Lopes Mendes Beach

Of all the beautiful beaches on Ilha Grande, it is Praia de Lopes Mendes that is perhaps the closest to perfection. Making regular appearances in World’s best beaches articles, the beach is something of a darling of the travel media. But does it live up to the acclaim? We think so.

The beach itself is a gorgeous expanse of fine golden sand which stretches for 3 Km along the clear, blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. What makes this beach so special are its stunning and pristine surrounds.

Lopes Mendes Beach is fringed with almond and palm trees, but beyond these the terrain rises rapidly. To one side of the beach is the 350 m high Morro dos Castelhanos, whilst to the other the 760 m high Morro do Ferreira. All this landscape is covered in thick greenery, and there isn’t a sign of human existence as far as the eye can see.

Besides relaxing and taking in the beauty of the scenery the main activity at Lopes Mendes is surfing. There are nearly always waves of some description here, which doesn’t make it ideal for swimming much of the time. If you do fancy catching a few waves and you don’t have a surfboard, fear not as you can rent them on the beach during the summer.

Just behind the beach is an ancient chapel dedicated to St Benedict which provides an interesting respite from all the nature outside.