Five affordable, under-the-radar beach towns in the Americas

ByABC News
February 21, 2008, 2:39 AM

— -- Everybody loves finding a hidden gem, especially one with palm trees and sand. But with formerly emerging beach destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America getting built up with cruise ports, chain resorts, and even U.S. mega stores, it may seem like there are no more "secret" places left.

While it's true there may not be many "undiscovered" places anymore, there are still quite a few underappreciated ones. This month, I'll highlight five of the most affordable beach towns and islands left in the Americassome right next door to destinations you already know.

Ilhabela, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro doesn't have a monopoly on beautiful Brazilian beaches. There are countless others all along the country's coast. Just off the coast of Sao Paulo state, IlhabelaPortuguese for beautiful islandis the tropical refuge Paulistas head to when they tire of crowded urban beaches. As I discovered on a visit last August, Ilhabela is also a welcoming and seductive destination for foreigners. It's affordable, too, especially if you visit between March and November.

Ilhabela presents two faces to visitors. Its western side is lined with gentle beaches, buzzing resort villages, and the holiday homes of the Sao Paulo elite. The other 85% of the island (the interior and the eastern, ocean-facing coast) is protected Atlantic rainforest and undeveloped beaches.

What to do:

Life on the eastern coast is much as it is in the rest of Brazil: Relaxing on the beach, socializing in bars, and dining out are the main activities. There are dozens of beaches to choose from, but Praia do Curral near the southern end of the coast is the liveliest, with casual bars and eateries serving up seafood and live music.

Hiking, boating, horseback riding, and cascading are all possibilities on Ilhabela's wild east side. Maremar Turismo (this website is in Portuguese only) runs a variety of excursions, including jeep tours ($40 per person) and horseback riding ($34 per person) on Praia do Castelhanos, the longest beach on the island, and one of the prettiest.

Arguably the most beautiful beach is Praia do Bonete, a rugged, windswept cove reminiscent of Big Sur. It can only be reached by boat or on foot. Hiking the nine-mile trail through the rainforest to Bonete is one of the island's most rewarding adventures. It's a challenging four-hour outing, but the views are worth it.

Where to stay:

On the west coast, you can stay at the cute German-Brazilian-owned Porto Pacuiba Hotel on Praia do Viana. This homey hotel serves a delicious breakfast buffet of Brazilian fruits and European cakes and meats. I paid about $70 per night for a standard room in the off season.

When hiking to Praia do Bonete, you can (and should) spend the night in the Bonete fishing village. The friendly Pousada Canto Bravo offers comfortable accommodations, rustic-chic decor, gourmet meals made from freshly caught fish, and the staff can arrange surfing lessons and other activities. Overlooking the beach and lit by candlelight at night (there's no electricity in Bonete), Canto Bravo makes a great romantic hideaway. Nightly rates start around $88.

Getting there: May flights from Miami to the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos Airport, the nearest major international airport, start at $595 round-trip, including taxes and fees, on Copa. From the main bus station in Sao Paulo, it's a four-hour bus ride ($17 one-way) to the ferry terminal in Sao Sebastiao. The ferry ride takes 10 minutes and is free for pedestrians.

Online resources:

Find trip-planning resources on Ilhabela.org and Frommer's online Ilhabela guide.

Progreso, Mexico

Wherever travel writer Tim Leffel, author of Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune and The World's Cheapest Destinations, vacations, you can be sure it's someplace cheap, authentic, and off the beaten path. And so it is with Progreso, Mexico, a little beach town on the Yucatan's Gulf Coast that has avoided Cancunification.

"This is one of those hidden gems that's getting harder to find," says Leffel. "I'm amazed at how inexpensive the region is considering how easy it is to get to from the U.S. The other thing that I find attractive is it's not a slice of the USA transplanted onto Mexican soil, as the Cancun area is. Most of the people who own houses in the area are Mexican and there are very few hotels, much less sprawling resorts. It's the old Mexico of slowing down and worrying about problems mañana."