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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Bertioga
Go for 2 nights if you want a quiet beach base near São Paulo; skip if you need nightlife or a car-free stay — beaches are spread along BR-101.
Bertioga is a low-key coastal town on the Baixada Santista, part of the Santos and South Coast stretch. It has Brazil's oldest fortress, a 12 km beach at Enseada, and a quieter feel than Guarujá. From São Paulo, buses run from Jabaquara to downtown (about 1 h 30 min) and from Tietê to Riviera de São Lourenço (about 3 h 05 min); most visitors come for a weekend of beach and seafood, not sightseeing.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- check
- Avoid
- check
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$150–250 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid R$250–450 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High R$450+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance (SAMU) 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | R$6–12 |
| Plate of shrimp or fish with rice | R$50–90 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop | R$10–18 / R$5–8 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi or ride-hail3.1 mi (5 km) taxi or ride-hail | R$25–40 |
| Local bus ride | R$5–8 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R$40–80 |
| Forte São João de Bertioga entry | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GRU · São Paulo–Guarulhos
- Direct buses to Bertioga run from the airport; check current schedules with the operator.
- CGH · São Paulo–Congonhas
- Domestic gateway; reach Jabaquara or Tietê bus terminals by metro first.
Typical fares
- Bus São Paulo (Jabaquara) → Bertioga Centro
- about R$60, 1 h 30 min (2026 estimate)
- Bus São Paulo (Tietê) → Riviera de São Lourenço
- about R$70, 3 h 05 min (2026 estimate)
- Taxi Centro → Riviera de São Lourenço
- R$80–120 (2026 estimate)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Public buses (Viação Bertioga) link downtown with Indaiá, Riviera and Boracéia, but run less often at weekends and are aimed at residents. A car is the easiest way to reach Guaratuba and Itaguaré. Av. Anchieta along Enseada has a cycle path for most of its length, so a bike works from downtown to Indaiá and on toward São Lourenço.
See and do
Known for
- Forte São João de Bertioga
- Enseada beach
- São Lourenço and Riviera de São Lourenço
- Fresh shrimp and fish
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Santos | Bus or car via BR-101/SP-150 | check |
| Guarujá | Bus or car, crossing the Bertioga channel by ferry or via BR-101 | check |
| São Vicente | Bus or car via Santos | check |
| Itanhaém | Car or bus south-west along BR-101 | check |
| Peruíbe | Car or bus south-west along BR-101 | check |
| Iguape | Car or bus via BR-101 and SP-222 | check |
Sleep
- Centro / Enseada
- Downtown and the west end of Enseada beach; intercity bus terminal and shops. The west stretch of the beach is the polluted part.
- Indaiá
- East end of Enseada beach, quieter streets; a short bus or bike ride from downtown.
- Riviera de São Lourenço
- Planned, upmarket neighbourhood around São Lourenço beach; hotel and apartment rentals, mall, better tourist infrastructure. About 3 h by bus from São Paulo's Tietê terminal.
- Boracéia / Guaratuba
- Far north beaches with forest around them; few services, best with a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Com licença / Desculpekom li-SEN-sa / des-KUL-pe |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadao-bri-GA-do / o-bri-GA-da |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-ta |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?PO-so pa-GAR kon kar-TOWN |
| Where is the toilet? | Onde fica o banheiro?ON-jee FEE-ka o ba-NYAY-roo |
| I would like this one | Eu quero esteew KE-ro ES-chee |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- The west side of Enseada beach, near downtown, is the polluted stretch; swim further east at Indaiá.
- The sea at São Lourenço can turn rough — check flags and local advice before swimming.
- Weekend buses are infrequent; plan the last return bus or budget for a taxi/ride-hail.
- Renting a house or apartment is often cheaper than a hotel if you stay more than a weekend.
Bertioga has one of the lowest crime rates on the São Paulo coast, but keep the usual city precautions: avoid empty stretches of beach after dark, carry little to Guarujá, and check sea conditions before swimming at São Lourenço.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bertioga yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Forte São João de Bertioga
- Enseada beach
- São Lourenço and Riviera de São Lourenço
- Fresh shrimp and fish
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Bertioga, revision 5237916 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237916
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bertioga
Para este endereço, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Bertioga; the US consulate general is in São Paulo, and most other countries keep embassies in Brasília with consulates in São Paulo or Rio.
Bertioga is a beach town: cash and cards both work, but small kiosks may prefer Pix or cash.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bertioga). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.