On the coast of Paraná, between the port city of Paranaguá and the beaches of Pontal do Paraná, the Guaraguaçu Ecological Station protects a stretch of lowland forest, mangrove and sandy restinga along the Guaraguaçu river. It belongs to the network of Atlantic Forest reserves that UNESCO lists for the south and southeast of Brazil, here around the Paranaguá bay, one of the best preserved estuaries on the Brazilian coast. Access to the station itself is restricted, as ecological stations are mainly for research, but the surrounding landscape gives a strong sense of what it protects.
The bay is a world of green and grey: mangroves lining muddy shores, forested islands such as Ilha do Mel, the dark mountains of the Serra do Mar rising behind, often wrapped in cloud. Birds are everywhere, including herons, egrets and the scarlet ibis, which has been seen again on this coast in recent years. Paranaguá, one of Brazil's largest ports for grain exports, has a historic centre with colonial buildings, while Antonina, at the head of the bay, is a quieter colonial town that feels stuck in time.
For riders, the jewel of the region is the Estrada da Graciosa, an old road from the plateau near Curitiba down the Serra do Mar to Antonina and Morretes. Much of it is paved with cobblestones and lined with hydrangeas and dense forest, with viewpoints and picnic spots along the way, and it can be very slippery when wet, which is often. The BR-277 offers a faster alternative between Curitiba and Paranaguá, busy with trucks heading to the port. Along the coast, roads to Pontal do Paraná are mostly flat and straight, heavily used in the summer holidays.
Fuel is easy to find in Pontal do Paraná, Paranaguá and Antonina. The local speciality is barreado, a slow-cooked beef stew traditionally prepared in a clay pot sealed with a paste of flour and water, served with manioc flour and banana, and Morretes is the place to try it. The climate is humid, with frequent rain, so pack waterproofs and enjoy the green that comes with it.