neighborhood · Angra dos Reis, RJ
Vila do Abraão
Ilha Grande's main village, it receives boats from the mainland and has most of the services on the island, where private cars don't circulate. Trails and boat trips leave from there to beaches, coves and waterfalls.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Vila do Abraão
Vila do Abraão is the main village on Ilha Grande, the largest island in Angra dos Reis, and where almost every visitor arrives. No cars circulate on the island: the streets are dirt and sand, and everything is done on foot or by boat. Ilha Grande is part of the Paraty and Ilha Grande site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
The island had a closed-off history. In the late 19th century it housed a lazaretto, where ship passengers were quarantined, and later a prison, in Vila de Dois Rios, which was only shut down in 1994. The isolation helped preserve the forest: much of the island is the Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande, created in 1971, covering about 12,000 hectares and headquartered in Abraão.
The park's numbered trails leave from Abraão. The shortest lead to the Aqueduto, built in 1893 to supply the lazaretto, and to Poção, a river pool for swimming. The long ones cross the island to beaches such as Lopes Mendes, one of the best known on the Rio de Janeiro coast, which you can also reach with part of the way by boat.
The village itself has the Igreja de São Sebastião on the beachfront, pousadas, restaurants and the pier where boats leave for the island's beaches and lagoons, such as Lagoa Azul. Since 2026, visitor arrivals go through Viva Angra, a city system that issues the tourism fee and controls crowding at the most sensitive spots.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
At least two days. A day trip only allows for the village and a short trail.
Best time
Outside summer and holidays, when the village gets packed. Avoid the long trails right after heavy rain: the ground gets slippery.
How to get there
You can only get there by boat. There are ferries from Angra dos Reis and Mangaratiba, and speedboats from Angra and Conceição de Jacareí. In Abraão, everything is on foot.
Tip
Since June 2026 Angra has charged the Sustainable Tourism Fee, issued on the Viva Angra website: get your voucher in advance, because the QR code is checked at boarding. Residents, children under 12 and people aged 60 or over are exempt.
Official website
A look at the place
Vila do Abraão in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Vila do Abraão
How do I get to Vila do Abraão?
Only by boat. There are ferries from Angra dos Reis and Mangaratiba, and speedboats from Angra and Conceição de Jacareí.
Is there a fee to enter Ilha Grande?
Yes. Since June 2026 Angra has charged the Sustainable Tourism Fee, with a voucher issued on the Viva Angra website and checked at boarding. Residents, children under 12 and people aged 60 or over are exempt.
Are there cars on the island?
Private cars don't circulate. In Abraão everything is done on foot, and the other beaches are reached by trail or by boat.
Can I go to Lopes Mendes from Abraão?
Yes, by a long trail through the park or by combining a boat to Praia do Pouso with a short trail to Lopes Mendes.