Praia de Lopes Mendes runs for about three kilometres along the eastern shore of Ilha Grande, an island in the municipality of Angra dos Reis on Brazil's Rio de Janeiro coast. There are no roads, cars, or permanent buildings anywhere near the sand — motorised vehicles are banned across the entire island — and the only way in is by boat or on foot, along trails through the Atlantic Forest.
The most common route combines a short boat ride with a short hike: from Vila do Abraão, the island's main village, water taxis run to Praia do Pouso, from where a roughly 1-kilometre trail through the forest — 15 to 30 minutes, depending on pace — leads over to the Lopes Mendes bay. Visitors who prefer to walk the whole way can follow the coastal trail from Abraão, passing Praia Grande dos Palmas and Praia dos Mangues before reaching Pouso, for a total of 6 to 7 kilometres and roughly 2.5 to 3 hours on foot.
Ilha Grande itself can only be reached by boat — there's no bridge and no airport. Crossings leave from three points on the mainland: Conceição de Jacareí (about 12 km, 15 to 50 minutes, with the most frequent departures and the closest option to Rio de Janeiro city), Angra dos Reis (about 21 km, 1.5 to 2 hours, across more sheltered water), and Mangaratiba (a single daily crossing). Since 1 June 2026, the municipality of Angra dos Reis has charged a Sustainable Tourism Fee on day-trip visitors to the island — around R$28 for those boarding in Angra dos Reis and around R$50 via Mangaratiba, paid digitally through the Viva Angra portal or at kiosks in the village. Registered residents and workers are exempt.
In 2013, TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards named Lopes Mendes the seventh-best beach in the world and the second-best in Brazil that year, based on user ratings gathered over the preceding twelve months. The beach also sits within the area UNESCO recognised in July 2019 as a Mixed World Heritage Site — both cultural and natural — a title it shares with neighbouring Paraty, covering roughly 150,000 hectares of Atlantic Forest across six municipalities, including Ilha Grande State Park, the Praia do Sul State Biological Reserve, Serra da Bocaina National Park, and the Cairuçu Environmental Protection Area.
Within this UNESCO-recognised area, roughly 85% of the native vegetation remains intact, forming the country's second-largest continuous stretch of Atlantic Forest. It's home to an estimated 45% of the bird species and 34% of the frogs and tree frogs recorded across the entire biome, along with sightings of rare species such as jaguar and muriqui, the largest primate in the Americas — though none of these are likely to be spotted anywhere near the beach itself.
The sea at Lopes Mendes is usually rough, with a swell that draws surfers; board rental appears seasonally, mainly during the high season and holidays. There's no natural drinking water on the beach and no fixed toilets — only a handful of informal drink and snack vendors near the access trail, in summer and on long weekends. A line of almond trees along the treeline provides natural shade, but bringing your own water, sunscreen and food is essential; camping is banned across the whole area.
April to June and September to November bring milder temperatures, between 20°C and 28°C, less rain and fewer visitors. December to March is high season, with warmer water for swimming but a busier beach. Arriving early, between 8am and 9am, is the most reliable way to still find the sand empty.
For a complete change of pace, it's worth visiting Ipanema Beach too, further along the same Rio de Janeiro coast — the busy, urban counterpoint that only sharpens how isolated Lopes Mendes feels.
By boat from Vila do Abraão to Praia do Pouso, followed by a roughly 1 km trail (15 to 30 minutes) through the forest; or on foot via the coastal trail from Abraão (6 to 7 km, 2.5 to 3 hours).
Since 1 June 2026, the municipality of Angra dos Reis has charged a Sustainable Tourism Fee on day-trip visitors — around R$28 via Angra dos Reis or R$50 via Mangaratiba, paid through the Viva Angra portal.
There are no fixed toilets or natural drinking water; only informal drink and snack vendors appear seasonally, in summer and on long weekends.
April to June and September to November offer mild temperatures and fewer crowds; December to March is high season, with warmer water but more visitors.
Real historical monthly sea temperature averages.
Less than 30 minutes by car.
