I live in Paraty for 9 years and to this day I discover new places to visit. Just yesterday, following the tip of the grocery store owner here in my neighborhood, I went to a small beach that I had never been to or even heard of, Cão Morto beach - yes, a horrible name for such a nice little beach with calm, crystal clear waters. . It's really impressive how this city continues to surprise me with new places!
There are many attractions that the Paraty region offers and therefore, for those thinking of visiting the city for just a weekend, it can be difficult to plan a small itinerary, running the serious risk of causing an inconvenient anxiety attack before you even get here. To help you avoid going to the pharmacy in search of an anxiolytic, I decided to make a small list to help those who are planning to visit our city for the first time.
Here, I will assume a trip for someone who would arrive on a Friday and leave on a Monday.
So, this is the list, "What to do in Paraty in 3 days?":
Day 1: Beach and Historic Center (Arrival day)
If you arrive on your first day in the morning and as most of the city's pousadas have check-in times starting at 2:00 pm, I recommend going straight to a beach to enjoy the day. Don't worry about checking into your pousada, your room will still be there, go enjoy the day! Paraty has great and beautiful inns, but don't forget that you are traveling to see the region and not your hotel room. Anyway, a great option is to go directly to Trindade, which is a village-neighborhood in Paraty with all the necessary infrastructure. Trindade has some beachs options to enjoy. Praia do Rancho - which has kiosks and restaurants on the seafront -, Praia do Meio - the most beautiful - Praia do Cachadaço - more deserted and with more waves. All these beaches are close to each other and the route is done on foot. If you want to go on a 40-minute trail, the Cachadaço natural pool is a great option.
After enjoying the day, time to go to the pousada and check in! If you arrive at night, follow the route to the historic center.
At night, of course, the Historic Center comes to life! My tip is to go to dinner every night and get lost there to discover several interesting secrets hidden behind each colorful door. Historic and well-preserved architecture that houses great restaurants, bars, shops and several galleries. Paraty is a cultural hub and there is always an event in the city. Ask a waiter what he recommends on that day for fun and just enjoy!
Day 2: Paraty Bay Tour
On the second day, wake up, have breakfast and go boating around the islands and beaches of the beautiful bay of Paraty! There are countless islands and beaches that are only accessible by sea and, because of this, it is necessary to schedule a boat trip. There are several options such as schooners, small boats, kayaks (which I love) and sailboats. In my humble opinion, I love sailboats because the ride becomes more organic so to speak, as you really sway with the waves and flow with the wind. I think it's very relaxing. For this tour, I'm going to leave the button as a tip for booking the boat that I love, the Ucayali!
Day 3: Paraty-Mirim and Saco do Mamanguá
For me, there is no more beautiful place in the entire Paraty region than Saco do Mamanguá! This is definitely the best tip someone who lives here can give you, so "listen up"!
Saco do Mamanguá is considered the only tropical fjord on the planet. It is where the sea enters between the mountains. It's beautiful! There are several beaches where any of them has a stunning view! To get there, you need to go to Paraty-Mirim, which is a beautiful beach, and take a boat to start the tour. Saco do Mamanguá is only accessible by boat or by trail - but by trail is another matter and not suitable for those who will only spend three days here. You will find two kiosks on the beach. On the one on the right side, you will find the boatmen. Make your negotiation with them and you will pay cheaper than any schooner trip. It's a tour that will be etched in your memory!
Day 4: The day of leaving!
So, my list is for three days, but here I decided to put the best tip for those who really like to enjoy even the last seconds of their vacation!
Your pousada's check-out will probably be scheduled for noon, and normally, because it's a pousada, there isn't much effort to get around this. In other words, you have until noon to enjoy the city and leave your room. So what to do? There is a kayak tour that leaves from Pontal beach to watch the sunrise. Imagine rowing over the smooth bay of Paraty and watching the sun casting its rays on the water around you? It's amazing! Seriously, amazing!
In other words, you can go on this tour, return to your pousada to have breakfast, shower and pack your bags to leave at noon. It's perfect! The best way to make the most of the money invested on this trip!
NOTE: This tour requires booking, as it is very popular! Below, I leave the button to make the reservation.
I think that with this list, I can help a little to everyone who wants to visit this incredible city, but has doubts about what to visit given so many options.
Well, I hope you have a great stay in Paraty!
Regards,
Diogo Ely.