The Islands of Paraty: A Guide to the Bay

Around 65 islands and some 300 beaches in water the colour of glass. The islands worth knowing, the snorkeling at Lagoa Azul, the classic schooner circuit, and which famous beaches actually sit on the mainland — how to plan your day on the bay.

The single best reason to come to Paraty is floating just offshore. The bay in front of the town is commonly described as holding around 65 islands and some 300 beaches — an approximate, often-repeated figure, but the scale is real — and the water between them is calm, clear and the color of glass. Most of these islands and beaches can be reached only by boat, which is exactly what makes a day on the water here feel like discovering somewhere private. This guide maps the islands worth knowing, the snorkeling spots, and how the classic tour circuit actually works.

We've kept to the islands and stops we could verify by name, and flagged where a famous beach actually belongs to a different part of the coast, so your expectations match reality on the day. For the practical side — schooner versus private boat, what to bring, how to book — pair this with our boat guide, and for the wilder waterway to the south, our Saco do Mamanguá guide.

A bay full of islands

Paraty's bay is a drowned, forested coastline — the Atlantic Forest runs right down to the water and keeps going as a scatter of green islands, rocky points and hidden coves. The numbers you'll see quoted (about 65 islands, roughly 300 beaches) are approximate tourism figures, but they capture the truth: there are far more places to swim, snorkel and anchor than you could see in a week. The water is sheltered and generally calm, which makes it forgiving for families, first-time snorkelers and anyone who just wants to lie on a foredeck as the coast slides by.

Because almost everything is boat-access only, the question isn't really "which island" but "which kind of day" — a relaxed shared schooner that picks the highlights for you, or a private boat that lets you chase the quieter corners. Either way, a handful of names come up again and again, and they're the ones worth understanding before you go.

The island-strewn Bay of Paraty with clear turquoise water and forested islands — Around 65 islands and some 300 beaches lie offshore — most reachable only by boat, which is what makes a day on the bay feel like your own discovery.

The classic schooner circuit

The default Paraty day on the water is the escuna (schooner) tour: a wooden boat, a roughly five-hour loop, and typically two islands plus two beaches with 30 to 40 minutes at each stop to swim and snorkel. Boats leave from the town's tourist pier (the Cais de Turismo) and from Marina Farol de Paraty. The exact stops vary by operator and conditions, but a very common circuit takes in the snorkeling around Ilha Comprida, the turquoise pool of Lagoa Azul, and the beaches of Praia da Lula and Praia Vermelha, sometimes swapping in Ilha dos Cocos or Praia da Conceição.

It's an easy, sociable, good-value way to see the bay, and for many visitors it's plenty. The trade-off is that you're on the schooner's schedule and route, sharing the stops with other boats. If you want to linger somewhere quiet, arrive at a beach before the crowd, or set your own pace, a private lancha is the upgrade — same water, your rules.

Lagoa Azul & the snorkeling

Lagoa Azul — "Blue Lagoon" — is the postcard stop: a sheltered patch of shallow, startlingly clear turquoise water sitting between Ilha Comprida and Ilha dos Cocos. It isn't a lagoon in the strict sense, more a natural pool between islands, and it's the classic snorkeling spot on the schooner circuit — fish gather in the shallows, and the visibility is usually excellent. Expect company: it's popular, and boats cluster here, especially midday in high season.

Nearby Ilha Comprida is often called a "natural aquarium" for the same reason — clear water and easy snorkeling straight off the boat. If snorkeling is a priority, these two spots are the heart of it; bring your own mask if you're particular about fit, though gear is usually available on the boats.

The islands worth knowing

A few islands have real character beyond being a swim stop:

Ilha do Araújo — the standout. It's the second-largest island in the bay (around 2.5 square kilometers), and it's inhabited: a traditional caiçara fishing community lives here, keeping the old coastal way of life, known for its shrimp and for the annual Festa de São Pedro sea procession. Visiting feels less like a beach stop and more like stepping into a working island village.
Ilha Comprida — the snorkeling island at the center of the classic circuit, a "natural aquarium" of clear, fish-filled water.
Ilha do Algodão — north of Paraty, rocky and cliff-lined, sheltering plenty of fish; a common stop and home to a well-known island seafood restaurant reached only by boat.
Ilha dos Meros — further out toward the open sea, rocky with coral banks and bigger fish, a spot for keener snorkelers and divers rather than a casual swim.

You'll also hear Saco da Velha mentioned — it's not an island but a small, deeply sheltered inlet ringed by forest with a calm little beach, and a favorite tranquil stop when boats want to escape the busier spots.

Good to know

Island and beach line-ups shift with the weather and the operator, so don't fix your heart on one exact stop. Ask your boat what today's route is and why — a good skipper reads the wind and the crowds and will often take you somewhere better than the standard list. On a private charter, this is where the day becomes yours: name the vibe you want (snorkeling, empty sand, a good lunch) and let them route to it.

The bay beaches

Two beaches turn up on almost every bay tour. Praia da Lula is a calm, pretty stretch of sand backed by forest, a reliable swim-and-relax stop. Praia Vermelha is another standard circuit beach, easy and sheltered. Neither is a wild secret — they're on the tour route for a reason — but on a good day, with clear water and a boat to return to, they're exactly what you came for. The genuinely quiet sand tends to be the beaches without a name on the schedule, which is the argument for a private boat and a skipper who knows where the day-trippers aren't.

Trindade & the mainland beaches

One clarification that saves disappointment: some of Paraty's most famous beaches are not on the bay-island schooner circuit at all. Trindade, with its celebrated Piscina Natural do Cachadaço — a natural sea pool sheltered by rocks — is a separate village down the coast toward São Paulo, reached by road and a short trail, not by the standard bay tour. Likewise Praia do Sono is a mainland beach reached by a roughly hour-long trail from Laranjeiras (or by boat), and Paraty-Mirim is a calm, shallow beach and old village to the south. They're all wonderful, and all worth their own day — see the Paraty-Mirim guide and the wider things to do guide — just don't expect the island schooner to drop you there.

A sheltered beach with clear water and forested headlands near Paraty — Some of the coast's most famous beaches — like Trindade's Cachadaço pool — sit on the mainland and need their own day, separate from the bay-island tour (Wikimedia Commons).

How to see them

To turn all of this into a plan:

Short on time or on a budget? Take the shared schooner tour. Five hours, a couple of islands and beaches, snorkeling at Lagoa Azul, lunch available on board or at an island stop. Book through an agency in town the day before in high season.
Want it your way? Charter a private lancha with a skipper. You set the route and pace, reach quieter beaches, and can build the day around snorkeling, an island lunch, or simply finding empty sand.
Serious about snorkeling? Prioritize Lagoa Azul and Ilha Comprida, and consider Ilha dos Meros if conditions suit; bring your own mask.
Want the mainland beaches? Plan Trindade and Paraty-Mirim as separate outings — they're not on the bay circuit.

Whichever you choose, the bay is the thing people remember longest about Paraty. From a villa like Amorielli, high above the water, you look out over these very islands every evening — and the team can help arrange the boat day that gets you among them.

Common questions

How many islands does Paraty have?

Paraty's bay is commonly said to have around 65 islands and roughly 300 beaches. These are approximate, widely-quoted figures rather than an exact survey, but the scale is real — most are reachable only by boat.

What is the best island tour in Paraty?

The classic five-hour schooner (escuna) tour is the easy, good-value choice, typically visiting two islands and two beaches with snorkeling at Lagoa Azul. For more freedom — quieter beaches, your own pace — charter a private lancha with a skipper. Both leave from the town pier and Marina Farol de Paraty.

Where is Lagoa Azul in Paraty?

Lagoa Azul is a sheltered turquoise natural pool between Ilha Comprida and Ilha dos Cocos, and it's the main snorkeling stop on the standard bay circuit. The water is shallow and clear; expect other boats, especially at midday in high season.

Can you visit Trindade or Praia do Sono by boat tour?

Not on the standard bay-island schooner circuit. Trindade (and its Cachadaço natural pool) is a separate village reached by road and trail, and Praia do Sono is a mainland beach reached by trail from Laranjeiras or by boat. Plan them as their own outings.

Which Paraty island is inhabited?

Ilha do Araújo, the bay's second-largest island, has a traditional caiçara fishing community living on it — one of the more interesting stops, with a real village rather than just a beach. Several other islands are uninhabited swim and snorkel stops.