Is Ilha Grande Paradise?

The question arose as to whether or not Ilha Grande, a lushly vegetated tropical Island a few hours outside of Rio, is truly paradise.  Well, I am not going to say if it truly is paradise.  What I can say is it's got to come pretty damn close.  The island while large, does not allow cars, making it eerily quiet yet peaceful.  The people are patient and helpful.  The buildings have a quaint beauty to them.  Thats all fine and dandy, but what makes it truly amazing is the trek to Lopes Mendes beach, and the beauty that awaits.

The trek, two and a half hours of hiking through hot and humid tropical rain forest with up to 300 meters in elevation gain is blissful.  You barely even notice the physical exertion as you walk through a beautiful forest.  The views from the top of the first climb are strikingly beautiful.  You can see Vila do Abrao (the town on the island) off to the left, the straight between the island and the coast in front of you, and to the right is the mainland.  As you continue down the rocky other side you encounter a small stream and tiny, yet fitting waterfall.  Nearby you find many colorful birds with colors so vibrant they seemed like they should be on a TV advertisement.  Memory of birds still fresh in your head you encounter the first of three beaches.

Along the beach are scattered residences and you cant help but think how one could be so lucky.  The beach was but a tease however as next thing you know you are right back to climbing over another substantial hill.  While this hill does not provide the striking views, the walk does remind you of how beautiful the tropical forest can be, with its rocks, trees, vines, bamboo, and flowers that are blooming despite it being the middle of fall.  Before you know it you are down the other side, crossing a bridge and on the second beach.  This one even more beautiful than the first.

You start to think it cannot get any better than this and contemplate stopping for a dip in the ocean.  However you remember everyone that did the hike told you Lopes Mendes is the place to be, and as beautiful as this beach is you must continue on.  You finish walking across the beach and begin the climb over the hill to Lopes Mendes.  Suddenly you notice the enormous Yellow and Green bamboo rising out of the soil to your left hand side as if reminding you one last time you are in Brazil the land of the beautiful. This last hill ends up being the shortest in both height and distance of the three, but by now you have been hiking for a few hours and cannot help but thinking "are we there yet?"

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the muddy trail turns into the finest white sand you have ever felt.  You look ahead knowing you cant be far, and that maybe just maybe this beach really is what everyone says it is.  But all you can see are palm and fig trees.  Your stride quickens, you turn one corner, then another.  Finally your throat drops: on both sides of you stretching seemingly forever is the most beautiful, pristine beach you have ever seen.  The waves are breaking perfectly for the surfers while also showing their fury against the rocks marking the end of the beach to the right.  To the left the beach just dissolves perfectly back into trees lining the coast as if it never even existed.  Behind you all you see are the perfect figs and palms, there are no buildings anywhere.  Oh and the people, all of them so beautiful that you begin to doubt that you stumbled upon not a beach, but a carefully designed set for a magazine photo shoot.

Sweaty and exhausted you throw you doubts aside with your hiking boots and shirt.  For in front of you is the Atlantic Ocean, and because everything else is, you know the water temperature is going to be perfect.  Refreshed from your dip you proceed to lay out your towel to tan under the cloudless sky.  You spend what seems like an hour letting the sun radiate you into a state of euphoric relaxation.  Then out of nowhere come some high pitched shreaks disrupting your relaxation, for a second you think aha, finally something thats not perfect, this really is reality.  You raise your head to figure out what the noise could be.  Almost disappointingly you realize your judgement on the shreaks came a bit too soon as they were coming from a family of small, picture perfect, monkeys with bushy tails and faces so cute they nearly bring a tear to your eye.  Once the monkeys disappear back into the trees you go back to relaxing, and after what seems like an excruciatingly short amount of time it is unavoidably 4 o'clock and you must head back to the boat.

"NOOOOO!!!" You think.  "It just can't be the end of the day.  It just does not get any better than this."  Reluctantly, however you do get on the boat for the depressing end to your unforgettable day.  Then as if mocking you for thinking anything could not be any better come two dolphins to follow the boat back into port.

Paradise?  Why don't you decide?  As for me I have learned my lesson and will forever believe there is something better out there, and I strive to find it.  If not though this place wasn't bad.