Tropical riches
Sarah Marshall discovers a wealth of natural assets in Paraty, Brazil
eastern Brazil, has been lost since the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived.
What remains, however, is impressive.
I see bromeliads trailing from treetops, and catch glimpses of the Brazilian tanager as his vermilion breast feathers flash like sparks in the deep, dark canopy.
Later, I’m shown camera-trap footage of crab-eating foxes, agoutis, lesser anteaters and even the rare jaguarundi – an elusive, slender wild cat native to the Americas.
As Samaris points out: “It’s like the sea – there’s still so much unknown.”
And the sea has always played an important role in this region.
Originally inhabited by indigenous Guaianas Indians, Paraty (meaning “river of fish” in the local language) was first commandeered by Portuguese explorers in 1597.
It rose to prominence almost
100 years later, as a pivotal point in the Rota do Ouro, transporting gold from Minas Gerais and shipping it to Rio and onward to Europe.
Red pillars marking the route still line corkscrew mountain roads into the museum piece port town, where many of the original pastel-hued stone buildings still exist.
Another throwback is the town’s intentional flooding. When I arrive at 5pm, a high tide has transformed Paraty into a mini Venice.
Buildings were constructed slightly lower than sea level, with concave
streets to allow water to flow in and sanitise the town. It was literally a mega means of flushing the toilet.
Although the history of Portuguese presence is well documented, it’s harder to find evidence of the indigenous and African communities who played an important role in Paraty’s past.
But as the sun disappears, the town transforms into an outdoor art fair, with artisans from a nearby quilombo – a community from the African diaspora – selling woven baskets. Their wares are a window into a culture tourists too often overlook.
EXPLORING THE COAST
Once a centre of trade and commerce, Paraty now nurtures more creative talents. In the 1970s, actors, artists and musicians discovered the town, opening cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels. But a wealthier set, who have moved in more recently, hole up in private homes around the bay. Strolling past heaving party vessels moored along the jetty, I step aboard Latitude, a former fishing boat.
During a five-hour day trip along the coastline of the Serra da Bocaina National Park, I explore secret bays backed by mountains covered in jungle, and weave through islands owned by Brazil’s billionaires.
At Jurumirim, I swim through jade-green waters, watching turtles surface for air in the mangroves, and rest on an empty beach strewn with hibiscus flowers.
Before heading back to town, we drop anchor outside a private island, where a philanthropist has been granted a government licence to breed a population of endangered golden lion tamarin monkeys. As frigatebirds soar overhead, the palm-sized, ginger-maned creatures, which once roamed the Atlantic Forest, scamper into view.
Worth more than any precious metals, they are an indication of where Paraty’s future fortunes lie.
WHERE TO EAT
Using ingredients grown in their agroforests, Fazenda Bananal ( fazendabananal. com.br, mains from £9.50) serve a menu of seasonal dishes. It’s an ideal place for a crash course in the excellent and unusual gastronomy that helped Paraty earn UNESCO status.
In the historic centre, Pupu’s is the place to dabble in seafood on a hip, plant-strewn terrace (mains from around £10.50).
WHERE TO DRINK
Co-owned by Sandi Adamiu, one of Paraty’s most colourful characters, equally exuberant cocktail bar Apothekario attracts a fashionable, creative crowd.
Order a Jorge Amado cocktail made in honour of the great Brazilian writer, using Gabriela, a local liqueur of cinnamon and cloves infused in cachaca.
A gallery selling prints of 18th and 19th century lithographs showing plants and animals found in the Atlantic Forest creates a stir.
The tanager’s vermilion feathers flash like sparks in the dark canopy
WHERE TO STAY
In the historic centre of Paraty, boutique hotel Pousada Literaria is the official host for the city’s annual literary festival. And it has a million stories of its own to tell.
Its restaurant serves a high-end farm-to-table menu.
An excellent base for exploring the town, the hotel can also arrange boat trips to the national park. pousadaliteraria.com.br