Ilha dos Gatos in São Sebastião: What to See and How to Get There by Boat

The Ilha dos Gatos in São Sebastião is one of the three islands on the 3 Islands of the South Coast boat tour and lies about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from Camburi Beach, according to the São Sebastião city tourism portal. It has ruins on top, a small beach that is not natural, and water popular for diving.

For anyone staying in Maresias, the practical way to visit the island is by boat, departing from Boiçucanga Beach, on a route that also passes Ilha das Couves and As Ilhas. Here's what official sources record about it and how to plan the visit.

Where is the Ilha dos Gatos?

The island is on the South Coast of São Sebastião, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from Camburi Beach. The city's tourism portal lists Camburi, Boiçucanga and Barra do Una as boarding points. In the management plan of the APA Marinha do Litoral Norte, it appears within the Ypautiba Sector, the part of the protected area that lies within São Sebastião, among the islands that receive boat tours, alongside Ilha das Couves, As Ilhas and Ilha do Montão de Trigo.

What is there to see on the Ilha dos Gatos?

• Ruins on top: the management plan records the ruins of a structure at the top of the island, now covered by vegetation.
• An artificial beach: according to the same document, the beach was formed by rock blasting done for the construction.
• Diving: the island is on São Sebastião's list of dive sites, and MaresiasTur's tour description calls it a dive spot with schools of fish.
• Fishing nearby: the surrounding waters are much sought after by fishermen.

Along the region's rocky shores, a study published in Neotropical Ichthyology recorded the sergeant major, the brown demoiselle and the butterflyfish among the most frequent fish species. The survey was conducted in the São Sebastião Channel and on islands around Ilhabela, not on Ilha dos Gatos itself, but it gives an idea of what tends to show up while snorkeling. The management plan also mentions sea turtle sightings among the activities on tours to the sector's islands, which depends on the day and is never guaranteed.

Is the Ilha dos Gatos preserved?

The answer has two sides. An assessment cited in the management plan placed Ilha dos Gatos among the eight islands and islets classified as conserved areas, out of a group of 33 evaluated. The same plan records "intense visitation" on Ilha dos Gatos and As Ilhas and points to unregulated tourism as a threat to reptiles and amphibians.

The document also admits there are no published studies on the island's vegetation or mammals, and names the place a priority area for conservation. In practice, this calls for care from visitors: take trash back with you, don't climb into vegetated areas, and don't touch or feed the animals in the water. The guide to snorkeling in São Sebastião brings together these best practices.