Ubatuba Shopping Guide

In Guarani Street, you find the most charming stores of Ubatuba, including t-shirt shops, bikini and clothes stores, souvenirs and handicrafts, shoes, a bookstore, ice cream parlors and many good coffee shops, bars and restaurants. It is also the place to find the Aquarium and Project Tamar shop, where you can buy nice t-shirts and handmade toys.

The malls are located in downtown Ubatuba, but you won’t get as much variety as in the bigger cities. While convenience and grocery stores are located everywhere, if you’re looking for something uncommon, you should check with the hotel or a local person for assistance.

Fairs

The most popular fair in Ubatuba is popularly known as Feira Hippie. It is organised every Friday to Sunday, from 17:00 to 23:00 all year around and you will find a lot of things at affordable prices: clothes, handicraft ornaments, jewelry, paintings, small furniture pieces, souvenirs and local snack food. It is held at Iperoig Avenue, in front of the seashore.

Shopping Malls

There are five small malls in Ubatuba, with two of them overlooking the waterfront. Itagua is the most popular hangout with the locals who either come to see movies or meet friends here. It is not big, but there are some good shops: clothes, surf wear and accessories, toys, shoes, sunglasses, custome jewelry, a small market, drugstore, ATM machines , hair dresser, news stand, movie theater, McDonald's  and some other fast food stands. The other ones are also small, but have good shopping options. At Farol, you will find a beautiful silver shop and some nice clothes and shoe shops. There is also a Mexican food bar there.

- Shopping Porto Itagua: Avenida Milton de Holanda Maia, Itagua n° 61.

Telephone: (12) 38342037.

- Shopping Santa Fe: Rua Conceição, centro n° 180. Telephone: (12) 38322843.

- Shopping Itagua: Avenida Leovigildo Dias Vieira, Itagua 1.180. Telephone: (12) 38351275/ 38337885.

- Shopping Iperoig: Rua Esteves da Silva, Centro n° 147.

- Shopping do Farol: Rua Guarani n° 736, Itagua.

Markets

The public Fish Market is the best place in town to buy fresh fish and shrimps and also that is the place to meet the old fishermen and locals. It is open daily from 7:00 to 2:00 pm. It is located at the end of Iperoig Avenue.

Handicrafts

There are several handicrafts shops in Ubatuba, mostly of them are in Itagua area; however, there is a Cooperative of artisans in town that is worth a visit. They have beautiful ceramics and pottery, mosaics, wood carvings, costume jewelry, paintings, knitting and also some customized clothing. They are located at the seashore avenue, just beside an excellent Ice Cream Parlor called "Pistache", at 10, Iperoig Avenue.

Check the tour guides to figure out where the evening craft fair is being held (they’re quite common) and you could get a variety of art and craft works at bargain prices. In fact, the local Guarani community, near Prumirim, sometimes sell their crafts at the beaches.

Clothing

One of the best buys in Ubatuba is local Brazilian clothing. In fact, it would be a good idea to get yourself a couple of reasonable sets of clothing as soon as you land. Besides the fact that the quality is excellent for the price you pay, you will also not stand out as a tourist. A handy tip to follow: to figure out your trouser size in Brazil you need to measure your waist in centimetres, divide the number by two, and then round up to the closest even number. Unfortunately, however, international brands such as Dior, Hilfiger Levi's and the like attract heavy import taxes in Brazil. So stick to buying the local stuff.

Brazilian Rocks

There is a specialized shop in Ubatuba, where you can find all kinds of Brazilian rocks, stones gifts and souvenirs. It is located in Itagua area on Capitão Felipe Avenue, 183. Ubatuba’s granite, which is popular the world over for its gorgeous textured surface, was originally quarried in Ubatuba. And here’s the good news: if you’re building a home, you could get a great deal in Ubatuba and even arrange for the stone to be shipped to your country!

Ubatuba Replicas of Canoes and Caiçaras

The canoe is not merely a mode of transport in Ubatuba; it is an integral part of local culture. In fact, Ubatuba gets its name from the canoe. Local tribes, the Tupinambas who speak Tupi, who are skilled canoe makers, called the town uba-tyba - Uba means ‘canoe' and tyba ‘many'.

Used both as a means of transportation and also for fishing, the canoe is symbolic of the caicara culture. There are some that are lean and made out of a single trunk, called canoa de um pau so. You can spot these on the Picinguaba beach, which also has a fishing village, adding to its unique charm.

It goes without saying then that a replica of a canoe is one of the things you should pick up for friends and family. And if you have enough money, don't let anything stop you from carting a real canoe back home!

Local Currency

Brazil's currency, the real, is pronounced 'hay-AHL' and is written as R$. One real is equal to 100 centavos. Make sure you exchange your US Dollars or Euros at the airport or hotel, as you cannot use foreign currency to make payments in Brazil. A good option, if you must, would be to use an international credit card and get reals, or, even better, withdraw money at an ATM. Remember, however, that Ubatuba is a small town, so locating an ATM that accepts international credit cards could be difficult. It would be wise, therefore, to travel with sufficient local currency.