Ilha do Mel

Introducing Ilha do Mel

This oddly shaped island at the mouth of the Baía de Paranaguá is the most pristine and picturesque beach resort in all of southern Brazil. The island’s sense of tranquility and lack of development are thanks in part to its isolation. Accessible only by boat, the Ilha do Mel is traversed by sandy paths; it lacks even a single car. The fatter, northern half of the island is an ecological preserve, closed to any inland exploration. The hillier southern portion is the locale of three small villages: Nova Brasília and Praia do Farol near the isthmus; and Encantadas at the far southern tip. They can be rowdy during the summer holidays, when young crowds descend on the island. But for the most part, Ilha do Mel, or ‘honey island, ’ is the territory of surfers, campers, birders and other escapists in search of simplicity and serenity.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009