DAY 23 (1 OF 3) – SEA, PARATY, BRAZIL

On our way to Sao Paulo from Rio de Janeiro, we stopped by the seaside town of Paraty. Famous for its colonial buildings, pirates, beaches, and rainforests, Paraty was a significant colonial town in the 18th century as an export port for gold from the mines of Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro. A Gold Trail was established from the towns of Minas Gerais to Paraty to transport gold, supplies and slaves. In late 18th century, as the gold mines began to dry up, many cities in Minas Gerais such as Ouro Preto underwent a gradual decline, so as Paraty. Today Paraty contains one of the best-preserved colonial town centre in Brazil.
We came to Paraty for its beaches, colonial buildings, and its layback atmosphere. It was cool and cloudy when we arrived in Paraty. At the dock, several people were fishing while the boat owners were cleaning their colourful tourist boats. We took a stroll along Rio Pereque Acu to Praia do Pontal, a beach stretching out into Bahia de Paraty north of the historic town centre. The beach was quiet with only a few beachgoers chilling out at the seating area where barracas (stalls) were serving snacks, drinks and seafood.
Back in the old town, we walked passed a local restaurant near Igreja Santa Rita which had their catches-of-the-day displayed in front of the store. We decided to give it a try and had our first seafood meal in Paraty.