VELINN Caravela Camping Ilhabela

Awesome.

We came with family and would definitely return. I love ilhabela, and I loved camping ilhabela. It was a welcoming, family-oriented place with lots of families and couples. The owners and staff were very kind and receptive throughout. We arrived in the rain on December 17, when some neighborhoods in the city flooded. There is a small waterfall in the campground, and the current rose that day, making the pool and bridges unusable. The team immediately set to reorganizing everything. Staff who weren't scheduled came in to help, which says a lot about their care for the owners and the team's well-being. By Friday, the campground looked brand new again. Congratulations to them. We couldn't pitch our tent on the first day because of the rain, so the staff promptly moved us into one of the cabins and made us feel safe and supported. The bathrooms were clean. There were two new stoves and two new fridges in the kitchen, but no cooking utensils, so bring your own. Guests using the kitchen are expected to keep it clean, including wiping the stove after cooking and the sink after washing dishes, and alcoholic drinks aren't allowed in the fridge. Keep your utensils in your tent, since leaving them in the kitchen gets in other people's way, and clear the tables after meals, especially the one inside the kitchen, so others can cook and use the fridge. The campground might add these points to the kitchen rules. There are only four toilets: two women's, one men's, and one accessible. I saw several men go into the showers to pee in the drain. Even though the facilities were clean, we already felt the shortage, and it wasn't even very crowded. A large mirror would also be useful for women, perhaps by the accessible bathroom, since the mirrors over the sinks don't show your full body. I stayed seven days and needed to wash some clothes, but there weren't enough washbasins, and the one I used was shared with campground staff and had dirt left from maintenance work. There could also be pool rules about children swimming naked. My older kids felt uncomfortable because a boy of about six was swimming naked. Rules would protect the child too, given the risk of photos being used for child pornography online or by predators, and would help protect the campground and align with the goals of the ECA, since both that child and mine experienced embarrassment. A notice about giving alcohol to minors could help as well. One teenager with his own mother got so drunk we thought he might need medical care. That wasn't the campground's fault, since the family should set limits, but notices might make people more alert and discourage it. There were two cables stretched over the area where we pitched our tent, which worked well as a clothesline and for putting tarps over tents. There were plenty of outlets, the campground was well lit, and the pool was spotless and lovely to swim in. Wi-Fi was available and cell reception was good. On checkout day, we packed our tent and were allowed to keep enjoying the campground facilities without rushing off.

We loved the campground. It's well organized, clean, and feels safe, and the staff were all attentive and courteous, especially Júlio and the other employee at the night entrance who helped us. There's a children's pool and an adult pool, plus bathrooms and showers with both gas and electric heating. The shared kitchen is available, but bring your own utensils. A waterfall inside the grounds means you wake up and fall asleep to its lovely sound. It also brings plenty of borrachudo, especially in the morning and around dusk, so don't forget Repelente. The campground is reasonably close to praia do Pereque, but you'll need a car to reach the beaches. It was an incredible experience, and I'll definitely come back.

I've been here five times, and I preferred the old Vellim. The space has shrunk a lot, so anyone who knew the place before will notice a huge difference. Most things still get five stars from me, but one employee hurt the experience. I don't know his name, but he received me as if I were someone asking for handouts. I'm not sure I'll come again, since Vellim was a thousand times better.