Great Escapes

Easter celebrations in Rio are low key in comparison to the fanfare of carnival and new year, and many locals use the public holiday to make their escape from the heat and hectic pace of the city.

This is good news for anyone enjoying a spring break in Rio, as the mass migration from the city makes for plenty of elbow room on Ipanema and Copacabana beaches.

As Monday is not a public holiday, most of the drinking and merrymaking to be done on Easter Sunday itself takes place during the day, and generally take the form of family lunches and barbeques as opposed to wild partying.

Should you be planning your own escape from the city, it´s wise to wait until the Easter weekend is over – prices will drop dramatically, and there´ll be a great deal more choice.

If the current warm, sunny weather continues, a trip down the beautiful Costa Verde (Green Coast) of Rio de Janeiro state should be on any traveler´s itinerary.

In less than three hours (on a comfortable, air conditioned coach that winds its way past stunning stretches of coastline), travelers can be in Angra dos Reis, a pleasant town in its own right and the jumping off point for visits to stunning Ilha Grande.

This giant island is largely unspoilt jungle, as its nature reserve status prevents too much construction work taking place. A true paradise for sunseekers due to the countless unspoilt beaches, Ilha Grande is a great place to relax and unwind after spending some time partying in Rio de Janeiro.

There are countless pleasant guest houses, and a refreshing lack of high rise hotels; and budget travelers in Rio can take advantage of a number of decent backpacker hostels, and plenty of well-equipped campsites. Backpackers looking for a good location near the beaches, bars and reastaurants might want to check out
http://www.chelagarto.com/br/hostel-em-ilha-grande.php
Outside of the main tourist seasons, prices tend to compare very favourably with those of Rio itself, and while nightlife is low key to say the least (there´s just one nightclub on the island…) there are no shortage of bars and restaurants.

Coaches leave from Rio´s main bus station (Rodoviaria Novo Rio) roughly every hour, and the fare is around R$32 each way.

Ferries depart from Angra dos Reis at 3pm each day, and cost R$7 each way during the week, R$15 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The trip takes about 90 minutes, and travelers needn´t panic if they miss the ferry – there are plenty of fishing boats waiting to take travelers over to the island. Prices are higher though – R$20 per person is about average.

Travelers heading to Ilha Grande should take advantage of the cash points in Angra dos Reis – there are none on the island and many places don´t accept cards. It´s also worth stocking up on supplies in the town´s supermarkets, as prices on Ilha Grande itself are considerably higher. Oh, and don´t forget the super-strength insect repellant!