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Which is better: Angra dos Reis or Ilha Grande?

Short answer

Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande are in the same region (Rio de Janeiro and Surroundings). Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; Ilha Grande: Atlantic Forest, trails and green water without a single car. The weather is similar in both this month. Driving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis costs less.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap

Most reviewed activity in Angra dos ReisIlhas Botinas Boat Trip + Angra dos Reis Beaches★ 10 · 6 reviews · from US$ 35 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →

Most reviewed activity in Ilha GrandeAcaiá Cave & Ilha Grande Lagoons Boat Tour★ 8 · 1 review · from US$ 46 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →

	Angra dos Reis	Ilha Grande
Best time to visit	May → Aug	May → Aug
Weather this month	28° · 13 days of rain	28° · 13 days of rain
By car	R$ 293 · from São Paulo	R$ 312 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay	3–4 days	3–4 days
Best for	Adventure, Relax, Family, Romantic	Adventure, Relax, Romantic, Family

Choose Angra dos Reis if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: a schooner in the morning, green sea in the afternoon and Ilha Grande a boat trip away.

See guide

Choose Ilha Grande if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: the wildest island on the Costa Verde, with Lopes Mendes at the end of the path.

See guide

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Where to stay

Where to stay: Angra dos Reis or Ilha Grande

What usually tips the balance for your wallet is the rate on your travel dates. Check current prices for each city before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Angra dos Reis on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

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Compare hotels and places to stay in Ilha Grande on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

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Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Angra dos Reis or Ilha Grande: which is better?

What is the best time to visit Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande?

The best time to visit Angra dos Reis is from May to August; for Ilha Grande, it is from May to August, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.

Which of the two is cheaper to get to?

By car, leaving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis is 384 km (239 mi) and costs about R$ 293 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from São Paulo, Ilha Grande is 404 km (251 mi) and costs about R$ 312 each way (fuel plus tolls). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.

Where does it rain less, Angra dos Reis or Ilha Grande?

Averaged over the year, Angra dos Reis has 12 rainy days a month and Ilha Grande has 12. The two are practically tied over the year, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Angra dos Reis is January and in Ilha Grande, January. For temperature, both have the same average high, 29°.

How many days should you spend in Angra dos Reis and in Ilha Grande?

To see the main sights without rushing, Angra dos Reis calls for 3–4 days and Ilha Grande, 3–4 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.

Angra dos Reis or Ilha Grande with kids?

Both work with kids: Angra dos Reis (365 islands in the bay; schooner trip; green sea and Atlantic Forest) and Ilha Grande (car-free village, forest trails, and paradise beaches). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure.

What should you not miss in each?

In Angra dos Reis: Schooner trip around the islands, Ilha Grande (day trip), Lopes Mendes Beach. In Ilha Grande: Lopes Mendes Beach, Vila do Abraão, Pico do Papagaio. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.