Ilhabela

Ilhabela - Praia de Bonete - São Sebastião

From Puerto Montt, we take a flight to Santiago, followed by another to São Paulo — so far, so good. Upon arriving in São Paulo, we board a bus toward São Sebastião. The journey is long, but we stay positive about what awaits us on Ilhabela.

Then comes the first hurdle: the ATM doesn’t dispense any cash. Not an ideal situation when we need money for the one hour bus ride. So we improvise — exchanging a few dollars for reais at a bar, but somehow, it’s still not enough. Instead of the required 20 reais, we only have 12. Fortunately, some locals kindly help us out. A woman named Erica generously pays for our bus fare without hesitation. That moment makes us realize: traveling isn’t just about exploring new places; it’s also about experiencing human generosity in South America.

After the one hour bus ride, we find ourselves at the entrance to the Atlantic Rainforest. Our accommodation is a four hour hike away. A friendly Brazilian woman insists on giving us a walking stick—“for the snakes,” she emphasizes. Not a bad idea, as we soon learn. At the trail entrance, a ranger stops us and explains the risks of the hike.

The path goes through the forest, accompanied by the increasingly loud hum of cicadas. Time passes, and daylight fades. And then a small black snake cross the path. I decide to tell Billie about it later… By the time we finally arrive at our accomodation for the next days. It is already dark, but our effort is well rewarded: a small hut right by the beach, the soft sound of the waves, and a fantastic dinner with freshly caught fish.

The next three days are pure relaxation in paradise. Mornings begin with a light workout on the beach, followed by reading, swimming, and playing with the waves during the day. And in the evening, we play our own little “memory game” of favorite travel moments. Every evening, we enjoy delicious, freshly caught fish.

But adventure calls us once again on our way back. To have money for the bus, we exchange our last argentinian pesos in brasilian Real with some friendly Argentinians. This time, we spot even more wildlife: a vibrant green snake, a squirrel, a type of black wild chicken, and a large lizard—possibly a black-and-white tegu. Then, we witness something fascinating: a massive spider, likely a species of tarantula, lies motionless on the ground. Next to it stands a tiny wasp. It is probably a pepsis wasp that has paralyzed its prey with venom, preparing to use it as food.

Back at the end of the path, a bus driver with, let’s say, a “sporty” driving style takes us to the ferry. In São Sebastião, during dinner, we experience what “Brazilian portions” really mean. Our meal is more than enough for the next day’s lunch.

On our last morning before departure, we go for one final run, a perfect ending before spending hours on a bus and on planes again. Now we have to say goodbye to Brazil and South America.Read more