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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Ubatuba
Give Ubatuba 3–4 nights with a car: 80+ beaches spread over 100 km, and buses reach only a few of them.
Ubatuba is a beach-and-rainforest municipality on São Paulo's north coast, roughly midway between São Paulo and Rio. It has more than 80 beaches along about 100 km of coast, most of them separated by hills and reached by the Rio-Santos highway (BR-101). It is a holiday destination rather than a weekend one: January and February fill up, while weekdays in the low season can be almost empty. A car changes what you can do here more than in almost any other Brazilian beach town.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Nov (dry-ish, quiet, cheaper)
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (crowded, rainy, peak prices); Dec–Mar is the rainy season
- Stay
- 3–4 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$300–500 excl. bed · High R$600+ 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$8–15 |
| Prato feito or a beach kiosk lunch | R$30–60 |
| Seafood dish for two (Rei do Peixe style) | R$120–200 |
| Beer: draught at a kiosk / can from a supermarket | R$12–20 / R$5–9 |
| Bus ride in town (Verdebus) | R$5–10 |
| Rental car, one day, compact | R$120–350 |
| Aquarium or Projeto Tamar entry | R$30–70 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- UBT · Ubatuba Airport (Gastão Madeira)
- Short runway near the centre; only helicopters and small single- or twin-engine aircraft. No scheduled airline service.
- GRU · São Paulo–Guarulhos
- The practical gateway. Bus to Caraguatatuba (about 3 h), then onward to Ubatuba; or hire a car and drive.
- SJK · São José dos Campos
- Closest airport with scheduled flights to the region; about 2.5–3 h by road via Tamoios (SP-099).
Typical fares
- Bus São Paulo (Tietê) → Ubatuba
- about R$70–80, roughly 4–5 h
- Bus Ubatuba → Paraty
- about R$15, 1.5–2 h
- Bus GRU airport → Caraguatatuba
- about R$35, about 3 h; four departures a day
Get around
A car is the single biggest decision here: the beaches are not contiguous, and BR-101 is the only link between them. Verdebus runs public buses to some outlying beaches, but they are infrequent and often stop in a nearby village rather than at the sand, so check times before you rely on them. Cycling works in the flat centre, but riding the shoulder of BR-101 between beaches is not safe. Taxis and app cars exist in town; agree the fare first.
See and do
Known for
- 80+ beaches along 100 km of coast
- Itamambuca and Félix surf breaks
- Projeto Tamar sea-turtle project
- Atlantic rainforest and waterfalls
- Mussels and seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Picinguaba and Serra do Mar National Park | Drive BR-101 about 40 km east; no useful busDrive BR-101 about 25 mi east; no useful bus | 1–1.5 h each way |
| Paraty | Bus from the Ubatuba rodoviária, or drive BR-101 south | 1.5–2 h |
| Ilhabela | Drive or bus to São Sebastião, then the ferry | 3 h+ |
| Caraguatatuba | Bus or drive BR-101 southwest, about 50 kmBus or drive BR-101 southwest, about 31 mi | 1–1.5 h |
Sleep
- Centro / Itaguá
- The town core: restaurants, shops, the aquarium and Projeto Tamar, and the bus station. Itaguá beach itself is not good for swimming. Best if you have no car.
- Praia Grande
- About 4 km south of the centre; the busiest beach in town, with kiosks and a younger crowd. Walkable to Toninhas by a short trail.About 2.5 mi south of the centre; the busiest beach in town, with kiosks and a younger crowd. Walkable to Toninhas by a short trail.
- Itamambuca / Félix
- North of town, inside condominium areas, near the surf breaks. Quiet, green, and you need a car for everything.
- Lázaro / Sununga
- About 15 km south; calm water, families, guesthouses rather than hotels. Car recommended.About 9.3 mi south; calm water, families, guesthouses rather than hotels. Car recommended.
- Picinguaba
- About 40 km east on BR-101, next to the Serra do Mar park; a small caiçara village. Very quiet, far from town.About 25 mi east on BR-101, next to the Serra do Mar park; a small caiçara village. Very quiet, far from town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Com licença / Desculpekong lee-SEN-sah / des-KUL-pee |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| 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 |
| I don't speak Portuguese | Não falo portuguêsnowng FAH-loo por-too-GAYS |
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
- BR-101 (Rio-Santos) jams badly on holidays and summer weekends; build in extra time or travel on a weekday.
- Many shops, kiosks and restaurants close in the low season, especially outside the centre — check that your area has somewhere to eat before booking.
- It rains often between December and March; the local nickname for the town is a rain joke.
- Itaguá beach in the centre is not suitable for bathing.
- Trails to deserted beaches and to Corcovado peak are poorly signposted; go with a guide from the tourist information office.
- The Automobile Museum has been closed; confirm before you go.
Generally safe for visitors; the real risks are BR-101 driving, unlit trails and the sea. Swim near other people, and take a taxi rather than walk far at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ubatuba yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- 80+ beaches along 100 km of coast
- Itamambuca and Félix surf breaks
- Projeto Tamar sea-turtle project
- Atlantic rainforest and waterfalls
- Mussels and seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Prefeitura de Ubatuba (official): www.ubatuba.sp.gov.br
- Wikivoyage: Ubatuba, revision 5299917 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5299917
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ubatuba
Para este endereço, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Ubatuba; the US, UK and most others keep embassies in Brasília and consulates in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
Tourist information: +55 12 3833-9123 (check hours).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ubatuba). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.