Picture a narrow strip of land bordered by beaches on either side—this is the first view of Canto Grande we got, the bird’s-eye view at the very end of the Monkey Trail.

But you have to go back down to sea level to realize both beaches are completely different, which is surprising considering how close they are.

The “Mar de Fora” (“outside sea”) is a long, long beach with waves, great sand and plenty of room for typically Brazilian beach activities—drinking, surfing, taking selfies and eating.

The “Mar de Dentro” is facing the bay, and this is where you should go for seafood, sunset, or both if you’re heading to the “floating restaurant.”

The neighbourhood is pretty boring, it’s residential and quiet with plenty of houses for rent or for sale. In a way, it reminded me of Uruguayan beach towns—kind of rural, kind of seasonally busy.

Both beaches are popular, though, and we hit the traffic jam from hell on the way back to Bombinhas. I walked back and I made it before Feng and Mark!