Ubatuba Destination Guide

Ubatuba is one of the best preserved seaside towns along the Sao Paulo coast, with beautiful unspoilt beaches, some of them still uninhabited, surrounded by lush Atlantic Rain Forest. This is the place for those who want to experience the rich fauna and flora of the State Park of Serra do Mar and for those that enjoy surfing, diving, hiking, trekking, bird watching, horseback riding, rich cultural encounters, excellent food or simply relaxing in the sun and sea at one of Ubatuba's pristine beaches. You can also explore the beautiful underwater nature by diving and relaxing on one of our boats. Let us help you make your trip unforgettable.

If you wish to visit beautiful and preserved nature in Brazil, come to Ubatuba and enjoy the white sandy beaches, the magic Atlantic forest, wonderful waterfalls, exotic birds and wildlife.

Looking for exciting things to see and do in Ubatuba? Our Ubatuba Destination Guide below tells you best sights, activities, and tourist attractions in Ubatuba and its surrounding areas. A great way of exploring Ubatuba's highlights is taking one of our Ubatuba city tours or ecological activities. For some general information about travelling to Brazil visit our Brazil country guide.

Things to see & do in Ubatuba

Ubatuba is one of the best places to surf, indulge in nautical sports, learn scuba diving, go fishing, or do some bird watching. There are over 70 beaches, with options for every type of tourist – for the adventure seekers there is Itamambuca, which promises high waves ideal for surfing, and for the honeymooners, there’s Almada or Felix, rather quite beaches. Virgins beaches such as Cedro, Brava da Almada and Bonete are remote and accessible only by foot or boat. Then there are the fancy and heavily populated beaches, such as Grande Beach, and yachts and schooners go to the Anchieta Island. Thanks to their immensely developed infrastructure, the Centro and Itagua beaches attract tourists all round the year.

The green beauty that is typical of Brazil is also visible in the Mata Atlântica (the Atlantic Rain Forest) at Serra do Mar Park, which its extension goes from south to north of Ubatuba. The main administration of this park is located in Praia da Fazenda, in the north. In the north, the city shares its borders with the ancient city of Paraty, in the state of Rio de Janeiro; in the south it touches Caraguatatuba, in the state of São Paulo; and going towards the west one can reach Vale do Paraíba, in the same state.

The weather in Ubatuba is great all year around and there's no winter time! Ubatuba's climate is humid temperate. And the region's annual average temperature is 21ºC, with highs of 27ºC and lows of 17ºC.

Ubatuba has a developed infrastructure to receive tourists all year long and from here you can reach other beautiful places near here: the historical city of Paraty, the beautiful Ilhabela or even Ilha Grande and Rio de Janeiro by Rio-Santos highway. They form the spectacular green coast and it's considered one of the most beautiful vistas of Brazil.

Follow the links to the right or scroll further down the page for details on some of the many interesting tourist attractions in Ubatuba:

This is the largest island of Ubatuba and a popular tourist destination. It shelters a portion of Serra do Mar State Park, and there are several unspoiled beaches - Praia do Sul, Praia do Leste and Praia Grande. Anchieta Island was used for many years as a penitentiary from 1904 till 1955. Today, all that remains are the ruins of the old cells and pavilions encircled by a pretty lawn and beautiful histories. With an area of 828 acres, the island holds rich wildlife of the Atlantic forest where animals like capybara, nail-monkey, lizard, sloth and armadillo live in their original environment. In the crystalline waters surrounding the island, schools of fish like sardine, sergeant fish and sea turtles are found in great numbers. There are schooner rides from Saco da Ribeira, which take visitors to some of its beaches – Palmas, Presídio, and Engenho.

Walk through the middle of a forest getting to know the Atlantic Rainforest's ecosystems, dive into crystal clear waterfall pools, and observe beautiful plants and wild animals in their original habitats. Choose one of our special tours and have fun with us! There are several itineraries with different levels of difficulty, among rivers, waterfalls and natural pools, lush vegetation, wild animals, history, cultural and local communities. Every tour has its own magic. The choice is yours, enjoy it!

Ubatuba's beaches are beautiful and exotic and every tourist is sure to find a place of his or her liking. There are 102 beaches in Ubatuba, of which ten are located on islands in the region. Several of them are still uninhabited and some of them are famous for surfing. Ubatumirim and Almada are great for families with small children. Cambury has a peculiar slaves descendant's village and Figueira is one particularly unspoilt white sandy beach. You are sure to enjoy our beautiful and clean seashore!

Grande Beach: The most famous and frequented site in Ubatuba, Grande boasts great tourist infrastructure, such as bars and restaurants. The water is clean and green, it has good waves, and the sand is firm, thus making it an ideal spot for soccer, volleyball and other beach sports.

Itamambuca Beach (15 kilometres from the city): Its constant swell and clear sand make it ideal for surfing. In fact, many international championships such as "Super Surf "and "Onbong" take place at this beach in the month of July, which tourists can participate in or enjoy as spectators.

Felix, Cedro & Cacandoca Beach: More beaches with strong waves which are ideal for surfing or snorkeling. Also good for home stays.

Prumirim Beach (23 kilometres from the city): With a number of diving points and a natural pool-shaped waterfall, it is a small beach with green water and pebbly sand. Not one of the ‘frequently-visited' spots, it has a rare, untouched, natural beauty that helps one connect with nature. Prumirim Island is also great for long walks and diving. What is amazing is that you could either take a boat or kayak to get here, or just swim to it! However, it is not advisable, because currents can be strong.

Picinguaba Beach: In Tupi-Guaraní lingo, Picinguaba literally means ‘fish reduit'. It is said to have been created in the XVIIII century and also has a traditional fishing village.

Vermelha Beach (4 kilometres from the centre of the city): Also referred to as Vermelhina, because of its red sand, this beach is ideal for those who love collecting shells. While it's also great for surfing, thanks to strong, tubular waves that promise great movement, swimming is not recommended because the currents are too strong. The beach is easy to access and has sufficient information kiosks all over. It also has an aquatic park, which children will enjoy.

Tenorio Beach (4.5 kilometres from the city): This is perfect for families, and there’s always lifeguards taking care, because there might be some holes on it. its location makes it one of Ubatuba's most beautiful beaches. You can get here from Itagua or Playa Grande (Big Beach). Its soft, white sand and picture-perfect beauty have to be seen to be believed.

Itaguá Beach: This is an ideal tourist beach, thanks to its well-developed infrastructure, which includes restaurants, bars, hotels, information kiosks, and most other amenities tourists might require.

Lagoinha Beach: Perfect for bathing and also nautical sports, Lagoinha beach has calm waters and compact sand. It has elaborate infrastructure for tourists -- plenty of restaurants, hotels, lodgings and reasonably priced water sports.

Beach tips
It's imperative to keep these tips in mind before you visit the beaches in Ubatuba:
1. If a beach is close to the rainforest, then there will be plenty of mosquitoes, especially early morning and at dusk, when the weather is hot and rainy.
2. The Ubatuba sea tends to be rough and unpredictable. Only a few beaches have lifeguards. So remember to be on guard at all times.
3. The beaches in central Ubatuba have poor quality water. Check the beach quality reports before you decide to swim at any of the beaches.
4. From February till November is the ideal time for tourists.

If you wish to walk in an extraordinary preserved forest gazing upon beautiful and lush nature until you arrive to unspoiled white sand beaches, and have a chance to observe an impressive array of birdlife or see a mangrove area with colorful crabs and small fishes around, you came to the right place. Ubatuba is one of the most preserved seaside towns along the Sao Paulo coast, with many beautiful beaches and the abundant Atlantic Rain Forest on its hillsides. Discover pristine and deserted beaches with total safety and fun with our experienced guides! There are several tours with different levels of difficulty blending beaches, vegetation, animals, history, culture and local communities. Choose your itinerary, we guarantee your satisfaction!

Brasil is home to almost a fifth of the world's birds (over 1600 species), of which more than 175 species are endemic. There have been 476 different species discovered in Ubatuba which makes for an abundance of colors and exotic sounds!!! Experience this emotion with us and walk through the preserved Atlantic Rainforest to observe endemic species of rare beauty, or typical sea birds of our marvelous seashore!

An historical site amid the preserved Atlantic Rainforest, "Casa de Farinha" is the beginning of an important track through the "Jatoba" and "Poço da Rasa" beach all the way to Corisco Hill. Make sure, however, that you follow only these tracks, which are monitored by special guides. Here you have the opportunity to see how an old sugar cane and flour mill works.

Ubatuba is a divers paradise! It has beautiful scenery and you can find many different places to dive, with a great underwater biodiversity. The tropical climate, rich marine fauna and flora and welcoming people, create a perfect atmosphere for those who want to enjoy the beauties of the underwater world. There are at least eight different islands with many beautiful dive sites in Ubatuba.

The best diving points can be found in the northern coastline of São Paulo state. Their special features include calm, clear waters with temperature that ranges from 18 to 27 degrees celcius, perfect for scuba diving or snorkeling. The best dive sites are Vitoria, Couves, Rapada, Palmas and Anchieta islands.

Central Ubatuba is where the city life is. Supermarkets, banks, and drugstores make it an ideal location for those accustomed to and looking for city life. Downtown is also where you will find Santa Casa, the local hospital, and clinics with emergency rooms (pronto-socorro). Here you will find the Museu Historico de Ubatuba (Historic Museum), the Casarao da Fundart (an old house that exhibits arts, music and handmade products), the Tourist information center and many others shops.

You could get here by taking the Rio-Santos highway toward Caraguatatuba-Ubatuba, where you will see a traffic sign indicating the Lagoinha Ruins. This is the ideal place to get a feel of Brazilian colonial history and the oppression of the slaves at the hands of the foremen. Trails through the forest take you to the waterfalls and ruins from an old glass factory, that is supposed to be the first one in Brazil.

Visit one of the most charming historical cities of Brazil. Paraty is a small and charming old colonial town from the 17th century. It is located only 70 km from Ubatuba in a strategic area between a calm sea bay and the Bocaina Mountain Range, and due to this strategic position, Paraty was one of the most important ports in the country in that period. The richness from that period can still be observed in the row of beautiful and well preserved colonial buildings in the centre of the city. Its streets are made of cobblestones and call the attention of those who come from abroad. Paraty has many small art galleries and stores with nice hand made products to buy!

How about enjoying the Paraibuna River's natural beauty engaged in a complete adrenaline fuelled activity that joins man to nature and moreover stimulates team work! Admire the beautiful and unique scenery of the Atlantic Rainforest within its exotic flowers, lush vegetation and wild animals in their habitats, whilst enjoying a continuous thrilling run of rapids in inflatable boats. Up to six hour tours by the preserved Paraibuna River with different degrees of difficulty ranging from rapid's classes II, III and IV. There will also be time to splash and swim!

Though a private property, most of the farm is located inside the state conservation unit, the Picinguaba Centre at Serra do Mar State Park. The Park works for the protection of wild animals, forests, rivers, wellsprings, as also the quality of life of the local people and tourists. The farm is a good place to visit if you're looking for some relaxation after all the activities at the beaches.

The Seaquarium has twelve salted water tanks with the most common fishes of our region: seahorses, groupers, angel fish, drums, moray eels, batfishes, rays, and nurse sharks among many other species. There is also a pool where you can touch some starfish, sea cucumber, and sea urchins. There is a penguin aquarium and also a crocodile lagoon.

Enjoy the breeze and the swing of the sea, observing beautiful sceneries on the way. The union of the rainforest with pristine beaches, exotic birds, clear water and feel the excitement of discovering a new world underwater of colorful fishes around you, corals, sea turtles and much more to see! In Ubatuba, there are several beaches you can go snorkeling, but the most beautiful ones you will reach only by boat: like Prumirim, Couves and Anchieta islands or some that are difficult to access like Cedro, Fortaleza and Sete Fontes. You can book one of these tours through our website.

Initiated in 1980, this famous Sea Turtles (TAMAR) Project aims to protect from extinction five species of turtles that depend on the Brazilian coastline to feed and reproduce. The program to save these species includes scientific research, environmental education, and social and community activities that involve local residents. TAMAR meets its objectives creatively by developing pioneering conservation techniques and promoting the pursuit of non-predatory economic alternatives capable of improving man's quality of life in local coastal communities.

The interesting thing is that as a tourist you too could get involved in some of these activities. Projeto TAMAR, which is located on Praia do Itaguá, is visited by nearly 100,000 people annually. Here you can meet the main species of turtles in their tanks and learn a bit more about the turtle's life with a biologist guide.

Would you like to put yourself in a real journey? How about trekking among gorgeous and preserved nature? Featuring clear water rivers, lush vegetation, beautiful birds, wild animals and a breathtaking view of our beautiful sea coast?

That's possible in Ubatuba!!!!

The Corcovado Peak trekking is an amazing experience that mixes adrenaline with nature, where on its observation point you will be rewarded by a wonderful view of the entire Northern Sao Paulo coastline! Besides this one, there are many other trails and tours that you can choose.

Discover the beauty of our clear waterfalls among lush vegetation, exotic flowers and native animals such as nail-monkeys, lizards, butterflies and gorgeous birds. There are many wonderful waterfalls in Ubatuba. Some of the tours are a mix of cultural and nature tour.