Lush rainforest, stunning mountain views, vast cave systems and an endless mosaic of bays, lagoons, sand bars, mangrove forests and islands. The South Eastern Atlantic Rainforest Reserves are formed by the highlands of the Ribeira Valley and a long coastal strip called Lagamar.

The Lagamar estuarine complex is a key nursery area for marine life and a playground for dolphins. The remote forested Ribeira region boasts more than 250 karstic caves and abyssal pits. Both the lowland and mountain rainforests are home to great variety of wildlife. The endemic Red-tailed Amazon stages impressive fly-ins as night falls. Rare primates (woolly spider monkey, black-faced tamarin) and large cats still survive here.

A World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve, the area is well protected through 30 conservation units ranging from National Parks to Private Reserves.

Man has been present in this sparsely populated area since pre-historic times, as evidenced by fossils, rockpaintings and sambaquis (shellmounds). Today Quilombolas (descendents of escaped slaves) and Caiçaras (mix of Indians with immigrants) live here, as well as descendents of European and Asian immigrants.

The area offers many excellent adventures ranging from sea kayaking to rappel.

Charming historic towns, good food, plus proximity to major cities such as Curitiba and São Paulo make this area also very attractive for the culturally inclined and light adventurers. There is a stunning railroad from the mountains to the sea. You can explore the area by car on scenic drives or go island hopping by boat.