Exploring Ilhabela island from Above
Ilhabela | São Paulo | Brazil
Ilhabela Island, located in the state of São Paulo, has 83% of its natural habitat protected. Most of the island's population lives on the west side. The coast is rugged, unspoiled, wild, and beautiful—perfect for drone photography and videography.
Photography & text by Thomas Milton | Post from Jul 24, updated on Oct 25
Let's say that sometimes it's not easy to reach Ilhabela. First, you must travel to Brazil and land in São Paulo. Then, travel to the São Sebastião coast for approximately three hours. From there, take a thirty-minute ferry to Ilhabela, weather permitting. Despite the effort, the journey is worth every minute spent traveling.
Some coastal locations can only be accessed by boat or by hiking through a dense, hilly jungle. It's not always easy. Believe me, I've been to Ilhabela several times, and the hikes always push me to my limits, especially when carrying photography and drone equipment in my backpack.
For this photography series, I spent fifteen days in a secluded house in the southern part of Ilhabela during my last trip in January 2024. During this travel photography trip, the weather varied from great to rainy, to gloomy, and then back to great. I encountered several wild animals, such as snakes, armadillos, lizards, monkeys, various species of birds, and countless butterflies.
While at the house or exploring Cachoeira da Laje hike, Praia Veloso, Praia da Fome fisherman village, and the secluded Praia do Poço, I also took a boat to the unspoiled northern part of the island to explore beaches, waterfalls, and spots not accessible by road.
In this travel photography series, there are only drone photos and a short movie that showcase the beauty of this island from above.
Ilha das cabras
Hotel Mercedes
Veloso Beach area (Praia do Veloso)
Da Laje Waterfall (Cachoeira da Laje)
Beach da Fome (Praia da Fome)
Do Poço beach (Praia do Poço)
“My only regret is not being able to reach the amazing Praia do Bonete. I tried a hike and take a boat on two different occasions, but nature’s elements didn’t permit it. Until next time, Praia do Bonete.”
Equipment used was a DJI Mini Pro 3 and Polar Pro ND filters.
