The relaxing island hideaway of Ilha Grande is located 100 miles south of Rio de Janeiro. With beautiful white sandy beaches, clear blue water, unspoilt Atlantic rainforest and relaxed vibe, it’s the type of holiday destination people dream of. The eleven mile crossing from Angra dos Reis to Ilha Grande takes just over an hour, but the difference is huge. Leave behind the high rise developments and busy beaches and arrive on the sandy shores of a laid back, undeveloped paradise. It’s all about relaxing in the sun, swimming in clear waters, swinging in hammocks, hiking forested trails and dining by candle light on fresh seafood with the sound of samba floating through the air.
Tag Archives: National park
The Dazzling Gems of Chapada Diamantina
26 Jul
With thousands of kilometres of tropical beaches, happening cities and hedonistic festivals to be discovered along Brazil’s coastline, it might seem incredibly hard to drag yourself away and head inland. If you were at all tempted to haul yourself off your sun-lounger and hang up your dancing shoes to make just one trip into Brazil’s interior, this would surely be it! The National Park of Chapada Diamantina (Diamond Highlands) is located 300 kilometres west of Salvador and for a short time it was the diamond mining capital of the world. These days, its true value lies in eco-tourism and those who make the effort to travel here will rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. This is the Outback of Brazil: where space and big skies seem to go on forever; where larger than life landscapes filled with mountain plateaus, waterfalls, wooded valleys and underground caves stir your imagination; where a slower pace of life and laid-back attitude ensures you appreciate the smaller things; and where the range of exciting activities will leave you bewildered.
Falling in love with Jericoacoara
26 Apr
We’d heard rumours of pristine, deserted beaches hidden behind towering sand dunes. Whispers told of a chic village resort with streets of sand. Word had spread about the stunning coastal scenery, golden sunsets and fresh caipirinha cocktails served right on the beach. Reports buzzed about capoeira performances in the moonlight, hammocks swaying at the edge of turquoise lagoons, and perfect conditions for kite surfing and windsurfing. We were lured by the promise of a small slice of heaven and our expectations were sky high. Doubts crept in that this fabled village could ever live up to the hype. But upon arrival it was love at first sight and we knew that we’d be staying much longer than planned in Jericoacoara.
Mochima National Park – Aquatic Adventures
31 Oct
Parque Nacional Mochina is Venezuela’s second oldest national park, created in 1973 to protect the beautiful coastline, offshore islands and marine life against the unregulated building of holiday homes. The pace of life is slow and laid back and many travellers make this a logical stop to or from an inland expedition to Angel Falls or Roraima and stay for longer than they planned. Scorched, rust coloured mountains dotted with cacti make for a beautiful backdrop and plunge into calm, shallow bays with golden beaches. The islands offer a chance to get away from it all and find tranquility in your own slice of tropical paradise. It’s a great spot to recharge your batteries, or, if adventure is your desire, diving, snorkelling and boat trips can easily be arranged.
Finding refuge on Volcano Cotopaxi
11 Feb
National Park Cotopaxi is a paradise for people who love nature and have a spirit for adventure. The 33,393 hectare park is Ecuador´s largest protected area and offers a mixture of woods, lake-land and high Andean Altiplano which is home to an abundance of animals and plant life. The highlight of the park is the perfectly conical and snow-covered volcano Cotopaxi which is Ecuador’s second highest peak at 5,897 metres. Cotopaxi is the world´s fifth highest active volcano and whilst its last major eruption took place in 1904, scientists and seismologists now monitor activity very closely, just waiting for the next big one. The scenery rendered us speechless…for once! Cotopaxi had turned her headlights on and we were caught staring into the full beam feeling like we had the whole park to ourselves. Continue reading
Torres del Paine – the ‘W’ trek
10 May
Visitors from all walks of life converge on the small hamlet of Puerto Natales to visit Chile’s and perhaps the Continent’s number one national park – Torres del Paine. Located in the Southern Patagonian ice fields at the end of the Andes, the park offers diverse wildlife and incredible mountain scenery, glaciers, lakes, rivers and magellanic forest. The park which, has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is over 180,000 hectares in size and is considered to be one of the best trekking Mecca’s in the world.
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Torres del Paine – the ‘W’ trek
Visitors from all walks of life converge on the small hamlet of Puerto Natales to visit Chile’s and perhaps the Continent’s number one national park – Torres del Paine. Located in the Southern Patagonian ice fields at the end of the Andes, the park offers diverse wildlife and incredible mountain scenery, glaciers, lakes, rivers and […]
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