The 10 Best Things To Do in Paraty
Visiting Paraty is by far one of the best things to do in Brazil. If you’re planning on traveling Brazil anytime soon, either backpacking or on a shorter trip, Paraty is an easy one to add to your Brazil Itinerary. Located between Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo, this beautiful coastal town has so much to offer, and it’s super easy to access. Several coaches leave a day from both big cities and head to Paraty, and it only costs about £10 for the ticket. Whether you go to Paraty for just a few days or much longer it has plenty to do to keep you busy. To help you we’ve created the ultimate list of the best things to do in Paraty. First up…
SACO DO MAMANGUA HIKE
The Saco do Mamangua hike was by far one of the best things we did in Brazil, so I think it’s a must do in Paraty. The top of the hike offers incredible views across the fjord, and its crystal blue waters.
The Mamangua hike (Small Sugarloaf), takes about 1-1.5 hours through the jungle starting on an isolated beach. To get to the start of the Mamangua hike you must take a bus from Paraty to Paraty Mirim ($5Reais), then get a small boat to the beach as it’s not accessible by land. The boat ride in itself is so stunning, you’ll travel around the coastline, past isolated beaches and jungle-covered mountain ranges.
Be prepared, the hike isn’t easy. It’s steep, and you’ll spend most of the 1.5 hours just climbing upward, but I promise you it’s worth it. However, if it’s been raining that day, the ground will be too slippy and I’d advise waiting until a different day. The hike is free and you don’t have to pay any park entrance fees like in other places in Brazil. Also – I can’t forget - the beach is great for a swim when you’ve made it to the bottom!
Length: 5-6 Hours
Expected Price: £10 (60 Reais)
Activities: Hiking | Swimming
Saco Do Mamangua (Mini Sugarloaf)
EXPLORE THE OLD TOWN
At the heart of Paraty, l is its Colonial Old Town made up of large, cobbled streets, and historical buildings. While there aren’t any specific historical buildings to tour around, the town is beautiful to wander day and night. The old colonial buildings are now filled with wonderful restaurants or shops. During high tide/ heavy rain the streets closest to the coast will fill with several inches of water (in the olden days this was how they built the street to clean away the sewage naturally). Spend time walking around the old town, taking photos, and enjoying some of the local eateries.
KAYAKING THE MANGROVES
If you aren’t already aware, Paraty sits within a beautiful bay that has plenty of beaches and Islands to explore. In northern Paraty part of the coast is full of mangroves with a river running through the middle. On Paraty’s Kayaking tour you have the chance to explore some of these islands in a unique way and travel through the mangroves spotting some local wildlife.
The Kayaking trip is an awesome way to explore Paraty away from all the other tourists. It lasts about 4 hours (with about 2-3 hours of kayaking time), and you have a couple of breaks at 2 small islands/beaches.
We used Paraty Explorer, who were fantastic. Michael was our guide and I was one of the owners of Paraty Explorer. He made us feel at ease and gave us lots of other tips for travelling Brazil.
Length: 4 Hours
Expected Price: £35 (200 Reais)
Activities: Beaches | Kayaking | Mangroves
BOAT TOUR
One of the most popular things to do in Paraty is head out on a boat tour for the day. The tours last 5-6 hours and take you to several beaches and Islands around the bay. You can opt for a smaller boat that only takes around 10-20 people, either as a private charter or as part of a larger group, or you can opt for one of the bigger tour boats that take around 100.
The larger boats have an optional lunch you can buy on board, and the food is surprisingly good (though not that cheap), and most boats will have drinks available to buy. If you aren’t sure which boat is for you, you can just stroll down to the dock the morning you wish to go and explore the boats and skippers for yourself, you will have no trouble getting a ticket.
Length: 5-6 Hours
Expected Price: £10 (60 Reais)
Activities: Beaches | Swimming | Snorkelling | Eating
Paraty Boat Tour
VISIT THE WATERFALLS
While Paraty’s waterfalls are on my list as one of the top things to do in Paraty, I would opt for a ‘less touristy’ option than most. However, I’ll outline both options for you here, and you can decide which Paraty experience is best for you.
Your first choice is to go for a Paraty Jeep Waterfall tour with a local agency. You’ll be driven to the 3 main waterfalls (Pit of the Englishman, The waterfall of Seven falls, Cachoeira do Tobogã), where you can explore each for 30-60 mins depending on the stop. The waterfall of Seven Falls & Toboga waterfall both have entrance fees (around $8 Reais) and can get very busy.
The second choice is to walk most of the way (we opted for this). You can get a bus for $5Reais to just outside Paraty (Stop Ponte Branca) and walk to the Pit of the Englishman Waterfall from there. The hike takes about 45 mins, and the waterfall is much quieter (only some guides stop there), there is also no charge to get in. Next, you can hike to The Waterfall of Seven Falls if you wish to (about another 40min), which is more touristy and with the entrance fee. We opted to hike to the first waterfall and just stay there. Watching locals cliff jump and had a packed lunch.
The Toboga (which means tabogan) Waterfall is famous for its natural slides. The smooth slippery rocks, create a small network of natural slides you can slide down into the water! Pretty cool but try and get there before the crowds! You can also get the bus from Paraty all the way there – no need to pay for a tour. The bus fare is the same and a small entrance fee.
Length: 5-6 Hours
Expected Price: £5 (30 Reais)
Activities: Hiking | Swimming
CACHACARIA
If you haven’t done a Cachacaria tour already on your travels in Brazil, then Paraty is a great place to do one. There are two main Cachacarias’ to choose from Alambique Paratiana and Alambique Engenho D'Ouro , and they are pretty close together. We opted for Alambique Paratiana, as there was a cool bar to try more drinks and an outside bistro with a beautiful view of the stream and jungle. You can also do this on the walking route to The Pit of the Englishman waterfall, combining both in 1 day.
The Cachacaria tours in Paraty are totally free, and they have guides who speak a range of languages (including English). You learn about the production process of Cachaca before visiting the cellar and trying some different flavours for yourself (again – all free). You can spend some time after the tour exploring the shop or trying some of their home-brewed beers or cachaca cocktails in the upstairs bar. At Alambique Paratiana the staff were all super friendly, and the bar and outside space were a great additional touch.
Length: 2 Hours
Expected Price: Free
Activities: Educational | Drinking
HIRE A BIKE
A great way to explore any town is by bike (in my opinion). Paraty has several companies that offer bike hire for either an hourly or daily rate. Hire a bike and cycle around the old town, the surrounding beaches and even up to the waterfalls (if you can make it that far). Bikes are very popular in the town, so fit in like a local and explore the outskirts of Paraty on 2 wheels.
Length: As long as you like
Expected Price: £10 (60 Reais)
Activities: Cycling
DINNER IN THE OLD TOWN
When you travel to Paraty you won’t be lost for fantastic places to eat or enjoy a drink with some live music. The town really does have something for everyone, from beautifully cooked local dished, through to Thai and Shushi. We’ve even written a separate article of the best place to eat in Paraty if you need some help choosing. The old streets are just as beautiful at night, with soft lighting lining the streets, pop up craft stalls and the sound of joyfulness as people enjoy a drink.
Length: As long as you like
Expected Price: £10 (60 Reais)
Activities: Eating | Drinking
Paraty Old Town
TRINDADE
Trindade is considered the most beautiful beach to visit in Paraty. As a former fishing village Trindade is a beautiful seaside town known for its pristine long sandy beaches. The town has 5 beaches to choose from, and if you fancy heading to one that’s a little quieter you can choose to take a short hike through verdant jungle landscapes. As if that wasn’t enough, we’ll throw in some waterfalls for good measure. Don’t worry if hiking and waterfalls aren’t your thing, the beaches are lined with quaint restaurants, and the sea if full of tropical fish for a spot of snorkelling.
Length: All day
Expected Price: £2 (10 Reais for the bus)
Activities: Beaches | Snorkelling | Hiking | Waterfalls
PARATY SPORT AVENTURA
If you are in the mood for a bit of adventure or sports, Paraty Sport Aventura is the place for you. Covering 10 hectares of Atlantic Forest they offer a range of adventure activities including, the largest tree-climbing park in the natural environment of Brazil with something for all ages. Activities range for $15 - $100 depending on your preference.