Getting There
By Car -- Ilhabela is 210km (130 miles) from São Paulo. Leaving town, take in sequence the Rodovia (freeway) Pres. Dutra, Rodovia Ayrton Senna, and Rodovia Carvalho Pinto, always following signs saying RIO DE JANEIRO. At the town of São José dos Campos, follow the signs to SÃO SEBASTIÃO or LITORAL ("coast"). The ferry to Ilhabela leaves from São Sebastião; the roads are well marked. Ferries run 24 hours, between 6am and 11pm every 30 minutes and between 11pm and 6am every hour. Cars are allowed on the ferry for R$10 (US$4.20) on weekdays and R$16 (US$6.65) on weekends; pedestrians ride free.
By Bus -- The bus company Litoranea (tel. 012/3892-1072) provides daily bus service from São Paulo, leaving from Jabaquara station at 6am, 8:30am, 9am, 10am, 11:30am, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm, and 8pm. The trip takes approximately 4 hours (R$32/US$17). The bus will leave you at the ferry terminal in São Sebastião.
A Rio-São Paulo Stopover--Ilhabela also makes a nice stop on the way from Rio to São Paulo. The Normandy bus company (tel. 021/2573-12320) runs daily trips to Ilhabela, departing from Rodoviaria Novo Rio at 8:30am and 11pm. The trip takes approximately 7 hours but can easily be combined with a stopover in Paraty. The fare is R$62 (US$26).
Visitor Information
The tourist office of Ilhabela is located just outside the ferry terminal before you get to the first major intersection. In high season (Dec-Feb) the office is open daily from 9am to 6pm; March through November, hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Contact tel. 012/3896-1091 or check www.ilhabela.com.br for more information.
Banking/Currency Exchange
Be prepared with some extra cash as there is only a bank machine on the island; a Banco do Brasil ATM can be found inside the Shopping Vila at Rua Dr. Carvalho 46. Most hotels, restaurants, and tour operators accept credit cards.
Getting Around
Getting around the island is straightforward; there is only one road from north to south along the west side of the island, with a few short cross streets around the commercial center, called Vila or Centro; hitchhiking is quite easy. There is a bus that travels the north-south road every 30 minutes (fare is R$1.70/US70¢). Pick up a schedule from the tourist office by the ferry terminal. Taxis can be booked for sightseeing or to drop you off at your beach of choice for the day; call tel. 012/3895-8587 to book a taxi. Many of the pousada owners and staff are also very accommodating and are often able to give guests a ride. Car rentals are not available on the island. If you want to have a car at your disposal it's best to rent in São Paulo. All of the excursions listed below include transportation.
