Litoral Norte near Sao Paulo, Brazil

Beyond Boracéia are a number of beaches, including Barra do Una, Praia da Baleia and

. The latter is the first beach in São Sebastião province and is surrounded by the

forest. It has a long stretch of sand with some surf, many

and two of the best restaurants in São Paulo state. The best place for swimming is at

(though you should avoid swimming in the river which is not clean). You can walk on the Estrada do Piavu into the

to see vegetation and wildlife; bathing in the streams is permitted, but use of shampoo and other chemicals is forbidden. About 5 km from Camburi is

, 45 minutes' walk through the forest. The surf here is very heavy, hence the name. Camping is possible.

The road continues from Camburi, past beaches such as

(family- orientated with many

) to

, which is beloved of well-to-do Paulistas who come here mostly to surf. It has some chic

and restaurants and tends to be younger and less family orientated than Camburi.

From Maresias it is 21 km to São Sebastião, which was once as attractive as Paraty and still retains a pretty colonial centre. Ferries leave from here for the 15-minute crossing to

, the largest offshore island in Brazil, which is shrouded in forest on its ocean side and fringed with some of São Paulo's best beaches.

The city was founded at the time when Brazil's rainforest stretched all the way from the coast to the Pantanal, and all the land north to Rio de Janeiro was ruled by the indigenous Tamoio and their French allies. The settlement was initially created as an outpost of the indigenous slave trade and a port from which to dispatch armies to fight the French and claim Rio for the Portuguese crown. After this was achieved and the Tamoio had been massacred, São Sebastião grew to become one of Brazil's first sugar-exporting ports and the hinterland was covered in vast fields of cane tilled by the enslaved

. When the number of local slaves became depleted by the lash and disease, the city became one of the first ports of the African slave trade.

São Sebastião is served by regular buses from Ubatuba and Santos and is also connected to São Paulo. Ferries (for cars as well as passengers), from Ilhabela run 24 hours a day. The

, www.prefeituradesaosebastiao.com.br

, lies on the waterfront one block towards the sea from Praça Major João Fernandes. Staff are very helpful and can provide maps and information on ferries to Ilhabela and beaches in the entire São Sebatstião province. The city is far cheaper for accommodation than Ilhabela.

São Sebastião's remaining colonial streets are in the few blocks between the shoreline and the Praça Major João Fernandes, which is dominated by the

The city has a few sleepy streets of Portuguese houses, fanning out from the square, and a handful of civic buildings worth a quick look before the ferry leaves for Ilhabela. The most impressive is the

Ilhabela is Brazil's largest oceanic island and one of its prettiest. It is wild enough to be home to ocelots, and the lush forests on its ocean side (80% of which are protected by a state park) drip with waterfalls and are fringed with glorious beaches. Its centre is crowned with craggy peaks, often obscured by mist:

(1379 m),

(1309 m),

(1285 m) and

(1025 m). Rainfall on the island is heavy, about 3000 mm a year, and there are many small biting flies known locally as

.

The island is considered the 'Capital da Vela' (capital of sailing) because its 150 km of coastline offers all types of conditions. The sheltered waters of the strait are where many sailors learn their skills and the bays around the coast provide safe anchorages. There are, however, numerous tales of shipwrecks because of the unpredictable winds, sudden mists and strange forces playing havoc with compasses, but these provide plenty of adventure for divers. There are over 30 wrecks that can be dived, the most notable being the

, a transatlantic liner that went down off the Ponta de Pirabura in 1916.

There are good transport connections with the mainland.

buses from São Paulo connect with a service right through to Ilhabela town. Ferries run day and night and leave regularly from the São Sebastião waterfront, taking about 20 minutes; free for pedestrians, cars US$1 weekdays, US$10 at weekends. It is very difficult to find space for a car on the ferry during summer weekends. A bus meets the ferry and runs to Ilhabela town and along the west coast. Try to visit during the week when the island feels deserted and avoid high season (December to February) at all costs. Hotels and

are expensive; many people choose to stay in São Sebastião instead. For information contact the

.

Most of the island's residents live on the sheltered shore facing the mainland, along which are a number of upmarket

. Swimming is not recommended on this side of the island within 4 km of São Sebastião because of pollution. Watch out for oil, sandflies and jellyfish on the sand and in the water.

About 20 minutes north of the ferry terminal is the main population centre,

. The village has some pretty colonial buildings and the parish church,

, dates from the 17th century and has been restored. There are restaurants, cafés and shops. Four kilometres north of Ilhabela,

(Bell Rocks) are curious seashore boulders which, when struck with a piece of iron or stone, emit a loud bell-like note. There is a beach here and a campsite nearby.

From Vila Ilhabela, the road hugs the coast, sometimes high above the sea, towards the south of the island. An old

,

, a few kilometres from town in a grand 18th-century mansion (not open to the public), gives its name to one of the busiest beaches. About 10 km further, you can visit the old

plantation. It has underground dungeons, and can be reached by bus, taxi, or horse and buggy. A trail leads down from the plantation to the beautiful beach of the same name.

On the south coast is the fishing village of

, which has 500 m of beach and can be reached either by boat (1½ hours), or by driving to Borrifos at the end of the road, then walking along a a rainforest-covered trail for three hours - a beautiful walk.

Much of the Atlantic side of the island is protected by the

. There is a dirt road across to the east of the island, but it requires a 4WD. A few kilometres along this road is a turning to the terraced waterfall of

(US$4). Set in dense jungle close to the foot of the Baepi peak, the cool freshwater pools are good for bathing and attract lots of butterflies. The locals claim that there are more than 300 waterfalls on the island, but only a few of them can be reached on foot; those that can are worth the effort. There is a 50-km return trek from Vila Ilhabela over the hump of the island down towards the Atlantic. The route follows part of the old slave trail and requires a local guide as it negotiates dense tropical forest. It takes at least two

days.

Some of the island's best beaches are on the Atlantic side of the island and can only be reached by boat.

is recommended. At the cove of

English, Dutch and French pirates sheltered in the 16th and 17th centuries. Needless to say, this has led to legends of hidden treasure, but the most potent story about the place is that of the Englishman, Thomas Cavendish. In 1592 he sacked Santos and set it on fire. He then sailed to Saco do Sombrio where his crew mutinied, hanged Cavendish, sank their boats and settled on the island.