Praia Grande (Arraial do Cabo)

Praia Grande, in Arraial do Cabo, has varied marine life, and rays, turtles and moray eels are often found there. In the water there are crabs on the bottom, shells and fish, and the turtles tend to stay near the rocks to feed. Because its sea is rougher, the beach tends to be recommended for diving when the sea is calmer, and it is also pointed out as a great place for night diving. In Arraial do Cabo, the best time to dive tends to run from April to October.

In the left corner of the beach, very close to the shore, about 50 m from the strip of sand, lie the remains of the Imbetiba, which ran aground on 10 September 1881. It was a Brazilian steam cargo ship, with a displacement of 500 tonnes, owned by Companhia Macaé e Campos, and it was carrying leather hides, boxes of tools and nails, weapons, crockery and cases of wine. On the night of the accident, a very thick fog and the three compasses on board, which gave varying readings, made it impossible to know the ship's position, and it struck a sandbank shortly before midnight. The steamer got free of the first bank after throwing cargo overboard, but at midnight it struck another bank and ran aground for good, very close to Massambaba beach. All the castaways were taken ashore in the ship's boats, but one of them sank near the beach and the passengers had to walk with water above their waists. They spent the night on the beach and were taken in at the village. On 12 June 1875, the Imbetiba and two other steamers had brought Emperor D. Pedro II and entourage from Rio de Janeiro to inaugurate the railway between Imbetiba, in Macaé, and Campos.

Because it is so close to the sand, the wreck is often covered by fine sand, and when it is uncovered more of its parts can be recognized. From the trail that leads to Janela do Paraíso, in the left corner, you can see the wreck and, with luck, turtles coming up to the surface to breathe. The Praia Grande waterfront is named after the actress Flávia Alessandra, who was born in the town, and in the left corner there is a wooden deck with a statue in the actress's honor.