Ubatuba has more beach choice than most travellers can use. The central beaches are convenient but not the whole story; the coast stretches for about 100 km, and many of the best places sit well outside town. Itamambuca is the name surfers know, Praia Grande is the busy urban option, and the Picinguaba beaches trade kiosks and crowds for forest, rivers, and a slower feel.
Distances matter here. Pick a beach cluster for the day, especially in summer, when the Rio-Santos road can turn a short hop into a long crawl.