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14 hr
Sail the Costa Verde's turquoise lagoons, secluded beaches, and rich reefs on this 14-hour guided escape from Rio.
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10 hr
Sail crystal-clear lagoons, swim at secluded beaches, and feast on a buffet lunch in one epic day from Rio.
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12 hr
Race across turquoise waters to Ilha Grande, snorkeling pristine coves and hidden beaches on a 12-hour adventure from Rio.
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The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on this tour remember — all visible on a single visit.
A natural aquarium with crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling with schools of colorful fish.
A serene beach destination where many tour operators serve a traditional buffet lunch.
Renowned for its white sand beaches and calm, turquoise waters that provide a classic tropical backdrop.
Two small islands famous for their excellent visibility and underwater marine life, often used as a primary swimming stop.
A historic site on Ilha Grande that offers a glimpse into the regional colonial past and local heritage.
They complement each other; visitors seeking lush tropical mountains choose the angra dos reis and ilha grande tour from rio with boat ride and lunch, while those prioritizing neon-blue waters prefer Arraial do Cabo.
| Feature | Top pick Angra / Ilha Grande | Arraial do Cabo |
|---|---|---|
Primary Scenery |
Lush mountains and rainforests | Sand dunes and rugged cliffs |
Water Clarity |
Emerald green with varied visibility | Exceptional high-transparency turquoise |
Boat Experience |
Schooner cruise visiting multiple coves | Speedboat or schooner visiting beach spots |
Travel Time from Rio |
Approximately 2.5 to 3 hours | Approximately 3 hours |
Ideal For |
Nature lovers and jungle exploration | Swimmers and underwater snorkeling enthusiasts |
Environmental Fee |
23.75 BRL per visitor | Varies by local municipality regulations |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Choose the Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande tour from Rio with boat ride and lunch tours if you desire a serene island escape, or book Arraial do Cabo tickets if your focus is swimming in high-visibility coastal waters.
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Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for your visit straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Wear light, breathable clothing suitable for tropical weather, including swimwear and comfortable footwear like sandals.
Use a waterproof dry bag to protect electronics and valuables from sea spray during the boat transit.
Photography is encouraged at all stops, but use protective gear to keep lenses and cameras safe from salt water.
Most vessels are not fully wheelchair accessible; verify specific boat features with your operator prior to booking your angra dos reis and ilha grande tour from rio with boat ride and lunch.
The tour is family-friendly, though parents should monitor children closely during water activities and while boarding or disembarking the vessel.
Lunch is included in the package and typically served buffet-style at a local island restaurant, though you should bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.
Best time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Full refunds are typically available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Please note that the 23.75 BRL environmental access fee for visitors from the mainland is governed by local municipality regulations.
Ilha Grande held a leper colony and then a maximum-security prison until 1994, and that grim double function is the reason its Atlantic Forest survived intact. For most of the twentieth century, outsiders were not welcome. The Cândido Mendes penal complex sat at Vila Dois Rios, and the fear of escaped inmates kept developers, hoteliers and road-builders away. When the prison was dynamited, the island emerged with 193 square kilometres of forest, more than 100 beaches and no paved roads at all. Angra dos Reis, the mainland gateway, was named on 6 January 1502, the Day of Kings, when Portuguese navigators entered the bay and assumed it was a river mouth. The municipality now counts 365 islands and some 2,000 beaches across its stretch of the Costa Verde. Colonial sugar mills gave way to coffee ports, coffee to shipyards. Today the harbour still launches the schooners and speedboats that make the angra dos reis and ilha grande tour from rio with boat ride and lunch one of the most-booked day trips out of the capital, roughly 150 kilometres up the BR-101. What protects the archipelago now is law rather than isolation. The waters fall inside the Baía da Ilha Grande Environmental Protection Area, and in 2019 UNESCO inscribed Paraty and Ilha Grande as a mixed World Heritage Site — one of very few listed for culture and biodiversity together. Visitors arriving from the mainland pay an environmental access fee of 23.75 BRL, a small levy that funds trail maintenance and waste removal on an island where every sack of rubbish leaves by boat. The scenery is granite and water. Pico do Papagaio rises 982 metres in a beaked silhouette above Abraão, the island's only town, where wooden colonial houses face a jetty and a ruined nineteenth-century aqueduct stands in the forest behind. Lagoa Azul, a shallow lagoon fringed by reef, holds sergeant majors and parrotfish in water clear enough to read depth by colour alone. Lopes Mendes, on the exposed Atlantic side, runs three kilometres of quartz sand that squeaks underfoot. Brown howler monkeys, red-billed curassows and the endemic maned sloth persist in the interior. Competing Costa Verde island tours from Rio all converge on the same handful of anchorages, and the character of the day depends on the vessel: a wide schooner with a buffet, or a speedboat that reaches more coves. That distinction is the real content of an angra dos reis and ilha grande tour from rio with boat ride and lunch, and it is worth understanding before choosing.
"A prison kept Ilha Grande wild; a World Heritage listing now keeps it that way."
A step-by-step walkthrough of the visit — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You leave Rio in darkness, and the coach turns onto the BR-101 with the Serra do Mar on one side and mangrove on the other. Two and a half hours later you reach the Angra dos Reis marina, in the recommended 08:00–10:00 arrival window that gives the boat a full itinerary before the afternoon swell builds. You pay the 23.75 BRL environmental access fee, step down onto the pontoon, and the engines start. The first anchorage comes within the hour. You climb down the ladder into Lagoa Azul, mask on, and float above coral heads while sergeant majors crowd the surface. Back aboard, you dry off on the upper deck as the crew sets out the buffet — rice, grilled fish, salad, farofa, fresh pineapple. The schooner repositions twice more, and each stop earns you thirty to forty minutes in the water. Between them you sit on the bow and count islands. Abraão, when you reach it, has no cars. You walk the sand street past the old aqueduct arches, buy a coconut, and photograph Pico do Papagaio catching the light at 982 metres. The horn calls you back. On the return crossing the Costa Verde turns copper behind you, and you sleep most of the way to Copacabana — which is precisely how an angra dos reis and ilha grande tour from rio with boat ride and lunch tour is supposed to end.
The best arrival window is 08:00–10:00 to avoid mid-day crowds and ensure sufficient time for the boat tour.
Yes, there is a 23.75 BRL environmental access fee for visitors from the mainland to Angra dos Reis.
Bring sunscreen, a hat, swimwear, a towel, and a waterproof dry bag for your electronics.
Buffet lunches on these tours typically offer regional options, but check with your provider if you have specific dietary needs.
Yes, children are welcome on this tour, though activities in the water should be supervised by guardians.
Yes, you can typically get a full refund if you cancel your tickets at least 24 hours before the departure time.
Most tours include pickup from major neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro; verify your hotel location during booking.
Accessibility is limited on most boats, so please check with the operator regarding specific physical requirements.
The excursion typically lasts for a full day, often around 14 hours total including transit from Rio.