Guarujá
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Guarujá

Guarujá

São Paulo beach city on Santo Amaro island, with crowded urban sands and quieter coastal escapes.

Guarujá is a beach city on the São Paulo coast, the closest major beach destination to São Paulo — about 85 kilometres southeast via the Anchieta highway. Paulistanos flood here on weekends and holidays, which tells you both that the beaches are good and that the crowds can be intense.

The island (technically it sits on Santo Amaro island) has over 20 beaches. Pitangueiras is the busiest — urban, lined with high-rises, packed in summer. Enseada is long and family-friendly. For quieter options, head to Praia do Tombo or Praia Branca, the latter accessible only by boat or trail. The Praia de São Pedro has good surf.

Guarujá was fashionable with São Paulo's elite in the mid-20th century, and some faded glamour remains in the larger beachfront apartment buildings. The Forte dos Andradas, a 17th-century Portuguese fort on the southern headland, is worth the trip for the views. The Aquário de Santos is actually nearby in Santos, and the ferry crossing between the two cities is a pleasant short ride. The town is practical rather than charming — a weekend beach escape rather than a destination — but the coastline is genuinely attractive.

Guide

Getting There

Guarujá is on Santo Amaro island, connected to the mainland at Santos by two ferry crossings and to Bertioga by a bridge to the north.

From São Paulo. The most common route from the city is via the Anchieta highway (SP-150) to Santos, then the ferry crossing to Guarujá. The drive from São Paulo to Santos takes 45 minutes to an hour in normal traffic, with the ferry adding another 20–30 minutes including waiting time. On summer weekends and public holidays the road can be extremely congested — allow twice the normal travel time, or travel very early or very late.

Ferry from Santos. The ferry runs frequently throughout the day and evening, carrying pedestrians and vehicles. It is cheap and pleasant, with views of the Santos port facilities on both sides. Foot passengers can also take a regular bus from Santos to the ferry terminal.

From Bertioga. A road bridge connects Guarujá to Bertioga to the north, which is connected by road to São Paulo via the Mogi-Bertioga highway. This route is longer but can be useful when the Santos road is congested.

There is no commercial airport on the island; the nearest is Guarulhos (GRU) serving São Paulo, about 100 km from Guarujá.

Guide

Things to Do

Guarujá's main draw is its beaches — over twenty of them, ranging from packed urban strands to hidden coves reachable only by trail or boat. Beyond the beaches, there are a few forts, a wildlife park, and the pleasures of wandering the calmer back streets away from the beachfront.