Ponta do Bananal

The Enseada do Bananal got its name because the area was the largest banana producer on Ilha Grande in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1950, Japanese immigrants set up sardine processing factories in the area, and the population of Bananal is a fishing community with a strong Japanese influence. The cove has five beaches: Bananal, Bananal Pequeno, Baleia, Matariz and Jaconema. At Praia da Jaconema, the pier of a guesthouse shelters nudibranchs and seahorses and, with luck, spotted eagle rays and turtles also show up.