The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. This VIW Building, by Brazilian architects Ivan Ventura and Yuri Vital Sited on the coast of the Brazilian city of Ubatuba the 27-unit building allows residents to take a dip without actually traveling to the beach as the beach is literally across the street "The pools are not merely leisure elements," writes the design team "they are reflections of the fusion between nature and contemporary architecture." They say the zigzag profile of the pools was inspired by "the majestic winding mountains that surround Ubatuba." that will look great in a couple of years - sure it will.  No diving Test it out; it only takes a single click to unsubscribe BOULD DESIGN is a strategic partner for bringing highly functional Astro Studios of California launched in 1994 and since then our multidisciplinary teams have design.. Aruliden is a global design agency born in 2006 We are a collection of people who care deeply about.. Our goal as a full service industrial design studio is to create designs that emotionally connect wi.. FLUID (former LUNAR Europe) is an award-winning creative design and innovation agency located in Mun.. This VIW Building, by Brazilian architects Ivan Ventura and Yuri Vital \"The pools are not merely leisure elements,\" writes the design team \"they are reflections of the fusion between nature and contemporary architecture.\" They say the zigzag profile of the pools was inspired by \"the majestic winding mountains that surround Ubatuba.\" Don't have an account? Join Now Already have an account? Sign In Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password travelers are proving that spring break isn’t just for students Fueled by the desire to prioritize self-reflection immerse  in cultural events and spend quality time with family travelers are exploring destinations all around the world this spring Dominican Republic to charming European cities Basel nights is the average trip length for spring solo travelers increase in searches for trips with pets this spring by solo travelers Spring break is evolving beyond group travel with individuals specifically focused on soft travel–or slower paced trips that prioritize leisure and wellbeing These solo adventurers are embracing more relaxed and meaningful travel experiences opting for longer trips averaging 17 nights as compared to 9 nights for duo travelers and 8 nights for families2.  The second trend we’re seeing is travelers taking the literal approach to soft travel by bringing their furry friends along for the adventure3 These trends highlight a shift towards personalized vacation experiences that cater to the different group sizes.  Here are some of the top trending destinations this spring based on a growth in searches since spring 2024: Basel is set to be a bustling destination this spring as it gears up to host the iconic international song competition in early May music lovers from around the globe can experience the city’s rich cultural heritage through its  renowned museums making it an ideal spring break getaway for foodies and families alike the Tokyo Skytree offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city from its observation decks making Taito City a perfect blend of tradition and modernity Stillwater is a charming college town with a strong community spirit especially during Spring Family Weekend in March This event invites families to enjoy fun and festivities on campus and throughout the city including local attractions With its welcoming atmosphere and engaging activities Stillwater is an ideal destination for families looking to create lasting memories this spring break for the chance to be a beekeeper for a day visitors can explore a variety of ecotourism adventures in Punta Cana’s national parks making it a perfect playground for nature lovers and families seeking adventure of trending searches travelers made in Q1 – Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 of duration of travel by group size made by global guests in Q1 – Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 and group travelers with pets made in Q1 – Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 of searches by group size made in Q1 – Q4 2024 by US guests for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 of searches by global guests with pets made in Q1 – Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 7 Based on unique searches for countryside listings Q1 – Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with unique searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 Looks like this is a wrong url or this page has been taken down immerse in cultural events and spend quality time with family travelers are exploring destinations all around the world this spring as compared to 9 nights for duo travelers and 8 nights for families2 These trends highlight a shift towards personalized vacation experiences that cater to the different group sizes Find out more Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org's charitable purpose The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19 hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform Airbnb PressAirbnb Press OfficeAirbnb photographed a few days before dying from rabies encephalitis on Anchieta Island near the coast of São Paulo (photo: Fundação Florestal) The viral strain found in the dead animals on Anchieta Island in Ubatuba was the variant transmitted by vampire bats which probably fed on the capybaras’ blood at a time of habitat disturbance By André Julião  |  Agência FAPESP – Three capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) died from rabies on Anchieta Island in the municipality of Ubatuba and two exhibited hindlimb paralysis before dying Analysis of their brains conducted at Instituto Pasteur in São Paulo city showed the cause of death to be rabies encephalitis An article reporting the findings of the study is published in the journal Veterinary Research Communications This is the third report of rabies in capybaras in the world The study, which was supported by FAPESP also detected that the strain of rabies found in the three animals was the same as the variant present in the Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) “In recent years there has been an increase in reported cases of rabies in wild animals, possibly linked to environmental disturbances that trigger an imbalance in the ecosystems in which D. rotundus lives,” said Enio Mori an arm of the São Paulo State Department of Health and a professor in the Program of Graduate Studies in Experimental and Comparative Pathology at the University of São Paulo’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ-USP) Another recent case involved a White-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) infected with the rabies virus and found dead in Campinas, one of the largest cities in the state (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/50853/) The capybaras died there not long after roof repair work was carried out on a previously abandoned building and they may infect each other with rabies increasing the probability of transmission to other wild animals on whose blood they feed deforestation also contributes to a rise in rabies cases whose blood is the sole source of food for vampire bats frequently turning to livestock and even humans and potentially transmitting rabies to them in the process The infected capybaras were found by employees of Fundação Florestal the agency that manages São Paulo’s conservation units Samples of the animals’ brain tissue were sent to Instituto Pasteur part of a network of rabies surveillance laboratories in the region Researchers and technical staff there first tested the samples for the rabies virus antigen for triage purposes concluding that all three cases tested positive they isolated the virus for confirmation testing but they were able to sequence the genome of a viral particle The tests confirmed the presence of the rabies virus variant found in vampire bats The only other case of rabies in capybaras in Brazil was published in 1985 The viral variant in question has been typed only in this latest study There have been no reports of human rabies transmitted by capybaras accidents in which people are bitten by these animals usually cause severe wounds Whether capybara saliva may contain the virus is unknown (bats are the primary rabies reservoir in South America) “Epidemiological surveillance must therefore continue so we can find out what role capybaras play in the viral cycle It’s perfectly possible they’re a dead-end host and die without transmitting the virus to other animals But we need more research to confirm this,” Mori said The article “Rabies in free-ranging capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) on Anchieta Island, Ubatuba, Brazil” is at: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-024-10558-y I crossed paths with a Brazilian journalist having visited Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian border and twice spent time in Rio de Janeiro dropping the locals’ nickname for Florianapolis a beach-encircled city on coastal Santa Caterina island 700 miles south of Rio given Americans’ general obliviousness to the destination “But I am from the most beautiful place in all of Brazil.” He hurriedly sent me a link to his Instagram before we headed off to separate athletic events light sparkling off his septum piercing as he spoke in what sounded like babytalk: “Ubatuba.” I can think of few other places in the world that could pull my gaze away from a water polo match between the West Hollywood Aquatics and San Francisco Tsunami fixated on my phone like a Scruffing twink in the midst of a dance club Art at the Airport in Sao Paulo (Photo by Jim Gladstone) lots of planning and a pandemic came between us But the mere anticipation of fabulous travel can be a powerful mood enhancer My Ubatuba obsession gave my partner John and I something to look forward to through the coronavirus years a light we imagined at the end of the tunnel Ubatuba is situated on the state of São Paolo’s Litoral Norte cradled between the ocean and thickly forested Serra do Mar State Park it boasts over 100 beaches (more than one for every 1,000 residents) across an archipelago of largely uninhabited small islands but mostly undeveloped towns in this region They’re well known to Brazilians but relatively undiscovered by international travelers no-stress vibe and raw natural beauty of the Litoral Norte is reminiscent of eastern Mexico’s Riviera Maya in the 1980s Just as Brazil’s seductive version of the Portuguese language lets individual words elide into a single flowing stream the country’s governmental geography has its own slippery overlaps: Ubatuba is both a city proper and a larger region within the Litoral Norte and it is only 150 miles from the city of São Paulo To me Ubatuba had grown beyond a city or region to become an all-encompassing vacation state of mind The destination was an excuse for the journey Before pandemic travel restrictions had even been lifted I reached out to him with questions about planning our trip: Was the country still friendly to gay travelers despite the authoritarian administration of then-President Jair Bolsonaro who had previously experienced the excitement of Rio would the city of São Paulo and the nearby coast offer a worthy return to Brazil And could he provide any guidance on visiting my lodestar While the Brazilian government leaned conservative during the Bolsonaro presidency (2019–2022) enacting policies that were anti-environmental and anti-indigenous people it also oversaw a dramatic decrease in crime now moving slightly leftward after the 2023 inauguration of Lula da Silva (previously president for two terms has same sex marriage and adoption rights as well as public healthcare funding for gender affirmation surgery Clovis was more than enthusiastic about my suggestion of bypassing Rio The Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City) with its landmarks of Sugarloaf Copacabana Beach and mountaintop Christ the Redeemer but itsfame has obscured other worthy destinationsin thisimmense country “There are so many amazing places to explore,” enthused Clovis ticking through a list that included the African-influenced colonial city of Salvador; the Amazon gateway Manaus; and the island of Noronha with its annual upscale international queer festival of culture and gastronomy and some of the best beaches in the world.” (Again visitors should be mindful of city/state blur: São Paulo offer plenty of daytime adventure and gay-friendly stays but little in the way of nightlife or queer-specific venues “How did you even hear about it?” wondered this bona fide ambassador for queer Brazil Once I’d heard that there was a place that was actually called Ubatuba,” I explained “and then saw that this place with the ridiculous name was also ridiculously gorgeous “I’ll see what can be arranged,” he promised As it turned out Marcelo was ideal in a million ways the best and most engaged travel professional I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with A cheerful man of many hats (and at least as many oversized designer eyeglass frames) publisher of Brazil’s queer lifestyle magazine BeFree and an intrepid traveler himself (His favorite foreign destination: Scotland land of misty peaks and bears in skirts; pretty much the antithesis of his own country) He proved unendingly generous with his time São Paulo’s infamous traffic was immediately evident On the hour long drive into the city center Marcelo’s sedan was surrounded by 18-wheel big rigs are so congested with commuter traffic by day that long-haul truckers aim to traverse the metropolitan area after dark Having worked with Marcelo to organize a coastal itinerary of relatively simple hotels amid splendid natural settings we’d decided to indulge on our trip’s first weekend Over many idle hours of pandemic Instagram scrolling I’d added a second Brazilian obsession to Ubatuba and it was there that I’d had our new friend book us: The Hotel Unique Hotel Unique Exterior (Photo by Jim Gladstone) this five-star 95-room astonishment by Brazilian-Japanese architect Ruy Ohtake offers surprises at every turn is an upside down arch that evokes a child’s simple drawing of a boat or a seed-pocked papaya slice The curving exterior wall results in guest rooms at the far end of each floor that feel like slumber parties in a skate park with beds at the base of sleek wooden ramps with round blasts of sunshine flooding the windows by day The lobby features ceiling-hung sculptures and a bar area with a giant velveteen floor pillow that invites tipsy sprawling Two stories below ground are bright blue and yellow lap pools the latter at the bottom of giant silver sliding board accessed by a staircase that seems suspended midair this one with a crimson-painted bottom and complementary red lighting to create a club vibe by night a throbbing oasis with 360° views of São Paulo’s gleaming infinity of skyscrapers a glass walled interior stretches the remaining length of the roof there’s a peculiar something-for-everyone menu that spans from croque madames and pizza to elaborately plated dishes like steamed seabass with caviar and champagne cream I’d recommend the least complex preparations: Impeccably fresh sashimi and a dessert of tissue-thin pineapple carpaccio dolloped with mascarpone cheese and drizzled with with ginger-orange syrup Ambling along one of Ibirapuera’s gently curving walkways John and I observed parents pushing babies in carriages There was even a small field commandeered by hardcore Quidditch players awkwardly running with broomsticks clenched between their thighs a world class modern art museum and a museum of Afro-Brazilian history are among the park’s many cultural institutions Perhaps most impressive is architect Oscar Niemeyer’s Ibirapurera Auditiorium a stark white trapezoid sticking its bright red tongue at the sky But there’s no better activity here than simply reveling in the people in motion the strolling soul of the park and the city Humanity in every hue of brown and beige and tan and taupe and cream and caramel and copper There’s no denying the worldwide persistence of ethnic prejudice colors have actually melded in the melting pot São Paulo’s other great people-watching promenade is Avenida Paulista a broad-sidewalked two mile stretch of cosmopolitan energy The main thoroughfare for June’s annual Pride parade the world’s largest with attendance estimated at 3 million Avenida Paulista runs perpendicular to 7-block long Frei Caneca same sex couples walk hand-inhand and queer singles unabashedly cruise at the cafés and bodyconscious clothing boutiques along this street Shop for stylish but reasonably priced club wear at Antrato Rouparia or Uzo by day and return after dark to show it off on the dancefloors at Aloka or nearby Club Yacht Like some grittier iteration of the Champs-Élysées Avenida Paulista plays host to luxury boutiques alongside traditional basket weavers’ makeshift kiosks and ladies in couture glancing side-eye at a busking Elvis impersonator Mirrored contemporary condo towers are interspersed with hulking concrete apartment blocks that date back to the 1970s their exteriors gridded with window unit air conditioners still common in this frequently sweltering city Colonnaded early 20th century mansions have been converted to corporate headquarters The avenue’s best known landmark is the modern art museum a Brutalist glass box suspended a full floor above the pavement by massive red red pillars designed by Italian immigrant Lina Bo Bardi Step into the vast field of shade beneath this floating gallery to escape the sun then wander back out to the rear plaza for a startling view of this literally layered city: Freeways tangle above and below rushing through concrete canyons and stands of trees And on what seems like every available surface gargantuan color drenched murals seem to turn the whole of São Paulo into a meta gallery grander and more energized than any single museum whose global reputation has grown multifold after he was profiled on the Netflix series A Chef’s Table is a showcase for native Brazilian ingredients prepared using the techniques of haute cuisine and molecular gastronomy It takes trust to venture into a tasting menu that opens with an amuse bouche topped with a flash fried ant then moves through courses made with unfamiliar ingredients including earthy black tucupi the juice pressed from fresh manioc root (quite toxic if not thoroughly boiled); filets of Amazonian pirarucu one of the world’s largest-freshwater fish; and the sweet-and-sour white flesh of bacuri fruit But your confidence in Atala and his team is well-merited servers provide fascinating insights into each dish many of which have origins in the cuisine of centuries-old rural communities that Atala now helps sustain by investing in their produce we meet up with Marcelo in the bohemian Vila Madelena neighborhood to sample two more Brazilian specialties: cachaça made from fermented sugar cane juice; and one of the country’s many musical traditions one long bric-a-brac covered wall of the alley-like space is lined with patrons seated elbow-to-elbow around small tables a raised platform is crowded with nine exuberant musicians a mass of joyful dancers sway and rump shake to hypnotic African-influenced beats played on guitar Call and response chants begin with the lead sambista and other band members but are quickly taken up by the entire pulsing crowd gender rendered irrelevant by a sense of communal celebration and so much more fun than the familiar horndog skulking and Lady Gaga tunes we find hours later at the São Paulo Eagle (Let’s face facts: In their all-too familiar global consistency Eagle bars have become the dark McDonalds of the gay world) At the top of that list would be a night of carousing in the city’s densest gay neighborhood The center of the action is the last block of Avenida Vieira de Carvalho adjacent to Praça Republique (Republic Square) The street is lined with gay bars including Soda Pop but choosing your favorite is not at all a necessity so most patrons prefer to stand around outside forming a single amorphous crowd that spreads across their storefronts Servers from each bar wade into the sweaty chatty morass to take and deliver drink orders but which establishment they work for matters little to the revelers The people are the attraction here and they’re not hesitant to lean into interesting overheard conversations and make some new friends Men from their twenties to their sixties mix freely wearing anything from leather and chains to glittery eyeshadow and fishnets with far less clique-ishness and much more camaraderie that one senses in most American cities where the go-go boys are famously forthright; the Bubu Lounge disco across town; or the clubs along Frei Caneca a monthly bear dance party featuring sexy go-go dancers and circuit DJs is among the more popular events that float between venues Before heading out of the the city the next day in search of coastal utopia we get together with Clovis of the IGLTA for lunch at Mocotó a restaurant in north Såo Paulo that he insisted could not be missed An ideal culinary counterpoint to ultra-contemporary D.O.M. Mocotó features the traditional sertaneja cuisine of arid northeastern Brazil its chatter-filled maroon and yellow dining rooms feel like a never-ending neighborhood party Tables are packed with families and large groups of friends Movie-star handsome chef-proprietor Rodrigo and his diverse friendly staff warmly welcome the queer community A highlight among the signature dishes we shared (portions are huge) was slow-cooked beef atolado a rich stew with bright acidic notes from pearl onions Also not to be missed: grilled coalho cheese drizzled with molasses and dadinhos de tapioca chewy-on-the-inside cubes of salty cheese and cassava flour Both are perfect starters paired with beer or a capirinha cocktail made from fresh fruit juice and cachaça Afternoon inundations like this are a common weather pattern here which in the native Tupi languages meant “gathering of canoes,” is today nicknamed Uba-chuva (Chuva being Portugese for rain) and cocktails on covered patios became part of our languorous daily rhythm The sun was already breaking back through the clouds as we arrived in the first of three beach towns we would leapfrog amongst in the coming days: Juquehy Juquehy’s Hiu Hotel is just 500 yards from the beach but a comfortable block and a half off the town’s main commercial road assuring an almost complete absence of traffic noise There is no escaping the morning crow of roosters however; many of the locals keep chickens the three mile walk along Juquehy beach is a balm for the soul The wide band of sand is as white and fine as sugar and the water astonishingly clear Sundown turns the gentle surf to liquid bronze and the sky a palette of pinks and oranges Remember the scenes on those lovey-dovey Hallmark cards you made fun of as a kid and its time to admit you were a pretty snotty kid Juquehy beach is much busier in the mid-day hours Lounge chairs and umbrellas are rented by surfside bars and holidaying Brazilians set up nets to play both conventional volleyball and the astonishing “foot-volley,” a hands-free version that takes advantage of its players’ well-honed soccer skills (as well as offering views of their well-honed abdominal muscles) we’d take a dip in the small courtyard pool then head up to the small rooftop sauna that no other guests ever seemed to discover we headed to the compact village center where most restaurants offer both indoor and outdoor seating mild white-fleshed daurade can be found on most menus in a variety of preparations ranging from simply grilled and served whole to fileted and garnished with tropical fruit sauces or salsas Perhaps the swankiest epicurean experience along this stretch of shoreline can be found at the Hiu’s nearby sister property the luxury 15-room Nau Royal on Camburi beach Its YYE restaurant is an arrangement of cloth-sided white cabanas overlooking the ocean from a manicured palm garden punctuated with sapphire wading pools and upholstered conversation pits While it’s open to the public for dinner as well John and I were glad to have visited YYE for lunch but the luxury of the grounds and the beach can be fully appreciated a feast for the eyes nearly matched by Chef Artur Dornelle’s exquisitely plated dishes Technicolor cocktails were accompanied by an an adorably presented appetizer of crispy fried fresh anchovies served in a copper basket with a sidecar of tangy lime aioli Cilantro-flecked whitefish ceviche was served with coconut milk in a glossy blue lacquered bowl Hearts of palm (as ubiquitous as cachaça in these parts) this time appeared in pappardelle-like ribbons bias-cut snow pea strips and crispy bacon-flecked farofa (toasted cassava flour Another few miles up the coast from Camburi the town of Maresias serves as a starting point for some of the region’s most appealing nature expeditions on a half-day guided boat tour of nearby islands On Montão de Trigo (which means “pile of wheat”) where the population hovers around 50 local entrepreneurs have built a ramshackle dock area with swaying suspended walkways and diving platforms to encourage snorkelers to stay awhile and order some cold drinks and generous portions of fresh fried coxinha (croquettes filled with shredded chicken and creamy cheese) The snorkeling area is calm and easy to navigate sheltered by a spit of seaworn bouldersthat look like giant rotting teeth There’s an altogether different sort of wildlife on Ilha Dos Gatos acrawl with an estimated 750 feral cats (to be spotted safely from the shoreline) They’re alleged to be the offspring of pets once owned by members of the Rockefeller family who in the early 20th century began to establish a South American getaway Ilha Dos Gatos near Maresias (Photo by Jim Gladstone) On As Ilhas there are two beaches ideal for sunning and swimming Hike a few yards away from the shoreline beneath leafy canopy and you’ll find a charming sort of speakeasy: a small family operated concession selling snacks and drinks to enjoy at small wooden tables in the shade of the trees The eastern side of As Islas features impressive rock formations surrounding shallow spring-fed pools the Maresias Tur company put us in the capable hands of a guide who called himself ‘Simpson’ and was amply tattooed with images of that yellow cartoon family An expert in the flora and fauna of the Atlantic forest he led us on hikes to two impressive waterfalls where we’d never have discovered it on our own Simpson slipped his hand into the runoff and emerged with a tiny golden frog in his palm John & Jim at Maresias Waterfall (Photo by Jim Gladstone) he pointed out several forgeable local plants which we cautiously nibbled; spectacular bamboo groves (while most commonly associated with Asia 137 different species of bamboo grow in Brazil); an abundance of orchids and other wild blooms; rainbow eucalyptus trees with peeling strata of multi-colored bark; and the amusingly shy mimosa pudica plant whose narrow green leaves curled up defensively when we ran our fingers along their edges Such aloofness never felt necessary for John and I as a gay couple on these excursions No desk clerks batted an eye when we checked into our king bed rooms and we felt completely at ease asking tour guides to take photos of us with our arms around each others’ shoulders Despite the fact that nonchalance toward same-sex couples is fairly standard in Brazil’s big cities and popular beach towns part of the added value provided by Marcelo and MH Tour is the assurance that they have personally vetted all of the accommodations and vendors to whom they send queer clients a beach block hotel and spa with bright white interiors and dark wooden decks shaded by pergolas hung thick with pale purple blooms Public areas were enlivened by whimsical design touches including cocoon-like wicker chairs and a bar where the seats are suspended from the ceiling like playground swings: Inner child this time through a well-groomed nature preserve leading to a rugged little peninsula that juts out into the ocean for just short of a mile From stone platforms along the steep embankments fishermen cast long lines into the ocean below we turned back toward shore and took in a panorama of two pristine beaches each completely blocked from the other’s view by the natural barrier on which we stood Reached by a three and a half mile ferry trip that departs the small city of São Sebastião 85% of which is a UNESCO-protected rainforest is a favored getaway for well-to-do Brazilian families; a sort of tropical Nantucket Small beach coves ring the island’s perimeter a surprising number of which specialize in pizza A happier surprise is that many also feature bars with live music from guitar-and-vocal duos to larger ensembles playing Tropicalia the blend of traditional Brazilian music and jazz made famous worldwide by songwriters including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil well-curated Waldemar Belisário Museum has evening hours on weekends and the streets are lined with handicrafts vendors But the reason we’d return to Ilhabela is the gay-owned and operated Elephant Guesthouse a stunningly situated oasis on the island’s west side It’s named for the shape of a massive black rocks that erupts from a deep green back lawn that rolls down to the sea from a shady porch a goddess of the sea in the Afro-Brazilian religion called Candomblé A hybrid of West African and Catholic faiths developed when 16th century slaves were forced into Catholicism Candomblé is most prevalent in the Brazilian state of Bahia has made its way to virtually every coastal area gathered his local friends and lucky guests on the inn’s back porch around a tabletop shrine containing small stone fish While slightly disoriented to arrive just as this ceremony was about to get underway John and I were quickly absorbed into the group and gamely tried to sing along with a chant that Carlos led Moments later we found ourselves joining a procession and onto a small beach where smiling bathers parted to let us pass through to the ocean’s edge Carlos anointed group members’ heads with sweet scented oil and we stepped into the sea with flowers in our hands then submerging ourselves beneath the waves participating in the ritual not only helped us feel our connection to nature it gave us a uniquely intimate experience of Brazilian culture that will always have a prominent place in our travel memories an English-fluent civil engineer by training is happy to engage in long discussions about Brazilian culture but equally ready to slip into the background and give his guests a chance to take in the romantic environs plus a deck and shared living room lounge full of comfortable colorfully upholstered furniture (The entire compound can be bought out for about $800 per night) Follow a stone walking path down the lawn toward a stand of palms take a flight of wooden stairs and find yourself at a long private pier There are huge rocks to clamber up and sun on and plenty of perches where you can comfortably sit submerged in warm water up to your shoulders I breathed deeply and felt as relaxed as I can ever remember A small turtle climbed up on a rock beside me and two seabirds landed on another I thought I would like to join you!” This was a cheerful half-truth My mental elevation of Ubatuba to Promised Land hadn’t only surprised Clovis of the IGLTA: John and I were Marcelo’s first foreign clients to specifically request a stay there While the local beaches are indeed paradisiacal Ubatuba is primarily popular among Brazilians Marcelo had no sense that the area would be any less hospitable to a gay couple than the rest of the laissez-faire Litoral Norte but was concerned that we might struggle trying to communicate In addition to checking out potential future business partners Marcelo wanted to be on hand as a surreptitious translator Between my well-honed charades skills and John’s dexterity with Google translate we’d happily bumbled along for a week on our own already The fact of the matter is that the majority of Brazilians we’d met anywhere outside of São Paulo even those who worked in the hospitality business Unless you have the funds and inclination to be cosseted in fully-guided five-star luxury your enjoyment of exurban Brazil will somewhat depend on your comfort with playful and part of the valuable humbling that comes in traveling abroad without a tour group Having to fumble in a foreign tongue shrinks your ego but ironically makes you feel pride in even your smallest successes even for travelers accustomed to independently organizing their trips working with a trusted multilingual travel agent can make ventures beyond Brazil’s city centers infinitely easier Assistance in planning the overall itinerary arranging transportation from place to place and addressing any urgencies along the way can be invaluable while personally chaperoning us in Ubatuba was an exceptional occurrence he and his team members call ahead to hotels and transit companies to confirm scheduled plans and iron out any wrinkles One needn’t travel high end to have a seamless experience to a fantastic little surprise of a restaurant run by Japanese Paulistas who are at the top of their game Huge platters of impeccably fresh fish are served nigiri and sashimi style at about 30% less than one would expect to pay in the U.S while Brazil has the largest population of Japanese heritage outside Japan Ubatuba also offers the opportunity to sample some definitively Brazilian seafood specialties a restaurant that specializes in its eponymous dish: fish with bananas This unexpected combination of ingredients (the bananas in question are not sweet but starchy like plantains) is central to the cuisine of the caiçaras natives of the southeastern Brazilian coast descended from a mix of indigenous earthy broths of coconut milk and red palm oil with onions Fish Plantain Stew (Photo by Jim Gladstone) As we finished up a light breakfast on Casa Melville’s terrace our first morning then grinned broadly and gestured toward the surf A sleek white speedboat was idling just yards from the shore one of Ubatuba’s highest rated pleasure cruise companies it’s easy to join a small group of other travelers on regularly scheduled nautical excursions require no reservations and have regularly scheduled routes You’ll find stations at major mainland beaches including Praia Felix and Praia Amado which features an enormous tented restaurant and bar festive with music and serving gargantuan grilled lobsters and doormat-sized flounder glazed in passionfruit juice The most authentic part of Ubatuba is neither its mainland town center or biggest most crowded beaches; it’s the spectacular scattering of small Zipping among them over the next two days offered dazzling views and happy disorientation Ilha das Couves is among the most enchanting of Ubatuba’s ocean jewels with two fine-grained beaches along the perimeter of lush But this tiny paradise of just under three acres grew so popular among local beachgoers that its delicate eco-system was threatened it came under the protection of the Såo Paolo state Forest Foundation which once resembled cans of suntanning sardines Permits are required for boat operators to drop guests at a single landing where foundation rangers provide a brief orientation John and I took a short well-marked trail to the second more secluded beach toting snorkel gear that was included in our boat fare In a cove of bathtub-warm turquoise water we swam only about 50 feet from the shore before spotting huge black rock formations through the transparent turquoise water each nearly four feet long and utterly undisturbed by we humans grinning in silent delight and exchanging submarine thumbs up At the even more miniscule Isla dos Porcos we swam ashore from our boat and had a crescent of sugary white sand entirely to ourselves The public islet’s single private residence allowing us to enjoy a half hour playing castaway trespassers Ilha Dos Porcos View From Mainland Ubatuba (Photo by Jim Gladstone) “We will see the very smallest beach in Ubatuba.” Off we sped for a circumnavigation of Ilha Rachada which is actually less an island than a massive peaked rock rising from the ocean like a great gray iceberg humorously capped by an oasis of palm trees we saw that what atfirst appearsto be a single landmassis actually cleaved in two with an alley-like channel of sand bisecting the entire width of about 120 feet This “beach,” never more than a few feet wide is flanked by soaring rock walls with ocean at either end it’s clear why locals refer to this oddity as Asscrack Island I saw an arc of silver flash alongside the boat then idled and we quickly realized that were in the midst of a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins I felt as if some unconscious wish I’d never articulated had nonetheless been heard and granted It was one of those moments when travel blurs into transcendence one of the few Portugese words I’ve managed to memorize is a simple “thank you.” It felt wildly insufficient when I dashed across Avenida Leovigildo Dias Viera to embrace my old acquaintance Felipe Abilio I’d tried to tap his expertise when first beginning to plan this trip that he’d inspired our language barrier and his hectic schedule made it challenging to maintain communication Once a São Paolo-based writer for Brazilian Vogue island hopping and frantically video editing to generate a constant stream of clips and images (and eke out an income) by celebrating Ubatuba and the Litoral Norte on an array of social media channels on this last night before heading homeward “I would never have done any of this if hadn’t run into you in Paris,” I explained over mango and coconut ice cream on the patio of Santin Gelato Artesanal a sprawling indoor-outdoor Ubatuba institution Felipe’s ebullient hometown pride had planted the seeds of this entire adventure a hemisphere-crossing lark born from a few short video clips and the goofy music of the word Ubatuba a confident grin already spreading across his face Pages: 1 2 Jim Gladstone is a writer and creative strategist based in San Francisco A seasoned marketing/advertising professional and a widely published cultural journalist and author he brings a valuable combination of critical thinking skills and lateral creativity to each of his projects Passport Magazine has always been a resource to guide inspire and encourage LGBTQ travelers and their friends to discover deeper richer and more fulfilling experiences at home and around the world through compelling story-telling online © 2025 Passport Magazine — All Rights Reserved — NYC USA TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com A private aircraft attempting to land on a rain-soaked runway at Ubatuba Airport crashed onto Cruzeiro Beach after failing to stop The incident highlights the dangers posed by adverse weather and the limitations of smaller airport infrastructure a 2008 Cessna owned by the Fries family since 2010 was used for private travel tied to their soybean business Although it had a valid Airworthiness Verification Certificate until September 2025 the aircraft required at least 789 meters of runway for a safe landing under normal conditions offers only 560 meters of usable length due to its geographic constraints Four family members on board sustained serious injuries and remain hospitalized in stable condition offered condolences and highlighted the challenges posed by the airport’s limited runway length and surrounding terrain The wet runway surface likely worsened the situation contributing to the failed landing attempt The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has opened an investigation to uncover additional factors behind the accident This tragedy emphasizes the inherent risks of operating larger aircraft at airports with restricted infrastructure The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response A survey by Datafolha Institute shows that Ubatuba beach is one of the favorites of São Paulo residents Ubatuba beach is the best in the southeast and one of the best in Brazil This is the conclusion of a new survey by the Datafolha Institute which interviewed São Paulo residents in search of their favorite destinations when it came to enjoying the coast Datafolha conducts surveys on the destinations of choice for the public in São Paulo Among those interviewed were people from classes A and B who had traveled in the previous year When asked about the best beach in the country São Paulo residents chose three main destinations followed by Maragogi and Fernando de Noronha (5%) there was no doubt: the city on the north coast took first place The good thing is that this “piece of paradise” is only 220 km, or about 3h15 from the capital. Why don’t you take advantage of your next day off to take a getaway even its natural treasures? Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox. Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper* She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006 visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas Ellie has also taken part in judging panels such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022) Regardless of the "how's" and "why's," when a carcass weighing 20 tons and stretching nearly 50 feet in length begins to decompose when the body of a dead humpback whale was deposited onto one of the city's busiest beaches like a sad gift no one wanted. Shortly after its arrival the whale's rotting body began contaminating the beach with its overpowering stench and the bi-products of its massive rotting body Approximately 50 individuals from Brazil's Civil Defense and Forestry Police departments attempted to remove the stranded whale's remains A subsequent plan was attempted using a tugboat loaned by the Brazilian gas company Petrobras to tow the body by attaching a series of wires to the carcass This failed when the wires connecting the body to the bow broke before the whale had budged. All the while neighbors had begun complaining about the smell Having learned from past debacles (like the infamous case in Oregon) officials in Ubatuba settled on digging a gigantic hole in the sand and simply burying the whale where it lay.  a team from the Ubatuba Aquarium had an idea Part of a joint project with schools in the area experts from the aquarium decided to exhume the humpback whale's skeleton which had lain peacefully unmolested below the sands ever since the initial attempted disposal debacles the professionals and amateurs reconstructed the whale's skeleton Today visitors to São Paulo can visit the whale outside the Ubatuba Aquarium where it has been installed in a spot of prominence The Atlas Obscura Podcast is a short, daily celebration of all the world's strange and wondrous places. Check out this episode about the Ubatuba Whale. The Ubatuba Whale is on display at Praça da Baleia, near the Ubatuba Aquarium. Home to what locals claim is the largest whale skeleton in Southeast Asia, which is worshiped yearly. One of the world's few mounted blue whales, its jaws are hinged open allowing visitors to descend into a lounge. The skeleton of a whale that beached itself in this Irish town is now on display in their public park. These sandstone replicas of a whale spine represent the history and culture of the Canary Islands. Nestled between the Sicao Green Tunnel and Dazhong Temple, an antiquated exhibition hall boasts the complete skeletons of mother and child sperm whales. An awe-inspiring giant blue whale jaw bone stands in the center of this Dutch island. A whale rib was used to advertise the store by the arch that offered exotic goods from far away. Authorities said that as much as 683 mm of rain fell in Bertioga in a 24-hour period to 19 February 2023 Governor Tarcísio de Freitas declared a state of emergency for the cities of Ubatuba including 35 in São Sebastião – 31 in Barra do Sahy Flooding and landslides have damaged homes across the region and 566 people have been displaced or made homeless Civil Defense has distributed relief supplies in affected areas Drinking water infrastructure has been severely damaged in São Sebastião Caraguatatuba and the municipality of Ilhabela Drinking water is being delivered by tank trucks in areas of São Sebastião Dozens of roads have been washed out or blocked More than 130 teams from the Civil Defense Fire Department and the Brazilian Army have been delayed to the areas carrying out relief and search and rescue operations Much of the work is concentrated in the region of Barra do Sahy and Camburi in São Sebastião Around 80 more police officers are expected to be delayed on 20 February The government of São Paulo state said that heavy rain began on 18 February Below are some of the highest accumulations for a 24-hour period to 19 February: This is the second severe flood event in the state in the last two weeks Flooding affected the Greater São Paulo Region on 07 February State news agency Agência Brasil reported one person died in flood waters in Osasco Another person was reported missing and later found dead in floods in Parque São Lucas Heavy rain also has caused flooding and landslides in other areas of the state state Civil Protection provided an update for the period 01 December 2022 to 13 February 2023 Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList There is a hidden food gem currently nestled inconspicuously in a carwash just steps away from campus It is a shack with two windows and an iPad as a register This pint-sized location currently has five employees and cites “lack of storage” as the biggest draw back of the tight work space Acai is a super berry that is native to South America Some studies have shown that acai pulp is even more antioxidant packed than blackberries recalls the early days in attempts to generate more business Ubatuba would hold sampling events at places like 24-Hour Fitness or Crunch gym in addition to the usual online presence and word of mouth “I’d sit here for hours alone without any human contact until I would have to go out there and get people’s attention to try us out,” Gomez said But after enough positive feedback and a strong following of mostly high school and CSUN students “My daughter and I both practice jujitsu and someone there told us about this place because it’s a Brazilian thing so we come here a couple times a week,” said Roger Palmero who was sharing a “California Bowl” a beachside town in Brazil’s São Paulo state decided to bring a taste of her homeland to Southern California Ubatuba currently has four other locations (all of which are “normal sized” and their newest store in Thousand Oaks that opened this summer The store also includes a board that has employee recipe suggestions to try the menu has other offerings such as a variety of empanada flavors like beef or Nutella and other Brazilian offerings like Pao de Queijo For the past couple of years, the popularity of acai berries and its purported health benefits have made the rounds in the health world Rhoda Gutierrez stumbled upon Ubatuba like most do I was a little put off by the randomness of it but one day I came and I had just read an article about acai nutritional benefits so I decided to try it and I absolutely loved it “I came for the carwash and stayed for the acai bowls.” The student media organization of California State University Northridge 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English Parece que a página que você está procurando não está disponível More than 50 million years ago, a now-extinct mammal called Pakicetus—roughly the size of a wolf, with four legs, a pointy snout, and a tail—gave rise to the cetaceans that would eventually ply the planet’s oceans Ever since humans began shoving off land and into that blue world we have been fascinated by the whales swimming and spouting there—even when those creatures are hard to see we would hunt many to the brink of extinction.) Ishmael, the narrator of Herman Melville’s cetacean-obsessed novel Moby-Dick, observes that many denizens of the sea “glide under water and treacherously hidden beneath the loveliest tints of azure.” But not always Here are 10 places where landlubbers can marvel at some of the ocean’s largest residents without ever setting sail Get credit for your contribution by submitting a complete place entry with photos Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice How to make the perfect caipirinha: top and tail a lime, quarter it, cut each quarter in two, throw into a cocktail shaker with a heaped dessertspoon of sugar, crush with a wooden spoon, add eight ice cubes, a measure of cachaça (or white rum), shake well, pour and drink. It might not be a conventional hotel freebie, but the caipirinha lessons held at Pousada Picinguaba, on Brazil's southern coast, are much more useful than a pair of cotton slippers or a mini-bottle of shampoo. That they are held regularly instead of more formal pre-dinner drinks also says much about this small, 10-room hotel. Despite its sophisticated guests, the sense of luxury at Picinguaba comes more from its genuinely willing service and laid-back atmosphere. The colonial decor makes it appear much older than its 20 years. It was built as a holiday home, but for five years has been run as a hotel by Frenchman Emmanuel Rengade, who chanced on the building while on holiday. The whitewashed building is surrounded by tropical gardens and a pool and looks out over the colourful fishing boats, islands and deserted beaches of Picinguaba Bay. The hotel can also arrange trips to outlying islands in its schooner or guided walks to waterfalls, but the region's biggest draw is Paraty, a Unesco-protected colonial town, 25 minutes' drive away. Each year, Paraty hosts an international literary festival, which this year runs from 2 to 6 July (www.flip.org.br), and the hotel often hosts many of the authors chilling out pre- or post-event. Time from international airport: Picinguaba is four hours' drive from Sao Paulo or Rio. Most guests arrange private transfers as part of their package at €250 (£208 return), but comfortable buses from either city's bus stations to Paraty cost around R30 (£9) and a taxi from there to Picinguaba is around R80 (£24) each way. The pousada's 10 rooms are rustic yet stylish, with white walls, painted woodwork, woven lampshades, Brazilian paintings and hammock-strewn private terraces. If you're looking for luxury, be warned that the en-suite showers aren't very powerful. Fortunately, the shabby-chic ethos doesn't stretch to the beds, which have good mattresses and linen. For something more decadent, there is a honeymoon suite, complete with a Jacuzzi. Kindness is what counts here. The hotel's friendly manager, Priscila, and her staff do all they can to make sure that guests enjoy themselves. Much care is spent on small details, such as providing interesting books in each room or hurrying out with an umbrella if it starts to rain. Freebies: Good guarana-based shampoo, conditioner and "bath pulp" by Natura, a Brazilian company. Keeping in touch: The point of being here is to unplug; don't expect TVs, internet access or air-con. When the weather is bad, most guests retreat to the lounge to play board games, flick through the collection of coffee-table books on Brazil or watch classic movies projected on to the wall by an open fire. There's also a cosy sauna or you can book massages (around R150/£45 per hour). Double rooms start at €250 (£208), including breakfast and a buffet dinner; minimum three-night stay. I'm not paying that: Doubles at Pousada Rosa (00 55 12 3836 9119; www.pousadarosapicinguaba.com.br), also in Picinguaba, start from around R80 (£25) per night, including breakfast. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies