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Larger than the continental United States and
covering half of South America, Brazil offers a tempting array of attractions,
from sophisticated urban settings with world-class dining and entertainment to
small, unhurried colonial-era villages where time all but stands still. And,
given the relatively small number of foreign tourists who visit Brazil in any
given year, getting off the beaten path in this fascinating country means
getting lost in one’s own personal paradise.
Sandwiched between the country’s two largest
cities, Sao Paulo and Rio, is an inviting expanse of lush, sparsely populated
tropical wonderland Brazilians have tagged Costa Verde — the Green Coast. For
almost 200 miles, a simple two-lane highway follows the voluptuous curves of the
coastal mountain range, skirting water falls, quiet inlets, leafy islands and
countless deserted beaches. The Costa Verde is a magnet for those seeking a
respite from the clamor of city living.
Even the names of the small towns that hug the coast have a magical ring. Angra
Dos Reis, the largest of the Costa Verde destinations in the State of Rio de
Janeiro, only an hour and a half from Rio itself, means “King’s Bay.” For those
with time for just a day or two’s getaway, Angra is indeed a regal retreat,
offering everything from yacht clubs and five-star accommodations to simple
country inns where hammocks are as common as beds. Angra is also the gateway to
Ilha Grande — The Large Island — and dozens of other islands that dot the
appropriately named Bahia da Ilha Grande — Great Island Bay — like emeralds
glistening in the sun.
Father down the coast is the colonial gem of Paraty, a 450-year-old settlement
that’s been recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations
Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Travelers with a real
sense of adventure and time on their hands will find the charms of this former
Portuguese colonial outpost to be irresistible. In the local parlance, Paraty
means “for you.” The word is also synonymous with cachaca, the sugar-cane brandy
used to make Brazil’s signature cocktail, the Caipirinha.
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Ubatuba, at the northern extreme of the
State of Sao Paulo in a region known as the Paulista Coast, takes its
rhythmic-sounding name from the Tupi Indian expression for “where the
canoes meet.” Ubatuba and other resorts farther to the south attract
thousands of beach worshippers every weekend from nearby Sao Paulo, but
the region also offers plenty of solitude for those willing to seek
lodging at dozens of small, welcoming inns.
Once you’ve experienced the rusticity and tranquility of the Green
Coast, no obstacle to getting there will be too great. On my last visit
to Brazil, going directly from the international airport in Sao Paulo to
the city’s bustling Tiete Bus Terminal to begin the six-hour overland
excursion to Paraty seemed a more than reasonable excursion — even after
a total of 18 hours in the air. Of all the Green Coast destinations,
this colonial relic stands out. Although its official population is only
about 20,000, Paraty is said to be home to over 200 inns and small
hotels. The lodgings that are most in demand by visitors are those in
the town’s preserved colonial center, a pedestrian-only area with
ambling cobblestone streets and one- and two-story whitewashed buildings
that display their Portuguese heritage proudly through their high,
open-beam ceilings and festively painted doors and window sills. |
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Among the first outsiders to “discover” Paraty were
the elite of Brazilian society who found the tiny haven delightfully out of sync
with their hectic lives in large cities. About three decades ago, celebrities
like movie and theater star Maria Della Costa began to buy historic buildings in
the town to convert into their own personal retreats. Years later, Della Costa
and others decided to share their good fortune and converted their properties
into small inns, but on their own terms. Still glamorous in her late 70s, Della
Costa lives in a suite at her Hotel Coxixo and oversees its daily operation,
from arranging chairs and magazines in the open-air lobby to supervising the
trimming of the thicket of tropical plants around the pool.
The hotel’s several suites are her special pride.
She’s personally outfitted each one, scouring local shops to find just the right
mix of antique furniture, oil paintings and decorative items to make each room
truly unique. The hotel’s truly one-of-a-kind attraction, though, is a salon
that’s been converted into a museum that celebrates the actress’s life through
an exhibit of her movie posters and playbills, publicity photos, costumes and
other memorabilia. The hotel, she says of her personal creation, “is an
extension of the stage where I feel closer to the public.”
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Like many other small hotels in Paraty, the Coxixo
(www.hotelcoxixo.com.br) is what Brazilians call a pousada — an inn. Cozy, quiet
and informal, a billiards table next to the small, poolside bar, stacks of
magazines and books, and small TV sets that receive three channels are its only
concessions to guests’ entertainment needs. (Thanks to a favorable exchange
rate, rooms at many Costa Verde hotels are astoundingly inexpensive, ranging
from only $40 to $70.)
Outside the hotel’s massive, fortress-like wooden doors, the pace of life is
just as leisurely. Visitors can pass several easygoing days just getting to know
the town — its churches, artisan shops, galleries, plazas, fish market, museum
and the remnants of Portuguese fortifications. Trekking in the nearby Serra da
Bocaina National Park or taking a day cruise on an authentic coastal schooner —
the kind of sailing ship that has plied this shoreline for centuries — are
attractive options.
And at the end of the day, a Costa Verde getaway offers the ultimate vacation
choice — doing close to nothing and feeling great about it.
For further information on lodging, excursions and other related services for
these destinations, visit:
www.ubatuba.com.br,
www.angra-dos-reis.com, www.paraty.com.br
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