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.
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.