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Which is better: Angra dos Reis or Ilhabela?

Short answer

Angra dos Reis is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ), while Ilhabela is on the North Coast of São Paulo (SP): different regions of Brazil. Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; Ilhabela: Brazil's largest marine island, reachable only by ferry. The weather is similar in both this month. Driving from São Paulo, Ilhabela costs less.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap

Most reviewed activity in Angra dos ReisIlhas Botinas Boat Trip + Angra dos Reis Beaches★ 10 · 6 reviews · from US$ 35 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →

Most reviewed activity in IlhabelaSnorkeling Class in Ilhabela★ 10 · 12 reviews · from US$ 26 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →

	Angra dos Reis	Ilhabela
Best time to visit	May → Aug	May → Aug
Weather this month	28° · 13 days of rain	26° · 15 days of rain
By car	R$ 293 · from São Paulo	R$ 132 · from São Paulo
Ideal stay	3–4 days	4–5 days
Best for	Adventure, Relax, Family, Romantic	Adventure, Relax, Romantic, Family

Choose Angra dos Reis if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: a schooner in the morning, green sea in the afternoon and Ilha Grande a boat trip away.

See guide

Choose Ilhabela if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: sailing, shipwreck dives, waterfalls in the forest and the dreaded borrachudo.

See guide

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Where to stay

Where to stay: Angra dos Reis or Ilhabela

The average nightly rate is around R$ 242 in Angra dos Reis and R$ 320 in Ilhabela; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Angra dos Reis on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

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Compare hotels and places to stay in Ilhabela on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

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Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Angra dos Reis or Ilhabela: which is better?

What is the best time to visit Angra dos Reis and Ilhabela?

The best time to visit Angra dos Reis is from May to August; for Ilhabela, it is from May to August, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.

Which of the two is cheaper to get to?

By car, leaving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis is 384 km (239 mi) and costs about R$ 293 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from São Paulo, Ilhabela is 197 km (122 mi) and costs about R$ 132 each way (fuel plus tolls). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.

Where does it rain less, Angra dos Reis or Ilhabela?

Averaged over the year, Angra dos Reis has 12 rainy days a month and Ilhabela has 13. Angra dos Reis is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Angra dos Reis is January and in Ilhabela, January. For temperature, Angra dos Reis is the warmer one (average high of 29° versus 27°).

How many days should you spend in Angra dos Reis and in Ilhabela?

To see the main sights without rushing, Angra dos Reis calls for 3–4 days and Ilhabela, 4–5 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.

Angra dos Reis or Ilhabela with kids?

Both work with kids: Angra dos Reis (365 islands in the bay; schooner trip; green sea and Atlantic Forest) and Ilhabela (national capital of sailing, shipwreck diving, and waterfalls in the forest). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure. With small children, weather matters: Angra dos Reis has fewer rainy days over the year.

What should you not miss in each?

In Angra dos Reis: Schooner trip around the islands, Ilha Grande (day trip), Lopes Mendes Beach. In Ilhabela: Castelhanos Beach, Cachoeira da Toca, Vila and historic center. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.