Enjoying the region | São Sebastião

If you're looking to spend more time in the São Sebastião region, enjoying idyllic beaches, incredible hikes, and the best food in the region, this post is for you.

The Islands | Maresias beach | São Sebastião

It's no wonder Brazil is world-renowned for its paradisiacal beaches. And in the municipality of São Sebastião, there are more than 30 beaches, 81,595 inhabitants according to 2020 data, and, incredible as it may seem, plenty of activities and restaurants to enjoy. Below, we'll summarize what we believe are the top spots for you to discover.

---

Best beaches, according to the internet

After a lot of research, we realized that some beach names kept appearing constantly in searches. So we'll save you time and offer you a brief summary of what we saw. And no, Laís, being Brazilian, doesn't know all the beaches...

It's important to keep in mind that the concept of a beach can be a little different if you live outside of Brazil and aren't Brazilian. We recommend this post, which discusses the differences between the beaches we saw and enjoyed this year.

Toque Toque Pequeno

It's one of the most beautiful beaches on the north coast. It can offer many services like paddle board rentals and lessons, food vendors, bars and restaurants on the beach shore. Generally there aren't many parking spaces during high season and it's a beach with strong waves and steep drop-off, which means that shortly after entering the ocean, it gets deep quickly and the chances of being pulled into the sea are high.

Boiçucanga

A typical Brazilian beach, known for its great extension, and because of this, this beach has 5 entrances and each one offers a different type of experience. From a relaxing paradise with calm waters, to sports courts on the beach and more turbulent waves.

Also known for its famous hostel called Farah, where you sleep in a cabin and can take boat trips to see whales. And we couldn't fail to mention the wonderful waterfalls near this beach, where you can have a unique experience passing through the Atlantic Forest.

Santiago

For those who like to go to the beach to relax, this is the ideal one for you. Calm and very crystalline waters, generally without large waves and it also offers a beach bar that makes this day even better for resting. It doesn't have many parking spaces on public streets but it's possible to find a parking lot.

Paubá

Well known for surf competitions, a beach with clear waters and a river that flows right onto the beach's shore. A very interesting attraction to do is diving, since the water is very crystalline and allows you to see the entire sea floor.

Juquehy

A super well-known beach among paulistas (Sao Paulo locals) for being a super clean place, full of activities like boat rides and many food vendors walking all over the beach.

With more than 3 km of beach, the area is usually always very busy.

Ilha Bela

One of the most famous islands on the north coast of São Paulo, mainly for its paradisiacal beaches and its mosquitoes (yes, here you have to be careful with them).

The island offers everything from diving and marine life, waterfalls, to natural pools.

It's an area that tends to be more expensive than others because it's a very touristy place, but it's worth every minute enjoying the location.

Calhetas

A secret beach on the north coast that surprises everyone. Cars are not allowed to enter, so to get in you leave your car in a nearby parking lot and walk to the beach, enjoying the scenery.

A private beach, so it doesn't have any restaurants or vendors. It's important to bring your own chair or beach towel.

Maresias

A beach for all tastes. Here you'll find surf lessons, waterfalls, whale watching and much more. Another beach of great extension, so here you'll find beach bars, street vendors, volleyball courts, among others.

We've left just a few tips here for you to enjoy this beautiful region of São Paulo, but we'll always be available for questions and more.

Laís & Antonio