Bonete Beach, a lost paradise just a few hours from São Paulo
- Gustavo Galli
- há 5 dias
- 7 min de leitura
After living in Ilhabela for a few months, we finally decided to spend a few days in one of Brazil’s most authentic and breathtaking spots: Bonete Beach. Located on the island’s southern tip, Bonete is special for so many reasons. For starters, you can’t get there by car. To reach the village, you either hike a 14km (8.7-mile) trail or catch a boat. This simple detail creates an incredible atmosphere of disconnection from the outside world that we found absolutely amazing. Due to its isolation, Bonete isn't connected to the main power grid; every house is fully off-grid, relying on solar panels and batteries. To give you an idea, this infrastructure was only established about 10 years ago through a local government project.
The village is home to about 300 permanent residents who live primarily off fishing and tourism. The beach features fine sand and a small river on the left side - perfect for rinsing off the salt after a dip in the ocean. The water is a clear, vibrant green, typical of São Paulo’s northern coast. For surfers, Bonete is paradise! It’s not uncommon for a swell to bring waves over two meters (6.5 feet), creating a point break that’s rare to find in Brazil. Plus, there’s a waterfall just a 10-minute walk away where the fresh, cold water will make you feel reborn. Honestly, Bonete is a hidden gem! It’s hard to believe that such an incredible paradise exists just a few hours away from Latin America’s largest metropolis. If you’re planning a trip to Brazil and Ilhabela, this is a must-stop!
How to get there?
As I mentioned, there are two ways to get to Bonete: by trail or by boat. We’ve hiked the trail several times, and my recommendation is to arrive on foot. The path takes you through the heart of the pristine Atlantic Forest, passing three stunning waterfalls where you can cool off and catch your breath before moving on. It’s about a 14km (8.7-mile) hike that takes 4 to 5 hours. Although it's long, the trail is very well-marked, so you won't have any trouble finding your way. We suggest wearing proper hiking shoes and packing a light backpack with just the essentials for a few days. While many people do a day trip - hiking there and taking a boat back - the experience of staying overnight is incredible, and we highly recommend it! Just look at how breathtaking the trail and waterfalls are!
Another option is to hire a boat. While you can depart from or arrive at Perequê (Ilhabela’s downtown), a great alternative is to arrange a drop-off at the Nova Iorqui Restaurant. It's located in the south of the island, right near the trailhead. Everyone knows the spot, and it's probably the most common place for boats coming from Bonete to dock. The boat ride from Bonete to the Nova Iorqui pier takes about 30 minutes and is absolutely beautiful. Be sure to ask your boatman about Buraco do Cação - a massive 80-meter (260-foot) rock formation right along the way. If the sea is calm enough, they can even take the boat inside the cave, though the conditions weren't quite right for it on the day we went.
What to do?
Enjoy the Beach: Bonete Beach is so perfect it looks like it was drawn by hand. With its fine white sand surrounded by lush Atlantic Forest, the beach features several local restaurants along the shore and a clean, freshwater river on the left side - the ideal spot to rinse off the salt after a swim in the ocean. We spent two days just relaxing on the sand and had lunch at two different spots: Quiosque das Meninas and Bonetero's. Both serve a fantastic lunch and ice-cold beer. The best part about Bonete is its unpretentious vibe; nowhere is overly fancy, and they don't even think about charging you for chairs or umbrellas. You just show up, take a seat, and enjoy the day!
Surf: the most surprising side of Bonete is that, beyond being a fishing village, it’s a surfing village. The point break on the right side of the beach creates incredible waves and shapes the entire lifestyle of the locals. When the swell is on, everyone is in the water! And while the waves attract many tourists, the locals are always the majority. On this trip, I rented a board at Pousada Canto Bravo and hit the water at 6 a.m., joined only by two boys, ages 10 and 12. I asked them how long they’d been surfing, and the answer was quick and clear: 'Since we were born!' They caught about ten waves each while I managed one or two. It was amazing! haha :). But for beginners, a fair warning: Bonete’s waves are considered challenging because they are fast and powerful. Still, if I could handle it when the swell was small, I’m sure you can too!
Poço Fundo Waterfall: just a 10-minute walk from the beach, you'll find a waterfall with small cascades—perfect for cooling off on a hot day and rinsing away the salt after a swim. The water is crystal clear and freezing cold, just as a good waterfall should be! Getting there is super easy: just wander through the narrow sandy paths between the houses and follow the signs. You can’t miss it!
Enchovas and Indaiaúba Trail: since we had been to Bonete before, we decided to try something different this time and hiked to the neighboring beaches: Enchovas and Indaiaúba. The round-trip trail is about 12km (7.5 miles) and takes around 4 hours total. Most of the path is under the lush canopy of the Atlantic Forest, which was a lifesaver since it was a scorching hot day, though the terrain has plenty of steep climbs and descents. I’d rate it as an intermediate hike. As usual, I used the AllTrails app and navigated there with no trouble at all.
The beaches are stunning! Enchovas is a rocky beach with a small river flowing into the sea and just a single house where an elderly couple lives. Indaiaúba, on the other hand, is a paradisiacal beach home to a high-end luxury estate. Interestingly, you can't get there by car either, so the owners must be incredibly wealthy - building houses of that caliber in such a remote spot is no small feat. Keep in mind that neither beach has bars or restaurants, so don't forget to pack plenty of water and snacks!
Sunset at the Viewpoint: halfway between Bonete and Enchovas, there’s an incredible viewpoint to catch the sunset. It’s a bit of a climb - about 1.5km (roughly a mile) uphill - but the view is absolutely worth it!
Where to stay?
Nowadays, Bonete Beach offers several options including hostels, guesthouses (pousadas), and even vacation rentals. We stayed at Pousada do Roy, which, although quite simple, is well-located, clean, and serves a great breakfast. We paid about US$40 a night for a room with a private bathroom - a price we found very fair. Like all accommodations in Bonete, the rooms only have fans. Since the energy comes exclusively from solar panels and batteries, there’s no air conditioning, which can be a challenge on hotter days. We managed to sleep relatively well, even with temperatures hitting 30°C (86°F) at night.
Two other great lodging options are Sambaqui Hostel and Pousada Canto Bravo. The former is a bit more budget-friendly with a classic hostel vibe, while the latter feels more like a boutique hotel with excellent amenities and even its own restaurant. In addition to these, there are several listings on Airbnb that look quite promising if you're looking for a private house.
Where to eat?
In Bonete, restaurant options are limited and most are quite simple - but that doesn't mean you won't eat incredibly well there. During our two-day stay, we tried some delicious dishes that I’m excited to share. Keep in mind, this isn't a ranking of the "best" restaurants; far from it! Think of our experience as a guide to what’s possible to find there. If you can, try these and much more!
On our first day, right after finishing the 14km hike, we sat down at Quiosque das Meninas and ordered "Baião de Dois". This is a traditional dish from Northeastern Brazil made of rice and beans mixed with jerked beef and queijo coalho (a firm, salty grilled cheese). It was delicious and the portion was so huge that even with our post-hike hunger, we couldn't finish it. The dish cost about US$8, which felt like a total bargain.
In the evening, we stopped at a very humble little stall called 'Pastel da Vovó Lourdes' (Grandma Lourdes’ Pastel). This is exactly the kind of place I love! The pastéis are handmade by Dona Lourdes herself, a sweet elderly lady who has lived in the village since she was born. We tried a squid pastel - something I had never had before - and another one made with taioba (a local tropical leaf) and cheese. Of course, we had a cold beer to wash it all down. The total came to about US$15.
On the second day, after the 15km trek to Indaiaúba, we arrived back at Bonete starving. We headed straight to Boneteiro’s, a chill beachfront bar that serves both appetizers and full meals. We ordered two plates of rice, beans, and fried fish, along with an ice-cold beer. I’m not sure if it was just the hunger, but it was honestly one of the most delicious lunches of my life. I am so sad I didn't take a picture of it! I guess I was too hungry! Highly recommended! Each plate was around US$8.
For dinner, we decided to try a small place that had caught our eye as soon as we arrived: an Arabic restaurant. In Brazil, Arabic food has been adapted into its own unique style, mostly consisting of esfihas and fried kibe. That’s exactly what we had, and it was delicious! The restaurant is called La Boneteira, and they also serve pizza, which looked great too. I think this was our favorite spot in the village.
I truly hope that one day you get to visit this hidden paradise, located just a few hours away from Latin America’s largest metropolis!
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