Ilhabela is an island off the São Paulo coast, and it’s the sailing capital of Brazil — the country’s biggest regatta week has been held here for decades. The channel between the island and the mainland gets steady wind almost year-round, and the calm side of the island is lined with small beaches that are far easier to reach by boat than by road.
We list motorboats, sailboats and larger boats here, with private charters and a skipper included on most of them. Prices are in Brazilian reais (BRL), and payment terms are confirmed with each quote.
Pick a boat below and send us your date, group size and preferred route.
The usual format is a private charter of four to eight hours with a skipper included. You choose the departure time and the skipper shapes the route around the wind and sea that day, with stops for swimming and snorkelling between legs.
Most of the island’s population lives on the western side, facing the mainland, and that’s where the water is calmest and the beaches are closest together. The eastern side faces the open Atlantic and is a different proposition — wilder, emptier and dependent on conditions.
Common calls on the sheltered side include Praia do Curral, Praia Grande and the small coves around Ponta das Canas. Further along, Praia do Jabaquara sits at the northern end of the island, and the Ilha das Cabras marine reserve, just off Praia da Feiticeira, is one of the best-known snorkelling spots in the region.
Longer charters can reach Praia de Castelhanos, on the Atlantic side — a wide beach backed by rainforest, reachable by a rough 4×4 track or, far more comfortably, by sea. Boats also cross the channel toward São Sebastião and the beaches of the mainland coast.
If you want to sail rather than motor, this is the place. The São Sebastião channel funnels the wind between the island and the mainland, which is exactly why the racing fleet comes here every year. Sailboat charters here get real wind on most days, and the sheltered water means the day stays comfortable even when the breeze is up.
Ilhabela is reached by a car ferry from São Sebastião, a crossing of a few minutes that runs throughout the day. In high season and on holiday weekends the queue for the ferry can be long — worth building into your plans if your charter has a set departure time.
Possible boarding points include the marinas and piers around Perequê and the island’s main village. The exact pier depends on the boat and is confirmed before your charter.
High season runs from November to March, the hottest and busiest months. Sailing Week, in July, fills the island with boats and is worth checking against your dates either way — it’s a spectacle if you want to see it, and a crowd if you don’t. The shoulder months usually mean good weather, empty anchorages and better availability.
One local note: the island’s rainforest means mosquitoes and borrachudos (small biting flies) can be persistent onshore, especially near streams. On the water they’re not an issue — another argument for spending the day out.
Navegue Temporada is a Brazilian boat rental platform, and we arrange the charter directly with you over WhatsApp or email. Tell us the date, how many guests are coming and whether you’d rather sail or cover more ground under power, and we’ll suggest the boats that fit. Fuel, catering and extra hours are confirmed per boat, and some boats offer overnight charters, with multi-day itineraries on request.
Many guests combine Ilhabela with other stretches of the São Paulo coast — see boat rental in São Sebastião just across the channel, or boat rental in Ubatuba and boat rental in Guarujá. For hundreds of islands and even calmer water, boat rental in Angra dos Reis is a few hours up the coast. Chartering in Europe? Our sister company Portugal Boat covers Lisbon and the Algarve.
