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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Matinhos
Give Matinhos 1–2 nights as a beach stop between Paranaguá and Guaratuba, not a destination on its own; skip it in winter (Jun–Aug).
Matinhos is a small beach town on the Paraná coast, about 100 km from Curitiba by the BR-412/PR-412 highway. It is a summer and weekend place: calm central beach, surf at Praia Brava, two forested hills with trails, and a fishing market. Outside December–March much of the seafront is quiet and some businesses close. One or two nights is enough; most travellers use it as a stop between Paranaguá and Guaratuba, or as a day trip from Curitiba.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Dec–Mar (beach weather); Apr–May and Sep–Nov for quieter trails
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cool, wet, many businesses closed); avoid Carnival and New Year if you want quiet
- Stay
- 1–2 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 · Mid R$250–450 excl. bed · High R$450+ excl. bed (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 |
| Prato feito (rice, beans, protein) at lunch | R$25–45 |
| Fried fish or shrimp portion | R$60–120 |
| Beer: draught / 600 ml bottle | R$10–18 / R$12–20 |
| Coconut water on the beach | R$8–15 |
| Local bus ride | R$5–8 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R$40–80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CWB · Curitiba — Afonso Pena (CWB)
- About 130 km by road; direct bus from Curitiba to Matinhos takes roughly 2 h 30 minAbout 81 mi by road; direct bus from Curitiba to Matinhos takes roughly 2 h 30 min
- NVT · Navegantes (NVT)
- Alternative; longer road transfer, check schedules
Typical fares
- Bus Curitiba → Matinhos
- about R$30, roughly 2 h 30 min
- Ferry Matinhos → Guaratuba
- foot and car fares vary; check at the crossing
- Local bus ride
- R$5–8
Get around
The town is small and the centre is walkable. Local and intercity buses run along the PR-412 to Pontal do Paraná and Paranaguá, and a ferry crosses to Guaratuba in the south (check times and whether it takes cars). A car makes the hills, Praia Mansa and the Rio da Onça park much easier.
See and do
Known for
- Central beach and calçadão
- Praia Brava surf
- Morro do Escalvado and Morro do Boi trails
- Mercado dos Pescadores fish market
- Rio da Onça forest park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Guaratuba | Ferry across the bay from Matinhos, or drive around via the PR-412 | About 30–60 min by ferry |
| Paranaguá | Bus or car north on the PR-412/BR-412 | About 1 h |
| Pontal do Paraná | Bus or car north along the PR-412 | About 30–45 min |
| Morretes | Car or bus via Paranaguá and the Serra do Mar | About 2–2.5 h |
| Ilha do Mel | Bus to Paranaguá, then boat from the port | About 2.5–3 h |
| Curitiba | Bus from the Matinhos rodoviária, or car on the BR-412/BR-116 | About 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Centro / Praia Central
- Walkable to the beach, calçadão, fish market and most restaurants; best for a short stay without a car.
- Caiobá
- Northern seafront district toward Pontal do Paraná; quieter, more houses and pousadas, needs a car or bus.
- Praia Brava / Pico area
- Near the surf cove and the Pico Matinhos viewpoint; fewer services, better for surfers.
- Riviera / PR-412 strip
- Highway-side hotels and the Rio da Onça park entrance; convenient if you are driving through.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Bom diabong DEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favorah KON-tah por fah-VOR |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?POH-soo pah-GAR kong kar-TOWNG |
| Where is the beach? | Onde fica a praia?ON-jee FEE-kah ah PRY-ah |
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
- Summer weekends and holidays fill the beaches and roads; book beds ahead.
- Sea at Praia Brava and near the river mouths has currents: swim near other people and follow lifeguard flags.
- Trails on Morro do Boi and Morro do Escalvado are unmarked in places: go with someone, wear shoes with grip, carry water, and start early.
- Many restaurants and pousadas close or cut hours outside the summer season: check before you rely on one.
- The Guaratuba ferry can queue for a long time in high season; allow extra time or drive around.
Matinhos is a small beach town and generally calm, but summer crowds bring petty theft on the sand and in the calçadão: leave valuables at the pousada, and treat the sea and the unmarked hill trails as the real risks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Matinhos yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Central beach and calçadão
- Praia Brava surf
- Morro do Escalvado and Morro do Boi trails
- Mercado dos Pescadores fish market
- Rio da Onça forest park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Paraná tourism — coast: www.turismo.pr.gov.br/
- Prefeitura de Matinhos: www.matinhos.pr.gov.br/
- Wikivoyage: Matinhos, revision 5244836 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244836
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Matinhos
Para este endereço, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Matinhos; consulates and embassies are in Curitiba, São Paulo and Brasília (check).
Emergency numbers are free from any phone in Brazil.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/matinhos). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.