Elected by The Guardian in 2009, as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches of Brasil, Lopes Mendes beach, in Ilha Grande, deserves the title: 3 Km of very clear and thin sand and crystalline clean waters. To the left of the Beach is Morro dos Castelhanos, with 350 m of altitude, and to the right, Morro do Ferreira, 760 m high.
Rough at some points of the beach, the ocean is suitable for surfing, but is also good for swimmers and even children in other shallow points.
The beach is wild, has no signs of human interference, which contributes to make it even more appealing. There are no kiosks or bars or restaurants, let alone night clubs.
It’s a perfect place for those who want to rest. It’s a virtually deserted beach, with the edge surrounded by almond trees that ensure fabulous natural shade.
Near the far left of the beach, there's an ancient chapel, known as the Chapel of St. Benedict.
Take food and water, because there are no restaurants.
Free admission.
Address
Ilha Grande – Angra dos Reis, RJ
If you enjoy longer walks, you can head towards the Castelhanos Lighthouse (T12 trail, see the map of trails) and, when you get closer to Aroeira Beach, turn right and walk for about 40 minutes until Lopes Mendes.
You can also walk from Abraão through the T10, making a total distance of 6 Km.
To reach the place, you can take a boat from the Abraão Village that docks on Pouso Beach. From there you will follow a light 1km trail - the T11, check out the map of trails – that goes up and down a hill and ends at Lopes Mendes.