The official name of Ilhabela is Ilha de São Sebastião, meaning Saint Sebastian Island. It is only reachable by boat. Most Brazilian tourists take a short, four-mile ferry ride across a channel from the city of São Sebastião on the mainland. Alternatively, if you sail in from the north, you will be treated to a view of Pico São Sebastião, the highest peak at 4,521 feet. Regardless of your approach, you will be impressed by the greenery of the Atlantic Forest. Since 1977, 83% of the island’s 214 square miles has been protected as Ilhabela State Park.
