Ilhabela and Ubatuba: an island and a beach town on São Paulo's coast

At a glance

Where they are and how to get there

Coming from Paraty on the Rio-Santos highway (BR-101), Ubatuba comes first. Ilhabela is further south, across the channel from São Sebastião. Distances from Ubatuba published by the city:

From Rio the coastal road is BR-101 via Paraty. From São Paulo you take the Dutra (BR-116) or Carvalho Pinto (SP-070), then the Tamoios highway (SP-099) down to Caraguatatuba. From Taubaté, SP-125 goes down to Ubatuba. See also São Paulo to Rio for the inland options.

Ilhabela

The ferry from São Sebastião

The ferry (balsa) carries vehicles and foot passengers. The state ferry department gives the crossing as 30 minutes each way. Overnight, boats leave on a fixed hourly schedule; from early morning to late evening they leave as they fill, at most 30 minutes apart, and demand or weather can change that. You can book a car slot in advance through the Hora Marcada system, which we recommend on busy weekends.

Ilhabela State Park

The Parque Estadual de Ilhabela was created in 1977 and covers 85% of the municipality. The park counts more than 250 waterfalls. Its list has 13 trails, including the climb to Pico do Baepi, waterfall trails such as Água Branca and Bananal, the Bonete trail and the Castelhanos-Bonete crossing. The Estrada Parque Castelhanos, the dirt road to the ocean side, is also listed by the park.

The park is open daily from 8:00 to 18:00, and visits must be booked in advance. Smoking, alcohol, pets and campfires are not allowed. We arrange a local trail guide for the longer routes.

Beaches and the ocean side

The towns and the main road sit on the channel side facing the mainland. The ocean side is much quieter: Castelhanos is reached by the park road, Bonete by trail or boat. We plan boat days so you can see the ocean side without the long hikes.

Ubatuba

Ubatuba stretches along BR-101, and the city counts 102 beaches and 16 islands.

Itamambuca

A wide beach of soft white sand with strong swell. It hosts national and international surf competitions, and the Itamambuca River meets the sea at the right end. A steep trail of about 40 minutes on the left leads to Praia Brava de Itamambuca.

Projeto TAMAR

The TAMAR base in Ubatuba opened in 1991, the first one on the Brazilian coast set up in a sea turtle feeding area. The visitor center has six sea turtle tanks, enclosures for land and freshwater turtles, and the Museu Caiçara with more than 200 objects of local coastal culture. It opens Thursday to Tuesday, 9:00 to 17:00.

Ilha Anchieta and Picinguaba

Ilha Anchieta became a state park in 1977. It covers 828 hectares, with about 17 km of rocky coast and seven clear-water beaches. Trails lead to Praia do Sul, the reservoir and Saco Grande, and there is an underwater snorkel trail. The park opens Thursday to Tuesday, 8:00 to 17:00, with advance booking. Boats leave from Saco da Ribeira, where the park’s visitor address is.

The Picinguaba section of Serra do Mar State Park covers 47,500 hectares, 80% of Ubatuba, from the shore up the mountain slopes. It protects five beaches, among them Picinguaba and Cambury, and caiçara and quilombola communities live inside it. It has 17 trails, opens daily 8:00 to 17:00 and also needs booking.

When to go

Summer, December to March, is beach season and the busiest time on the ferry. We did not find official monthly climate normals for this coast that we could verify today, so for weather planning look at Rio weather as a nearby reference and the best time to visit Brazil. For whales along the coast, see whale watching.

The US CDC recommends yellow fever vaccination for travelers aged 9 months or older going to São Paulo state, including its coastal islands. Ask your doctor.

A coast route with Paraty

1. Rio to Paraty, 1 to 2 nights: historic center and a boat on the bay (Paraty from Rio).
2. Paraty to Ubatuba, 1 to 2 nights: beaches, TAMAR, Ilha Anchieta.
3. Ubatuba to São Sebastião (80 km), ferry, 2 to 3 nights on Ilhabela.
4. Ilhabela to São Paulo. City ideas: São Paulo trip.

The route also works from São Paulo to Rio. Compare other islands in Brazil islands.

What to tell us in your request

• Dates, and where you fly in and out
• Number of travelers and children’s ages
• How many nights on Ilhabela, in Ubatuba and in Paraty
• Trails, boat days or beach time
• Type of stay
• Guide language

How we help

We build the north coast trip around your dates: a private driver from Rio or São Paulo, the ferry crossing, stays on Ilhabela and in Ubatuba, park bookings, boat outings and a trail guide who speaks your language. The route links with Paraty, and we stay your single contact for the whole trip. Our fee is already included in the price.