praia dos anjos (angel's beach), once called praia da rama, was stage for many important events that shaped the history of the region - pirates' attacks, battles with indigenous tribes, and the establishment of local landmarks such as the igreja nossa senhora dos remédios, where the first ever indoor mass in brazil was celebrated, all took place at angels' beach. 

it was here that americo vespucio arrived with three ships and started the local settlement and the trade of the pau-brasil - native to this area was in fact pau-brasil or, brazilwood, a superior type of hardwood well worth the long sea voyage to obtain, and to which brazil owes its name.

it was the interest in this very wood that rapidly brought many settlers from the north - arraial do cabo also has the distinction of being one of the first settlement locations in brazil, though its development was delayed, in part, by pirates and the danger they posed to both shipping and permanent settlements.