In Paraty, there are plenty of reasons to get your attention! There, we have one of the best preserved areas of the Atlantic Forest, and the union between nature and sea makes it an unforgettable trip. Today we will talk about Ponta Negra and its surroundings.
When we are planning a trip to Paraty, the two biggest tours offered by tour companies are Boat Tours and Waterfall Tours. These are full-day tours with an already defined itinerary, sometimes with lunch included.
In our blog, we take the doubts of many tourists about what to do in Trindade and Paraty-Mirim. These are other tour ideas that can be done by car or public transport – without necessarily hiring an agency.
The entire Ponta Negra, Praia do Sono, Trindade and Paraty-Mirim areas are protected by the Caiçuru Environmental Protection Area, recognized by the Chico Mendes Institute (ICMBio) and the Ministry of Tourism.
We don’t have a lot of documents about the area but the agency tries to recover the history of the region. And it tries to bring together the traditional community and the sustainable tourism.
The village of Ponta Negra
Currently, about 35 families live in the Ponta Negra area. It’s an extremely traditional community in the area and before easy access, it was only possible to reach Ponta Negra after a 3-day trip from Paraty.
Today, families live by tourism and fishery. There are houses that some families rent during the summer and important holidays.
How to get there?
We have several ways to access Vila da Ponta Negra, which it has one of the best preserved beaches in the Costa Verde region.
For those on public transport, there’s no mistake! Just take the Vila Oratória bus (Via Condomínio Laranjeiras) at the Rodoviária de Paraty and get off at the Condominium stop.
At Laranjeiras beach, several boats offer the crossing service. The price is around 40 reais and the trip can be done in 10 minutes.
For those who are driving, the direction is towards São Paulo, through the BR-101 to the entrance of the Trindade road towards Praia do Sono. The route is about 27km.
Ponta Negra Beach is beautiful and it’s one of the stops inside in the Ecological Reserve of Juatinga.
Praia do Sono
Also leaving from the Condomínio Laranjeiras, we have the option of visiting Praia do Sono. It’s one of the favorite places of people who live in Paraty and it’s one of the most beautiful places too!
Like Ponta Negra, Praia do Sono can be reached by boat or by a trail. The trail is medium to difficult and it lasts about 3 hours. Many people like to camp at Praia do Sono and we have some camping options there.
If you are staying in Paraty and you want to know Praia do Sono by trail, rest assured! You can get to know the beach in one day, but you have to arrive early because the duration of the trail (in total) will be 6 hours!
The other option as we said it’s crossing by boat. It lasts about 10 minutes and it’s perhaps an alternative for those who want to enjoy more time on the beach.
Praia do Sono also started as a small community and until recently, it didn’t even have electricity! Even after the opening of the Rio-Santos Highway and the real estate speculation in the region, Praia do Sono remains one of Paraty’s natural heritage sites.
The night life of Praia do Sono is increasingly busy! It’s very common to happen some parties on the beach. For those who want silence, it’s recommended to settle in the last camping on the beach.
If you want to know more about the Nightlife in Paraty, read our post!
From Praia do Sono it’s also possible to reach the village of Ponta Negra, or travel the entire length of about 8 km. You’ll have one amazing experience passing by the Praia de Antigos, Antiguinhos and Galhetas. However, it’s not possible to camp on any of the beaches.
Saco Bravo Waterfall
Some agencies offer the tour to Cachoeira do Saco Bravo, one of the most incredible places in the region. Trail is difficult level and there are some rules for visitation. So the recommendation it’s to hire a tour guide that it can give you all the tips.
The trail lasts about 4km and it’s one of the most remote points of the Reserva da Juatinga. But you can also access by boat.
If you have been curious and want to know more about the tour to Saco Bravo, see the video below!
The Nature of the region
Throughout the city of Paraty, we find several areas of environmental protection, in order to preserve the biodiversity.
The Costa Verde is called the extension of the coast from the south of Rio de Janeiro to the north of São Paulo.
It has cities (Angra dos Reis, Paraty, Ubatuba) that not only draw attention for the beauty of their nature but also for the culture and through the history of its historic centers.
It’s also common to have villages further away from urban and tourist centers, we call “Vilas”. Like Vila de Trindade, Paraty-mirim, Ponta Negra, which it has the presence of the traditional community of caiçaras.
Nowadays, we have an experience tourism, where the caiçaras show their daily lives and integrate more with the tourist activity so important in the region.
Extra tip! Araújo Island
If you want a nice experience tour, we have the Araújo Island!
It’s a place to visit and discover more about the local culture and about the caiçaras. Now in the island, you can find a good infrastructure, like restaurants and places to stay. The crossing from Paraty (close to Santa Rita’s church) to Araújo Island takes 10 minutes and a lot of locals offer this service. This place has a important and famous festival: the Shrimp Festival. Normally, it happens in July, and the hole island organized a huge party with typical sea food and concerts.
Besides that, we have between June and July, a religious party for the Saints Peter and Paul. This party happens since 1963, when the church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the Araújo Island was open. It’s a beautiful party because Paraty is a very religious city so all the parties are very organized and decorated! It happens a parade from Paraty until the Island, some people carry the image of the saints on boats until the Church in the Island and the celebrations starts!
If you want to know more about Paraty, join our Paraty Free Walking Tour.