Fodor's Expert Review Parque Estadual de Itapuã

Where the Rio Guaíba flows into Lagoa dos Patos, 57 km (35 miles) south of Porto Alegre, Itapoã State Park protects 12,000 acres of granitic hills and sandy beaches. Although the infrastructure is minimal, visitors can bathe in the river, walk along marked trails, and watch magnificent sunsets. Rare cacti, bands of bugios (howler monkeys), and a century-old lighthouse round out the list of park highlights.