On São Paulo northern coastline, Ilhabela is on a large mountainous island covered by Atlantic Forest, with more than 40 beaches, some of them almost desert, and a lot of waterfalls. Almost the entire area is protected by a state park. On weekends and on summer times, it receives a lot of tourists attracted by the harmony between the preserved natural beauties and the charm of a small city that offers inns and good restaurants.
Its geographical characteristics are good for the practice of different maritime sports, as sailing, surfing and windsurfing. Shipwrecks and small islands provide good points for diving. Another good program is to visit the more isolated beaches on sailings.
In July, the city hosts Brazilian and foreign sailers to the main nautical competition on the country, the International Sailing Week, on which different classes ships participate.

Beaches
On the island side to the continent, the sea is calm, and sailers, windsurfers and kayakers visit it. It’s the place where the small urban area is concentrated, smashed between beaches and mountains. Beaches with primitive appearance and high waves or isolated places in small inlets with transparent water are on the side pointed to the open sea. The access to those places is by earth road, by long hikes or by a rent boat. Baía dos Castelhanos, Saco do Sombrio, Fome and Bonete are some of the most beautiful beaches on Ilhabela.
Diving
There are excellent points for diving. Ilha das Cabras (Cabras island), has a great diversity of marine fauna. The area is part of a marine municipal park, where the submarine hunting and the fishing are not allowed. There are several fish springs, as big robalos and badejos, corals, sponges, sargentos and butterfly fishes. More distant islands, as Búzios, Galhetas e Sumitica, also have transparent water and good visibility. Within the great number of wrecked ships around Ilhabela, divers exploit six of them. Local diving operators offer equipments, transportation and training.
Boat sailings
Take the visitor to idyllic and more inaccessible places, as the beaches Bonete, Saco do Sombrio, Baía dos Castelhanos, Enchovas, da Serra and Fome. The strolls, which take from six to nine hours, are on launchs and schooners and include lunch and stops for swimming and hikes.

INFRASTRUCTURE
The city has well-equipped hotels and comfortable inns. But there are also simple and cheap options. The restaurants serve diversified dishes, mainly some prepared with fishes and shellfishes. It has tourism agencies that organize visits to the islands and diving, and branches from the main banks.

HOW TO GET THERE
Ilhabela is 210 km far from São Paulo. The main access road is Rio-Santos (BR-101), till São Sebastião city. On that city, there are ferryboats crossing to the island. Other road options are Dutra (BR- 116) or Ayrton Senna/Carvalho Pinto (SP-070). These options are valid to those going from São Paulo as well as to those going from Rio de Janeiro. There are buses departing from the capital.