Snorkelling the Costa Verde to Sāo Paulo

The stretch of coast between Rio de Janeiro and Sāo Paulo is known as the La Costa Verde (the Green Coast). Little did I realise that this name derives not just from the luscious, deep greens of the jungles that line the mountainous coastline and cover the islands which dot the bays, but also from the vivid aquamarine greens of the South Atlantic Ocean itself. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen - like a marriage of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay with the once unspoiled tropical island paradises of Thailand, and without the hordes of tourists. The water was so pristinely clean and clear that we didn't need a snorkel to appreciate the myriad of fish swimming under the boats or off the beaches, and warm enough to be enjoyed day or night. Bliss!

We started our exploration of the area on the island of Ihla Grande. Famed for its snorkeling and diving, I was looking forward to the opportunity to swim with sea turtles. But sadly there was some initial disappointment, as our first day dawned miserably, the sea was not sparkling and the turtles were in hiding. Still, we made the most of it and enjoyed a boating adventure around the island. We were blessed when the sun briefly peaked through the clouds while we were enjoying Lopes Mendes beach, an absolutely stunning strip of sand with jungle right to its edge where the monkeys were playing. A definite silver lining to the day.

Fortunately, the weather steadily improved over the next few days and we got to see the area in all its resplendent glory. We hiked to private beaches and lagoons to swim, climbed through a bizarre cave lit only by the reflection of the sun in the crystal clear waters, explored the world's only tropical fjord, and ate freshly caught fish on white sand beaches.

The week culminated in a truly glorious day where we had decided to charter a boat to explore some of the more remote and beautiful beaches and bays. We had packed a picnic and had the esky full of beers, and it was outrageously fun but there were still no turtles to be seen and I was getting worried. That was until the very last few minutes of the very last stop of the day when I was snorkeling around the beautiful Ihla Comprida and turned around to find a giant, magnificent turtle right next to me! It was a heart-stopping, if brief, encounter and I felt so lucky. Such a majestic creature!

Other than days spent swimming and snorkeling, the highlight of the area was the stunning town of Paraty, an old Portuguese fishing village where the historic centre has retained its colonial beauty and its nautical heritage, only now the fishing boats have been replaced with yachts and pleasure cruisers (that can be chartered very affordably) owing to the area now being a marine reserve. The cobblestoned streets were a challenge to navigate, but at night, as the hermit crabs that live in the cracks went into hiding, the streets would heave with people spilling out from bars and restaurants or just wandering around with cocktails from the local distillery cellar doors to enjoy the sounds of live jazz that would rise above the usual lolling of the nearby waves. Those cheap cocktails made for some big nights, but we had a comfortable chalet with a pool and spa to recover in which meant we were always ready for another day of adventure. It was five nights in absolute paradise and I want to go back. Soon!