Where to stay
- Near Porto Alegre: beach eco-lodges with cabins and home-cooked meals — the place for nature.
- São João dos Angolares: the plantation-house guesthouse and a few simple rooms in town.
- Santana: a beach resort about 20 minutes from the capital, a comfortable base for the upper east coast.
Eating
Meals in the south mostly mean your lodge or a pre-booked lunch. Fish is caught the same day; vegetables come from the garden. Carry water and snacks for the drive, and tell lodges in advance about dietary needs.
Turtle-watching etiquette
Go only with authorised guides. Keep quiet and behind the turtle, use no white light or flash, and never touch animals or eggs. Fees support the patrols that protect the nests.
Safety
Several southern beaches have strong currents and shore break — ask locally before swimming. Coconuts fall without warning; do not sit beneath loaded palms. There is no hospital in the south, so drive and walk carefully.
Two days in the south
- Day 1: Água Izé and Boca do Inferno; lunch at Roça São João dos Angolares; Cão Grande viewpoint; arrive at your lodge near Porto Alegre.
- Day 2 morning: boat to Ilhéu das Rolas and the Equator mark.
- Day 2 afternoon: Praia Piscina at low tide, then (in season) an evening turtle walk at Praia Jalé.
- Day 3: slow drive back to the capital with a stop at Praia das Sete Ondas.
Pico Cão Grande & the South: FAQs
Can I see Pico Cão Grande on a day trip?
Yes. The viewpoint is about 1½–1¾ hours from the capital, so it fits a long day with stops on the way.
Can you climb Pico Cão Grande?
Only as a serious technical rock climb; it has been summited by very few. Visitors admire it from the road or walk towards its base with a guide.
Is there phone signal and electricity?
Signal is patchy and some lodges rely on solar power or generators for limited hours. Bring a power bank and a torch.
When can I see turtles?
Nesting runs from about November to March, with hatchlings for a month or two after.
