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There is an easy way to get from Rio to Isla Grande, (direct hostel to hostel transfer) I realised too late, but as always I had to make it more difficult for myself and my new chum Ellen. So after a bus to the bus station and then another bus to Angra dos Reas, then another local bus to the port (where I stepped on it and it then drove off without Ellen)!! and then a walk to the boat and then a 90 min boat journey to Isla Grande ending with a 15 min walk to the hostel!! I find travelling much more fun this way - needless to say Ellen got the direct transfer on her way back:-)

I had picked the Aquarios hostel as it had good reviews but it was at the far end of the beach, furthest away from the jetty (obviously). It was fairly run down and the Che Lagarto next door would have been a much better option.

The next day I headed off on my own on the trek to Lopez Mendes beach (Ellen was having money trouble and had to wire home for some money (I have yet to meet a more disorganised traveller - it was hilarious - she never had a watch and so was always late!!) Lopez Mendes beach was voted the 3rd best beach in the world (behind Blackpool and Benidorm:-) a few years back and was one of the highlights of the Island. This verdant Island is quite idyllic and there is no cars which adds to the tranquillity, I could have stayed here a week!

To get to the beach involved trekking through jungle over a couple of mountains, it took just over 2 hours to get there and I was knackered by the time I got there as the sun had come out and it was around 35c. The beach was worth the effort though, the sand was white and superfine, fringed my mangroves and palm trees and had 2 metre high waves breaking along its stretch. All the swimmers were just in the shallow waters avoiding the highest waves so obviously I decided it was a challenge and swam out to them and nearly didn’t make it back:-)

The next day went on a schooner cruise round the remainder of the Island, which involved going to the blue and green lagoon and a couple of other beaches. The following day went on another trek before catching the catamaran onward to Paraty.

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