Days on the water, days in the forest
Paraty's tour scene is mature and easy to use. Almost everything leaves from the pier at the edge of the historic center or from agencies on the surrounding streets, and most outings can be booked a day ahead — outside holidays and the festival weeks, when you should book earlier. Here's what's on offer.
Schooner cruises on the bay
The classic Paraty day: a wooden schooner sails out of the bay for five hours or so, stopping at islands and boat-only beaches — places like Praia da Lula, Praia Vermelha and the snorkeling stop at Ilha Comprida. You swim off the boat, lunch is usually served aboard or at a beach stop, and you're back by late afternoon. Group schooners are inexpensive; private launches and speedboats cost more and let you set the route. Book at the pier or through any agency in the center.
Jeep tours: waterfalls and cachaça
Open-top jeeps run up the Estrada Paraty-Cunha into the mountains, combining the area's best-known waterfalls — the Tobogã rock slide and Poço do Tarzan among them — with stops at working cachaça distilleries for tastings. It's a half-day outing and the standard way to do waterfall country and the alambiques in one go without driving the mountain road yourself.
Kayaking in Saco do Mamanguá
The Saco do Mamanguá is an 8 km fjord-like inlet south of town, ringed by rainforest and reachable only by water. Guided kayak and canoe trips paddle its calm interior, often with a stop at a caiçara community or a climb up the Pão de Açúcar do Mamanguá for the lookout. Quieter and wilder than the schooner circuit — our favorite day here. More in the Mamanguá guide.
Walking tours of the historic center
Licensed local guides run walking tours of the colonial grid — the churches, the gold-rush history, why the streets flood at spring tide and what the symbols carved on the facades mean. An hour or two with a guide turns pretty streets into a story. Book through agencies in the center or via the town's guide associations.
Diving and snorkeling
The green water of the bay hides good snorkeling around the islands, and dive operators run beginner-friendly outings to sites toward Ilha Grande and the marine reserves. Visibility is best outside the rainy summer months — see when to visit.
The Gold Trail
Guided hikes climb the stone-paved Caminho do Ouro, the colonial road that once carried gold from Minas Gerais down to Paraty's port. It's history underfoot, in the rainforest, with viewpoints over the coast. Details in the Gold Trail guide.
How to book
You don't need to arrange much from home. Walk the streets around the pier the evening you arrive, compare a couple of agencies, and book for the next day. Hotels and hosts (us included — stay@chateauportofino.com) can point you to current operators and prices.