Beautiful Trindade

Trindade is beautiful. There are six beaches, most separated by rocky coastline. Each has their own charm. Two of them have shorefront restaurant services, four are delightfully deserted.

On day one we simply went to Praia do Meio and soaked up the view along with enjoying a delicious pan-fried fish fillet with shrimp sauce lunch to commemorate Luiz’s 58th birthday. In fact, the food was so visually appealing and scrumptiously delicious that we ate it all before remembering to take a photo.

The beach was a nice mixture of sand and surf, but we were warned that during busier periods the place can be completely overrun with people. The surfing looked good.

Lunch was so fantastic that we came back to the very same restaurant the next day for my birthday lunch: spaghetti with seafood. It was incredible.

Day two also included a hike along Praia do Cachadaço to the Piscina Natural (natural swimming pool). This is an outstanding boulder-protected area along the coast that forms a near perfect pool for calm waters and quiet bathing, complete with resident fish. That is, when it is not swarming with tourists. We were rewarded for our strategic Monday/off season visit with just 14 other people present. But back at the restaurant they explained that on some popular days there can be more than 100 people scrambling over the rocks and snorkeling in the water – a sight I hope I never see. It was a good hour hike to get to the pool, then we caught an oversized aluminum motorized rowboat seating 6 (local ferry service) back to town.

Day three took us to the swimmable waterfall Pedra a Engole just inland from the town. But the chilly season kept us from taking the plunge in the cold fresh water.

On day four we walked north along the long Praia dos Ranchos and Praia de Fora during low tide. That afforded us the opportunity to scramble over the shoreline rocks rather than having to climb back up and over them. We were rewarded by a lonely barzinho at the end where we had a couple cold ones, then continued to Praia do Cepilho.

Day five was spent lazing around on Praia dos Ranchos at a kiosk with a cute young waiter with impossible eye lashes. We ate fresh fish, drank crazy cold beer, and took in the eye candy for dessert.

We never made it to Praia do Brava, which requires a pretty good hike up into the forest and then back down to the beach. Next time.

Trindade is a beautiful spot, but it has long since been discovered by weekend getaway folks from São Paulo. Be warned – according to the locals, it can get ridiculously crowded during vacation periods and holidays. The old days of this being a sleepy hippy town are gone. But do visit if you have the chance.