Did I mention that Ilha Grande was one of the most perfect places I have ever seen? Our final day on the island we decided to put our previous day’s nightmare behind us and we headed out early for a 40-minute boat ride to nearby Las Palmas Cove.

We stopped in the cove (above) for a quick swim before gathering our things and heading off on a 30-minute walk along hilly jungle paths that took us to another side of the island and to Ilha Grande’s most famous beach, Lopes Mendes.

This is the view of the busier side of Lopes Mendes. Behind the camera, stretching for about a mile is a slowly curving coastline and beach that must have been populated by less than 30 people. The sand is so soft and fine that it actually squeaks underfoot, a little like freshly fallen snow.

After a relaxing few hours that included much splashing around in the sea and a quick game of Frisbee we headed back through the forest to Las Palmas Cove. On the way, we heard some rustling in the trees about 15 feet away to our right and saw a troop of medium-sized monkeys, possibly about two feet tall, making their way slowly along the branches.

Back at Las Palmas Cove we had 25 minutes to spare before the departure of a boat that would take us back to the main port, so we took advantage of the cove’s floating bar. To save us having to rush our beers, the barman signaled for the boat to pull up alongside the bar to pick us up. A couple of hours later we were on a ferry heading back to the mainland. If you ever go to Rio do not miss the opportunity of visiting Ilha Grande. I promise, you won’t regret it.

Tomorrow: Final thoughts.