Ubatuba near Sao Paulo, Brazil
This is one of the most beautiful stretches of the São Paulo coast and has been recognized as such by the local tourist industry for many years. In all, there are 72 beaches of varying sizes, some in coves, some on islands. Surfing is the main pastime, of which it is said to be capital, but there is a whole range of watersports on offer, including sailing to and around the offshore islands. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through the beach of Itaguá, just south of the town.
The commercial centre of Ubatuba is at the northern end of the bay by the estuary, by which the fishing boats enter and leave. A bridge crosses the estuary, giving access to the coast north of town. A small jetty with a lighthouse at the end protects the river mouth and this is a pleasant place to watch the boats come and go. The seafront, stretching south from the jetty, is built up along its length, but there are hardly any high-rise blocks. In the commercial centre are shops, banks, services, lots of restaurants (most serving pizza and fish), but few hotels. These are mainly found on the beaches north and south and can be reached from the Costamar bus terminal.
Background
Ins and outsBackground
This
part of the coast was hotly contested between the local indigenous
population and the Portuguese. The Jesuits José Anchieta and Manuel
Nóbrega came to the village of Iperoig, as it was called in 1563, to
put a stop to the fighting; the former was even taken hostage by the
locals during the negotiations. A cross on the Praia do Cruzeiro (or
Iperoig) in the centre commemorates what the town proudly claims to
have been the first peace treaty on the American continent. The
colonists eventually prevailed and the town of Vila Nova da Exaltação
da Santa Cruz do Salvador de Ubatuba became an important port until
Santos overtook it in the late 18th century. In the 20th century its
development as a holiday resort was rapid, especially after 1948 when
it became an Estância Balneária. The shortened name of Ubatuba derives
from the Tupi-Guarani, meaning 'place of ubas', a type of tree used for
making bows and canoes. Cariocas disparagingly refer to it as Uba
'chuva' - as it can rain heavily here at any time.
The road from São Sebastião is paved, so a journey from São Paulo along the coast is possible. Ubatuba is 70 km from Paraty . There are regular buses from São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Paraibuna, Caraguatatuba, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro. The beaches are spread out over a wide area, so if you are staying in Ubatuba town and don't have a car, you will need to take one of the frequent buses. Taxis in town can be very expensive.
The
tourist office
, is on the seafront. The area gets very crowded at carnival time as Cariocas come to escape the crowds in Rio. There is a small airport from which stunt fliers take off to wheel and dive over the bay. In summer 10-minute panoramic flights and helicopter rides over Ubatuba are offered.
Ubatuba has a few historic buildings, such as the
Igreja da Matriz
on Praça da Matriz, dating back to the 18th century. It has only one tower, the old 19th-century prison, which now houses the small historical museum. Other interesting buildings include:
Cadeia Velha
on Praça Nóbrega; the 18th-century
Câmara Municipal
on Avenida Iperoig; and the
Sobrado do Porto
, the 19th-century customs house at Praça Anchieta 38, which contains
Fundart
(the Art and Culture Foundation). Mostly, though, it is a modern, functional town. In the surrounding countryside there are
fazendas
which are often incorporated into the
trilhas ecológicas
(nature trails) along the coast.
The
Projeto Tamar
Aquário de Ubatuba
The only place where swimming is definitely not recommended is near the town's outflow between Praia do Cruzeiro and Praia Itaguá. The sand and water close to the jetty don't look too inviting either. The most popular beaches are
Praia Tenório
,
Praia Grande
and
Praia Toninhas
(4.5 km, 6 km and 8 km south respectively). Condominiums, apartments, hotels and
pousadas
line these beaches on both sides of the coast road. Of the municipality's 72 beaches, those to the south are the more developed although the further you go from town in either direction, the less built up they are. Boogie boards can be hired at many of the beaches, or you can buy your own in town for around US$5.
Saco da Ribeira
, 13 km south, is a natural harbour that has been made into a yacht marina. Schooners leave from here for excursions to
Ilha Anchieta
(or dos Porcos), a popular four-hour trip. On the island are beaches, trails and a prison, which was in commission from 1908 to 1952. The
Costamar
bus from Ubatuba to Saco da Ribeira runs every half an hour (US$0.85) and will drop you at the turning by the
Restaurante Pizzeria Malibu
. It's a short walk to the docks and boatyards where an unsealed road leads to the right, through the boatyards, to a track along the shore. It ends at the
Praia da Ribeira
from where you can follow the track round a headland to the beaches of
Flamengo
,
Flamenguinho
and
Sete Fontes
. It's a pleasant stroll (about one hour to Flamengo), but there is no shade and you need to take water. Note the sign before Flamengo on one of the private properties: “
Propriedade particular. Cuidado c/o elefante!
”.
Straddling the border of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, the Parque Nacional Serra da Bocaina rises from the coast to its highest point at
Pico do Tira
(or Chapéu) at 2200 m, encompassing three strata of vegetation. Up to 1000 m the forest is mainly made up of large trees such as
maçaranduba
(milk, or cow trees),
jatobá
(courbaril), cedar and
angelim
(angely). Between 1000 m and 2000 m the predominant varieties are pines and myrtles. Higher than this, the landscape is more grassy and open, with bromeliads, orchids and lichens. The main river flowing through it is the
Mambucaba
, which cascades down the mountainsides in a series of waterfalls. Trails lead to some of the falls and an old gold trail leads through the park (a three or four-day hike).
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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