7 Fun things to do in Paraty, Brazil

Wedged between the jungle-covered mountains and the brilliant blue waters of an island-studded bay, Paraty is one of the most adorable and picturesque small towns in Brazil.

Its spectacularly well-preserved historic centre, its relaxed atmosphere and its position on the coastline between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo make it a popular destination for local Brazilian tourists, who well outnumber foreign visitors. By the way, if you are looking for fun things to do in either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, it’s always best to ask a local. Here is a list of 50 (!) things to do in Rio de Janeiro from a local’s perspective.

If you are looking to wind down in a stunning coastal setting make sure to add Parati to your Brazil itinerary. There are plenty of things to do in Paraty from wandering the cobbled streets of the historic centre to cruising the beautiful bay and watching wildlife in the Atlantic forest. We did a little bit of each during our 4-day stay in town, and here are our top picks.

But first, check out some fabulous hotels and pousadas in Paraty.

Where to Stay in Paraty

As a coastal holiday town, Paraty has some gorgeous boutique hotels and beautiful pousadas for more economic options.

Luxury

On the luxury end of the scale, Pousada Literária de Paraty is a tranquil oasis of relaxation and privacy in the heart of the old city. Set in a colonial-style building, Literaria exudes class and comfort and has all the creature comforts and a beautiful pool. Plus, as the official host for FLIP’s international literary event, Literaria keeps a library of over 1500 books and movies.

Another option is the chick Casa Mar Paraty, a 5-minute walk from the beach. The best things about Casa Mar are its stunning infinity pool looking out onto the ocean and its incredibly friendly and welcoming staff. This pousada is located in a charming small fishing village, minutes away from the city centre.

Mid-Range

Sandi Hotel is absolutely gorgeous. Located in a charming colonial building in the historic centre of Paraty, this hotel is all about elegant, homely charm. It has the feeling and appearance of a 5-star hotel with the addition of homely warmth. Given that his hotel is right in the historic centre if you are a light sleeper make sure to book a room that faces the pool.

Another stunning place in the historic centre is Pousada do Ouro. Also located in a beautiful colonial building, this pousada offers rooms painted in stunning colours and decorated with colonial-style country furniture. There are also an outdoor pool and a charming garden to enjoy.

Old streets in the historic center of Paraty
Old streets in the historic centre of Paraty

Budget-friendly

Popular with local Brazilian tourists, Pousada Antígona is perfectly located just 6 minutes away from the beach. It has nice comfortable rooms and a lovely outdoor pool.

The friendly Boutique Hotel Carpe Diem is another gem. Located within a few minutes of the beach and the city centre. It offers a homely base with a light-filled veranda, comfortable rooms, spacious bathrooms, an outdoor pool and a delicious cook-to-order breakfast.

Explore Paraty Historic City Centre

The town’s glory days date back to the late 17th – 19th centuries when it was a major seaport during the Brazilian Gold Rush. When gold was discovered in Minas Gerais province, a 1200- kilometre road, the Gold Trail, was cut across the steep mountainous terrain to connect Paraty to the gold mines in Ouro Preto.

The ships from Portugal and Rio brought workers and slaves to Paraty, for the consequent march over the mountains, and carried gold back to Portugal. To get a sense of the scale of the operation, here are some numbers.

Paraty historic centre
Old street in the historic centre

More than 400,000 Portuguese and half a million African slaves were brought to the mines, and 850 tons of gold were sent back to Portugal. And that’s only through the official channels. Such high levels of commercial activity saw Paraty transform from a little seaside village to one of the richest towns in Brazil. And amazingly, most of the town’s architecture remained unchanged for 250 years.

Today it has a delightful ‘French quarter’ vibe. Its cobbled streets, lined with whitewashed 17th and 18th-century buildings, run all the way to the water’s edge, where the local pier is studded with an armada of schooners and small but colourful fishermen’s boats.

Unlike in Ouro Preto, no cars are allowed in Paraty’s historic centre, and it is not uncommon to see a horse-drawn cart used instead. Some of these little streets reminded me of Cordoba in Spain, while others were as cute as Novy Svet in Prague. It was hard to remember that we were in Brazil!

Horse drawn cart in Paraty
Getting around in a horse-drawn cart

The town centre is relaxed and vibrant at the same time. The colourful doors and window frames draw your eyes to the shops tucked behind them, the layback restaurants tempt you with the mouthwatering aroma of local cuisine, and the hot Brazilian sun slows down everyone’s pace to a leisurely stroll.

You can spend days walking around these colonial streets, losing all sense of time and the world beyond the old city.

Discover the flooded streets of Paraty

We were already in love with Paraty before we discovered one of the town’s coolest secrets. Once a month, on the night of the full moon the tide rises so high that the sea floods the streets of the historic centre. Special openings were deliberately built into the seawalls that separate the city from the ocean, to allow the water to come in and remove all the rubbish from the city as it retreated back at low tide.

The streets are flooded for only a short time but at the highest tide, there may be as much as ten inches of water covering the streets, making Paraty look like little Venice. This time of the month is a photographer’s dream in Paraty with the old city reflecting in its flooded streets.

Flooded streets of Paraty
The water flowing from the ocean into the street
Flooded shopping street, Parary
Flooded shopping street

Take a cruise to Saco do Mamangua fjord

If there is one “must-do” thing in Paraty, it is a Saco do Mamangua fjord Cruise. Not only the fjord is stunning, but it is also the only tropical fjord on the Brazilian coastline.

There are different cruise options available, usually involving big boats with lots of people, and lasting about half a day. Give those a miss and explore the bay and the fjord with a local fisherman, Junior, in his quintessentially Brazilian little boat Barco Lula Lele.

READ MORE: Brazil Itinerary: watching wildlife in Brazil without breaking the budget

Saco do Mamangua cruise with Junior
Junior’s boat

We met Junior at the pier and started chatting, even though he spoke only Portuguese and we knew about 20 Portuguese words between the three of us. Ten minutes later we were agreeing that he would take us on a full-day cruise at the incredibly reasonable cost of BR$ 900 for the three of us. The best decision we made on the entire trip.

While often quiet and pensive, Junior is incredibly charismatic – his eyes light up when he tells stories about the history and geography of the bay and dim a little when he talks about the big tourist ships causing damage to its ecosystem.

Paraty Bay
Paraty Bay

Between our semi-descent Spanish and Junior’s very animated style of storytelling, we made enough sense of his stories and learned quite a bit about the bay.

When we were passing the biggest island at the mouth of the bay, Junior explained that it was the anchoring point for the big ships during the Gold Rush era. From there, the smaller boats carried people and goods across the shallow waters of the bay.

He pointed out islands that are not on any maps of the bay because they only appear at low tide. And told us about the local tribes, their love for the bay and their sustainable lifestyle.

Estadual da Juatinga Ecological Reserve
Estadual da Juatinga Ecological Reserve

There were plenty of examples of a more affluent lifestyle as well, with luxurious waterfront mansions of movie stars and mafia bosses nestled along the secluded beaches.

We spend some time on a completely empty white sandy beach and had lunch at a very interesting spot. Perched along the rocky shore of the fjord the restaurant had its own pier. The tables and chairs were made from the trunks of the fallen trees.

The owners went to great pains to build the entire place from the natural materials found in the surrounding forest. It was the visual proof of Junior’s stories about the locals’ sustainable lifestyle.

Things to do in Paraty - boat ride

On the way back, Junior used the leftover fruit to mix some wicked caipirinhas. The only thing better than a cold cocktail on a hot day was the pod of dolphins we met just before returning to the bay.

The entire day with Junior felt like a day out with a local friend. If it is something you think you’ll like, look up Junior’s phone number on his Instagram account @barcolulalele or just look him up on Paraty pier.

Go birdwatching in Paraty

Let me preface by saying that I am not a twitcher. I don’t get excited about the ‘little brown jobs’. But I love seeing colourful, unusual or rare birds.

And the birdlife around Paraty is nothing short of spectacular. To do it justice and to see the most birds in a short amount of time, we booked a 5-hr tour with Gabrielle from Birds Paraty. Gabrielle was a fantastic find – we tracked him down from the Trip Advisor reviews.

READ MORE: 50 Outstanding Safari Holidays Destinations Outside of Africa

Rain clouds over Paraty
Rain clouds over Paraty

He picked us up at our Pousada in the morning and showed us a great variety of landscapes in the next five hours. We started at the old town’s waterfront, went to the fields on the town’s outskirts and spent about half of our time in the mountains, going on short hikes and visiting bird feeders at a couple of coffee shops.

READ MORE: 35 Amazing Brazilian Animals you Can Spot on your Travels

Red-necked tanagers Paraty
Red-necked tanagers

Those bird feeders were the most decadent birdwatching experience we’ve had in Brazil. How often do you get to sit in a comfortable chair with a nice cup of coffee in your hand, look out to the rugged mountains covered in lush rainforest and watch spectacularly colourful birds come to you of their own accord?

Green-headed tanager in Brazil
Green-headed tanager
Chestnut-bellied euphonia, Paraty
Chestnut-bellied euphonia

By the end of the tour, we saw 71 species of birds (our Paraty bird list), and among them, some of the most stunning birds I have ever seen. Plus we spotted some White-eared marmosets in town!

Explore Paraty beaches

If lazing around on the beach is on the agenda, you will be spoilt for choice in Paraty. There are 65 islands in Paraty bay and between them, they offer 200 (!) beaches for you to choose from, depending on what you are looking for.

Paraty beaches
Paraty beaches

Jabaquara and Pontal

Right in town, there are Jabaquara and Pontal beaches. They are not the prettiest beaches for sun-bathing but they are ideal for exploring the mangroves and their inhabitants. You can rent a kayak and paddle mangroves and enjoy the views of Paraty from the ocean.

Sono Beach

To combine a visit to the beach with a hike through the lush Atlantic forest, head to Sono beach. The two-hour hike brings you to a picturesque white sand beach that rarely gets crowded.

If you don’t fancy the hike, you can reach Sono beach by boat. And if you get hungry, there are some small restaurants that serve fresh grilled fish.

Trindade Beach

For a taste of Brazilian beach culture, check out Trinidade beach, 30 km out of town. Its beachside bars serving fresh seafood and caipirinhas attract a young crowd of Brazilian and foreign tourists.

Praia da Lulu

Paraty’s best-secluded beaches are found on the small islands that dot the bay. One of the most popular is Lulu beach which stretches along the shore of a mostly uninhabited island.

There are plenty of beach-hopping tours available in town, or you can charter a small boat from a local fisherman and spend the day exploring the hidden beaches of Paraty Bay.

Barra do Corumbe

Barra do Corumbe is a family-friendly beach that has a few more amenities than other beaches. There are posadas, bars and restaurants nearby and on the beach itself, smaller bars provide shade and beach chairs, if you need a reprieve from the sun.

Find the best places to eat in Paraty

Eating in Paraty is fun! The area has its own signature dish – prawns marinated in cachaça and the best place to sample it is Sarau restaurant in the historic centre. And make sure to try their caipirinhas made with local cachaça as well. The restaurant has a great vibe, live music and Salsa nights on Tuesdays.

Another gem we discovered was Thai Brasil restaurant. All three of us spent time living in Thailand, so we know a thing or two about Thai food, and the food at Thai Brazil was absolutely on the level. The restaurant has a great ambience, and the mix of Thai and Brazilian cultures is very exotic.

Historic town centre Paraty
There are plenty of restaurants in the historic town centre of Paraty

For dessert, we usually headed to Kopenhagen chocolate cafe around the corner from Sarau restaurant. Their chocolates are to die for.

A word of warning about coffee in Brazil – a cappuccino usually comes with a ton of chocolate on the bottom of the cup. So if you don’t feel like drinking liquid chocolate all the time, order black coffee.

Another fun place for dessert is Zuzu cafe – they have a mouthwatering selection of cakes. They also make a good breakfast with some nice and healthy options. Here’s one of the gems we found on Zuzu’s cake menu:

Desert menu at zuzu
Metaphysical dessert

Go shopping in Paraty

You can triple your Boho-style wardrobe in the shops in and around the old centre. From beach dresses to alpaca jumpers everything is at the fraction of the prices in Australia or Canada. But keep an eye on the quality of the fabric. The cheaper stuff is usually made from polyester.

One tip though – don’t try to find Havaianas in Paraty. There aren’t any. Though there are plenty of other flip-flops if you need a pair.

Some of the most interesting shops in the historic centre are the artisan stores that sell pottery, quilted bedding and a variety of quirky decorative knick-knacks.

Artisan shop in Paraty RJ
Artisan shop in Paraty RJ

And of course, don’t forget to pick up some cachaça – the regional special liquor that is used for making caipirinhas.

Cachaca shop in Paraty, RJ
Cachaca shop in Paraty

How to get to Paraty

Paraty lies along the coast approximately between Rio and São Paulo. You can either take a bus or a private transfer service from either of the cities, or you can drive yourself. It takes just under 4 hours.

The road from Rio is much easier to drive – it follows the line of the coast. But São Paulo sits in the mountains, 600 meters above sea level, and the road to Paraty goes through a section of a very steep descent to the coast.

We opted to simplify the logistics and booked a shuttle service with GreenToad Bus from Guarulhos Airport for $66 per person each way. And while we expected a shuttle bus, we got a private ride in a brand new BMW! Both ways.

Road through the mountains Paraty
The road through the mountains

The driving time is reported as 4 hrs and the first couple of hours were completely unremarkable. Until we entered the mountains and began the arduous descent to the coast.

This massive stretch of the road is one hairpin turn after the other and the traffic flows quite quickly. We felt uncomfortable even while being driven by a professional driver who was very familiar with the road.

We were certainly happy that neither of us had to drive. Especially considering the number of cars sitting dead on the opposite side of the road with steam rising from under their hoods. Engine overheating was unnervingly common.

The last short stretch along the coast was a pleasant reprieve.

We made it in just over 4 hours, which means that the official estimated time for this road assumes covering the steep stretch at an uncomfortably high speed.

But we didn’t even know half of it until we were caught in heavy rain and thick fog on the drive back.

The visibility was so poor that the only thing we could see through the white haze was the muted glow of the breaking lights of the car ahead. And when that car occasionally sped away we were literally travelling blind. At speed. Around hairpin turns. For hours.

More on Finding Wildlife in Brazil


10 thoughts on “7 Fun things to do in Paraty, Brazil”

  1. What an incredible place. I have to say that Brazil never really enticed me much, but after reading your blog post, I am excited to go there. Your photography is phenomenal, especially the bird photos. Simply stunning. I am a passionate photographer as well, mostly landscape, and I have a deep admiration for wildlife photographers as it is such a hard specialty.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much, Maria! I am thrilled that Brazil caught your interest. It is such a beautiful and wild country! It swept me off my feet :)

      Reply
  2. I’ve yet to make it to Brazil but it’s on my list and I’ll be adding this on my to-go places when I go! Love your super in-depth piece, perfect for travel planning!

    Reply
  3. Wow! I would love to visit here. Great photos and descriptions of the town and beaches. Paraty is absolutely on my list for when I travel to Brasil.

    Reply
  4. I’ve been to São Paulo and Rio, and had no idea such a cute little town like Paraty was in the middle of them! The boat trip you did looks so beautiful, and I love all the little colourful birds. Pinning for my next Brazil trip!

    Reply
  5. What a great post!! This little village in Brazil looks adorable! Might need to add this to my hypothetical Brazil travel itinerary.

    Reply
    • Lol, I am the same – keep filing away things for later, for when I get around to planning a trip to the given destination.

      Reply

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