Ilhabela, or Beautiful Island, on Ilha de São Sebastião in the state of São Paulo, (see the interactive map from Expedia) certainly lives up to its name. Discovered in 1502 by Américo Vespúcio, the island has a long history of defense against foreign naval powers, pirate's refuge, black market slavery, smuggling base and failed colonial efforts at sugar and coffee plantations.There are great 35 km of beaches, a coastal Atlantic rain forest, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, to explore, mountain peaks to climb and over 400 cool waterfalls cascading into the ocean. Add to that legends of pirate treasure, underwater wrecks to explore, great sailing, enough to make Ilhabela's annual Sailing Week a must, and you've got the makings of an attractive vacation destination.From the top of Pico São Sebastião, the island's highest spot at 4521 ft (1378 m) on the northern coast, you can look over the tops of trees to the water, catch a glimpse of local wildlife, and perhaps see. at the southern end of the island, the Ilhas das Cabras, part of the Santuário Ecológico de Ilhabela, devoted to the preservation of marine wildlife. You can also see the other islands in the archipelago: Vitória, Búzios, Serraria and Cabras. The archipelago is about 130 square miles total, with about 84 miles of coastline.
