Ilha do Mel State Park, State park on Ilha do Mel in Paranaguá, Brazil
Ilha do Mel State Park is a 393-hectare state park created in 2002 on the southern part of Ilha do Mel, at the entrance to Paranaguá Bay in Paraná. It protects beaches such as Praia Grande and Praia de Fora, rocky cliffs, salt marshes, dense submontane Atlantic Forest and lowland restinga, plus archaeological middens. The park includes the Gruta das Encantadas, a grotto formed by sea erosion along a diabase vein in migmatite rock.
A military fortress was built on the island in 1769 to defend the coastline, and it remained an important structure for coastal protection. The park itself was established in the 2000s to preserve the natural habitats and archaeological sites found across the island.
The island's name, Ilha do Mel, means Honey Island. Its villages are Encantadas, Nova Brasília, Farol, Praia Grande and Fortaleza. The Gruta das Encantadas, a grotto formed by the sea eroding a diabase vein in migmatite rock, is reached by a footbridge. The narrow Istmo, or Passa-Passa, is the island's narrowest point.
The island is accessible only by boat, with regular departures from the nearby towns of Pontal do Sul and Paranaguá. The site maintains a daily visitor limit to protect the natural environment from overcrowding.
A lighthouse from 1872 stands on the island as part of an imperial construction project to improve maritime safety. The structure still operates today and guides ships along this stretch of the Brazilian coast.
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