Across the bay, fancy yachts and speed boats crowd the shores of the Ilha, a once almost deserted strip of sand used mainly by poor fishermen, on which smart restaurants and nightclubs for the new elite are now springing up.

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Retreats like The Island Experience allow visitors to experience Ilha Grande's splendour through a program of sea-kayaking and hiking, along with yoga and capoeira (Brazilian martial art) workshops from its ocean-front perch.

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