Ubatuba

The municipality claims something over ninety beaches along about a hundred kilometres of coast, from wide open surf strands like Itamambuca and Vermelha do Norte to small coves reached on forest trails, and behind almost all of them is the Serra do Mar state park, which covers a large share of the municipality and is why the coastline stayed forested. Surf is the main activity; Itamambuca hosts competitions. There is a Tamar turtle centre in town, boat trips to the Ilha Anchieta state park - a forested island that held a prison until a violent uprising in 1952 - and waterfalls inland. The other constant is rainfall: this is one of the wettest stretches of the Brazilian coast, and it rains a great deal even in the dry months.

History

In the 16th century the Tupinambá of this coast, many of them enslaved on the sugar plantations around São Vicente, formed the Tamoio Confederation with French support from France Antarctique in Guanabara Bay. The Portuguese sent the Jesuits Anchieta and Nóbrega to the Tupinambá village of Yperoig, today's Ubatuba, to make peace; Anchieta stayed as a hostage while Nóbrega returned to São Vicente with the chief Cunhambebe to settle the terms, and the Peace of Iperoig that followed is remembered as the first peace treaty in the Americas (Wikipedia, Ubatuba).

Highlights

• Around ninety beaches - from open surf strands to trail-only coves.
• Serra do Mar forest - protected park covering most of the municipality.
• Ilha Anchieta - the island park with the ruins of its 1952 prison.
• Constant rain - one of the wettest parts of the coast, year round.

When to go

April to September for the drier half. Four days.

What to expect

It rains heavily and often, which catches out people booking a beach week. Beaches are spread over a hundred kilometres and a car is essential. Summer weekends bring severe traffic on the mountain roads. Some coves need long walks.

Nearby

Paraty is north over the state line; Caraguatatuba and Ilhabela are south.