Angra dos Reis is a town in Rio de Janeiro state of Brazil. The town is a popular getaway for Rio residents, since there are plenty of nice beaches around. If you end up here, it is quite likely that you are on your way to the popular island Ilha Grande, since Angra is the main port to the island.
Apart from the town, Angra dos Reis is comprised many islands and "two thousand beaches" filled with natural beauty, legends and social events. To know well this part of the Fluminense Green Coast, one must travel by boat, being able to see the crystalline waters, and the mansions of the rich and famous, erected on private islands.
Among all of its islands, Ilha Grande stands out. Considered the paradise of adventurers, with its trails, waterfalls and deserted beaches, it played an important role in Brazil’s historical-cultural scenario for having housed a prison for almost 60 years.
In the past, Angra dos Reis was one of the most important ports of the Fluminense coast. Ships loaded with goods docked there from the other side of the world. Slave ships also arrived there with hundreds of slaves to supply forced labor in the coffee plantations of the region.
It is located in the Fluminense Green Coast, between the States of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, on the margins of the Rio-Santos Highway (BR-101).
There are excellent restaurants that serve from fish and seafood, to international dishes.
Looking for accommodation online in Angra can be confusing, since the beach resorts and the downtown hotels can be hard to tell apart. If you just need somewhere to sleep before going to Ilha Grande the next day, don't book an expensive resort far from the port.
The majority of accommodation options are on the Contorno road north of town. They range from luxurious hotels to small cozy inns, and attractive prices. The cheapest options are in the center.
Angra is a crime ridden, ugly, semi-industrial hole on the arguably marvellous coast around the Ilha Grande. It has half a dozen buildings which are kind of meriting a second glance for their historic value.
On the other hand, if you are around and have problems with your yacht, this is the place where to have it repaired.
The cheapest way to get to Ilha Grande is the ferries operated by BARCAS S/A (dead link: January 2023). They take 90 minutes and normally depart twice a day. The schedule is changed frequently. Prices are significantly lower on Monday through Thursday than on Fridays, weekends and holidays.
There are also several private boats from Angra dos Reis port to Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande, leaving almost every hour (depeding on the demand). Prices may vary from R$15 to R$25. If you walk near the pier and look like a tourist you will be approached by these boat operators. Note that they may not be entirely truthful about how soon their boat will depart - if you are told to wait on a pier and see no boat nearby, find another operator.
Daily buses operated by Costa Verde leave from Rio de Janeiro to Angra dos Reis. Daily buses from São Paulo to Angra dos Reis are operated by Reunidas.
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