Introduction
We arrived the 02 January 2020 at our friends in Joinville from Curitiba by bus. After they picked us up from the bus terminal we went to their house and chill there all afternoon and evening. We had planned with them 3 nights out in Ilha do Cardoso, a secluded island near the national park.
We will never be thankful enough to them for the amazing time we had with them in Brazil and everything they did for us. Sab, Rod, Obrigado. Looking to see you in France 😊
The beauty of Ilha do Cardoso lies in its untouched natural landscapes, pristine beaches, and the sense of tranquility that only remote islands can provide. We were able to explore the surrounding smaller islands and see a side of Brazil that many visitors miss. The whole experience felt like a retreat into nature, and sharing it with friends made it even more memorable. Whether hiking through the lush forests, lounging on secluded beaches, or just taking in the scenic beauty, Ilha do Cardoso was an unforgettable part of our journey through Brazil.
Table of Contents
Getting to Ilha do Cardoso - Road & boat trip
The 03rd, after waking up at 5am to get breakfast ready and prepared our lunch, we left around 6h30 from Joinville to Cananéia by car. Along the way we made 2 stops to stretch a bit and used toilets. We arrived around 12h30 at Cananéia. It was a pleasant road trip where we got to chat a lot with our friend and discover at first hand the road of Brazil. One thing is that truck drivers are driving like crazy and we saw two truck that crashed and where on their side.
First, when we arrived, we first meet our friend’s cousin and boyfriend, so we were 3 couples.
Second our friends had already organised an accommodation and by doing so they received the contact of a parking area to leave the car for 4 days and a speedboat to bring us to the island.
The speedboat to reach the island took around 50min. There is also a cheapest way to get there is by ferry, but it would take 4h. So, we went for the speedboat and reserve one for noon. As we were late, our friends reschedule it on the way for a bit later. Another tip is that we used Cananéia as our departure port but if Paranagua could also worked.
We weren’t sure that we will have a supermarket on the island, so we first did some grocery in Cananéia. Which was a good thing because on the island the options were limited.
Then, we took the speedboat around 13h30 and arrived one hour or so later. The boat ride was super cool, the nature and landscape of this area are amazing. We even saw red bird flying around and dolphin jumping from the sea.
The weather this day was rainy, so we had from time to time shower on the speedboat. Also, it was quite windy on it, but we got ourselves protected with a huge plastic cover. It was lots of fun.
Accommodation in Ilha do Cardoso
We had booked a guesthouse called “Pousada de Debora” which was apparently really great. When we arrived, well, let’s say the pictures we saw must have been quite old. As the place was really used and a good maintenance wouldn’t do any harm here. But anyway, we were lucky and had the main place in the house with the kitchen for ourselves and 2 rooms. One with a double bed a 1 bunk bed that we got and one with 3 bunk beds. Each of the room had a shower and a WC.
First day around Ilha do Cardoso
Once we set up, dropped our bags, changed clothes for the beach, we went out to discover the island. After 5min, it started raining! As we weren’t too far, we headed back to the guesthouse and when it stops a few minute later we went back on.
We first encountered a little church and then the beach. We explored the left side of the long sandy beach and went all the way till we couldn’t no more for a good one hour.
Along the way, we had heavy rain and ultimately, we all ended up completely wet. At first, it was on our back and was some 5 to 10min rain showers. But on the way back, it was against us and we would take the rain on our face. At a point the rain wouldn’t stop. The landscape was gorgeous when we were able to open our eyes to see where we would step.
The return was bit long and cold but, in the end, that was the first time we walked under such a heavy rain. We tried to make a small video, but the rain was too strong that it was impossible to out the phone.
Positive point is that it allows us to prove that Tina’s daypack was really waterproof as our stuff didn’t get wet.
Back at the accommodation, we were all looking for a good shower and we would apparently have hot water. We went to our shower and discovered that there were 4 valves? hUhuh? How are you making this thing work? After a while checking out with our friends, we went to ask the owner and ultimately figure out that there is a combo of 2 and 2 valves. One for the cold water and the hot water from a boiler, the other for cold water and hot water from the solar panel heating system. Well it worked for 5min after what it became cold.
The other shower worked better, most probably as it has the boiler directly in it, but the funny thing was that it was made with 2 showers hahaha.
Those are probably the funniest shower we’ve ever seen.
To keep warmed up, we made coffee and enjoyed some bananas and snacks before going to rest.
First night in Ilha do Cardoso
Later, at night we decided to make some food but at this time, we water wasn’t working properly so we went outside to see if we could still find something to eat. Some of our friends are vegan so we tried a few places, but the only possible outcome was a 30 reals buffet. But that didn’t really look that yummy.
We ended asking from place to place where we could find food. We bought some bottles of water along the way and ended up finding a bar that was also a market. We bought some tomato sauce there decided to go back to the house and try to cook pasta.
Fortunately, the water was back on and we all started to prepare the sauce, cutting onions, washing broccoli and so on. At 22h30 we succeeded in making some delicious pasta.
Ilha do Cardoso: day 2
Mapping the day: Ilha do Cardoso day 2
Breakfast & Yoga
We woke up around 7h30. At this time, we were the first one up and I decided to do a 1h yoga handstand training. But quickly everybody else woke up and started preparing breakfast.
We had plenty of water now but no electricity, we knew that we normally would only have electricity during the day, but strangely we had last night but not this morning.
It is always hard to keep our yoga practice when we travelled, but that 1h class felt really good to my body.
To keep with a good morning when I went out, I found that breakfast was waiting me and as the last one I had the chance to finish everything. They had made:
- Tofu with broccoli to be eaten on bread
- Granola with fruits
- Nice and strong Brazilian coffee and French tea
Once done with that, some of us decided to go for a walked, while we got ready it started raining. There was a heavy rain without stop from 10h to 11h30. So, we all stayed in, chatted, read or wrote article on the laptop. It is now 12h00, Tina is doing a yoga class, the others are napping or reading.
Lunch Ilha do Cardoso day 2
After everyone woke up, we all started to get hungry. After checking our food supplied and realized that we might be a bit short, we went to a local restaurant on the island. Mainly restaurants there are buffet type. Our friends asked the owner of the place if we could get something that wasn’t in the buffet and we received a local dish called Farofa, a traditional one and one with banana inside. We then mixed it with rice, beans, vegetables from the buffet. It you are more of the meat type of guy, there is as well as fish.
The price of the buffet was 30 BRL and we all eat more than necessary hahah. Super yummy
Exploring the island
As it was still raining, we headed back to our Pousada to rest a bit and thankfully the rain stopped after a while and the sun appeared. We all decided to go for a walk and start exploring the secluded island. As the island is between open sea and a river, we walked all the way down from the river side where local houses are located. It brought us through gorgeous and peaceful places, and we got to discover other camping or accommodation on the island.
We also found some really nice place where it would be better to stay but we will talk about this later.
Once we reached the end of the trail, we simply turn to reach the beach on the open seaside and walked our way back. That was also a marvellous walked on the beach with the sunset taking place.
Ilha do Cardoso: day 3
Beginning of January, 3rd days on the island, 2 nights after we arrived, we finally had a sunny morning and a day ahead without rain. After cooking breakfast (Granola, bread and cabbage rice mixed salad) and having a good doze of black Brazilian coffee and French tea our friends headed out to the information center and booked 4 spots for the waterfall hike that depart at 11h. They also called the guys from the speedboat that brought us to the island and organised a trip to see the Guara bird nest in the afternoon at 16h30.
Waterfall of Ilha do Cardoso
At 11am, we went to the information office that registered for the tour to the waterfall that last about 2h and cost 30 BRL per person. Then we followed the guide to the peer to take the boat. We were about 20 or 25 people shared in 4 or 5 speedboats.
PS: On our way to the information office, we met with a woodpecker that was pecking trees on the side of the road.
After 20min of ride of the river, we arrived at the entrance of the trail that leads to the waterfall. There are 2 guides that went along with us, one would open the trail and one close it. After hearing the safety instruction, we followed the trail for 40min or so till we found the waterfall. The trail was within a jungle and therefor it was necessary to be careful where you step. Also, the floor was wet and muddy, and we had to have real shoes on, flipflop wouldn’t do. As such, it became necessary to also see where we would put our hand and what we would hold along the way
At the end of the trail we found a small but nice waterfall with a pool in front of it. At this point, we all removed our clothes and jump inside the pool to refresh ourselves after that little hike. The water was cold, but it was fine and refreshed us.
We stayed for 30min or so, before heading back following the guide. After 5min on the trail, we stopped, and the guide was trying to remove a huge spider from the road. As I was right behind her I was obsessed by this spider. I never saw a spider like this, thin and long legs, as long as 10 to 15cm on a fine 10cm body.
I was that obsessed that when we started again, I didn’t pay attention at my feet and slipped on the rock I was and fell on my back. Hahaha luckily, I only injured a bit my elbow (my landing point) and my right tight. That could have been really worst. The pain last for a days after that.
Finally, we walked back to the beginning of the trail and went back using speedboat.
Ararapira
We then cooked our lunch and joined the peer for 4:30pm where the speedboat was waiting us to bring us to another part of the island.
After 10min we arrived at Ararapira, an old and abandoned village that was once a main trading area for this area. Unfortunately, with time, the river claimed a part of it and the resident had to lived. Now only a few people (less than 5) still live in the town to keep it alive and tell its story to the tourist visiting it. The guy there brough us around the village till the cemetery, passing by its home and the freshwater river.
The view from the village was just amazing, and when we arrived the guy was listening some good old Bob Marley.
Bird Nest near Ilha do Cardoso
Later, we took back the boat to reach the Guara or Scarlet ibis’ nest. The Guara is a local bird that has a red color. It takes it color from the red crabs that it eats. It is a thin bird with a long noise to break the crab shell.
On the way to the end of the island, we saw that at some place the sea joined the river and that the trees and fauna of the island were dying. It happened that another river was rerouted toward here and a part of island got submerged. The open sea then met with the land killing the fauna due to the mineral in its water.
When we arrived at their nest, we landed on the beach and just waited to see many groups of them coming to land in the forest in front of us. We couldn’t get close to the nest, but it was beautiful seeing them flying around. It may even be better to see them at sunrise when hundreds of them take off from the trees.
To continue, we strolled around walking along the beach and as it was low tide, we reached a point where we were walking between rivers and open sea. At this point, both would normally connect but at this time we could walked across seas.
Sunset came quickly and was gorgeous at this point of the island.
After enjoying all of this, we took back the boat and headed for town.
Evening Samba
After a good homemade dinner, it was time to discover the local Samba. For this the island has a little bar where people can come and play instruments. Quickly many people grab instruments and started playing altogether. We don’t know how they managed to play correctly together but it wasn’t bad at all for non-professional people and a non-band group playing.
When we headed back to our accommodation that was really closed, we could still hear them playing till late night (over 2am, we remember the time because it was then that we were fighting a big cockroach in our bedroom).
Ilha do Cardoso: day 4
Our final day and final post on our adventure in Ilha do Cardoso. We decided to make the most of the day and started by waking up earlier and head out to the river side for a morning yoga practice. That felt really good and the view was just amazing.
Last morning
After a great hour of yoga with a gorgeous view, we headed back to our accommodation where our friends had made breakfast ready. Fresh vegan bread from the island, avocados, tomatoes and some leftover from yesterday dinner. Yuuummyyyyy.
And of course, the usual Brazilian coffee and French tea.
As the weather was incredible with a big blue sky and huge yellow sun, we headed one last time for beach. The waves were awesome, big and strong, we would jump over and over till we get tired and laid on the beach to dry up.
Quickly, time came to get our thing packed and take a last shower before taking the speedboat schedule for noon.
The ride back was again marvellous, and we got to see dolphins jumping out of the water and appreciate a gorgeous landscape.
Do wear suncream here or you gonna burn. With the speed you don’t feel the sun 😊
Cananeia
When we arrived, we paid everything we owned, took the cars of our friends and went downtown for lunch. A good coconut juice to refresh us and French fries with fried cassava (a native root from south America).
The main place downtown Cananeia is really cute with an old church and a cute little square worth spending a few minutes before hitting the road.
Road trip
We are now inbound for a 5h road trip to Joinville, cities where our friends are living and toward the south of Brazil to reach Uruguay later on.
This road was really comfortable and was mainly a highway all along. We passed through 5 tolls and lots of beautiful landscapes.
We also realized that we could have taken a boat from Paranagua, a city south closer from Joinville. But that will be for another time.
While driving on the road in Brazil, be really careful of the trucks, they are fearless and drive like maniacs. On our way to the island we even saw two of them that crashed on their side.
They are also plenty of gas station along the highway with restaurants, fuels, WC…
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
