura. During sun-drenched days, ply turquoise waters on a private boat, snorkel, or hike historic trails in a nearby national park. Events throughout the calendar year—such as the Folia Gastronômica festival—bring even more verve to this buzzy enclave.  

Ilha Grande

For a total escape to an island paradise, take a boat ride to llha Grande to play castaway. After decades as a penal colony that was off-limits to the public, more than 60 per cent of this 75-square-mile island is now protected wilderness. It’s also car-free.

Most guesthouses are concentrated in Vila do Abraão. We recommend getting away from the fray of the village by staying at a boat-access-only boutique eco-lodge located along the Bay of Abraão. Hugged by lush forest, a chorus of monkeys and tropical birds soundtrack the day. After dark, candlelight and fireflies deliver undeniable whimsy. 

Outings on Ilha Grande are set against a big blue ocean backdrop. Circumnavigate the island (or just part of it) on a private boat trip, stopping off at secretive beaches or a world-famous one: Lopes Mendes. Kayak, SUP, fish, dive, snorkel, surf, but most importantly, worship the feinting sun with a caipirinha in-hand as it sinks below an Atlantic horizon. On land, you might hike through dense virgin forest to reach penitentiary ruins or to summit Pico do Papagaio for 360-degree island views.  

Buzios 

Located about three hours from Rio, the glamorous beach town of Buzios sits on a peninsula that fans out into the Atlantic. It was Brigid Bardot’s spotlight that originally brought widespread attention to the area. Fleeing the paparazzi, Bardot laid low here in 1964 and then sang its praises. Word got out, a Rolodex of A-list celebrities passed through, and the fishing village evolved into an upscale destination for well-heeled beachgoers.  

Backdropped by rolling hills, Buzios offers a breezy Mediterranean feel that’s a little more refined than its Green Coast counterparts. Restaurants line the beach with tables set upon the shore for a toes-in-the-sand dining experience. The bars, restaurants, terraces, and shops that line charming Rua das Pedras are prime for people-watching. Check into a chic, boutique resort with an elevated perch for widescreen view of the sea and infinity-edge pools. Spend splendid days on any one of Buzios’s 20-plus beaches, taking spa treatments, cruising the coast, shopping designer beachwear, and dining on fresh-from-the-ocean seafood.

Explore Brazil’s Green Coast on a Map

Brazil Travel Itineraries Featuring the Green Coast

Best Luxury Hotels on Brazil’s Green Coast