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There isn’t much to see or do in Ubatuba. There’s the Ubatuba Aquarium (Aquário de Ubatuba) which is an aquarium geared towards children, and the headquarters of an organization that protects sea turtles in Brazil, Projeto Tamar. In addition, it’s possible to visit a local Caiçara community. The Caiçara are people of mixed Portuguese and indigenous descent who have been living a traditional life for nearly 400 years.
Surfer Life
I didn’t do any of those activities. Instead, I enjoyed the surfer life and followed around Vini and the guys for a few days. This meant lots of trips to the beach, lots of parties, and lots of sleeping in. These guys eat, sleep, and breathe surfing.
Picinguaba
One day, Gabriel, an employee at the hostel, took me on a tour of some of the beaches in the area, making five stops. We started about 30 minutes away in nearby Picinguaba, a small village on the outskirts of Ubatuba. After stopping to get a spectacular view of Ubatuba, we made a quick stop at the Serra do Mar State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar) visitor center to learn more about the wildlife in the Atlantic Rain Forest that encompasses Ubatuba and most of the Atlantic coast of Brazil.
A short walk from the visitor’s center is one of the most popular beaches in the area, Fazenda Beach (Praia da Fazenda).
Puruba
Our next stop wasn’t really a beach but a river. To get to the actual beach at Puruba, one must cross the river. It’s possible to wade across to the beach or take a boat ride in the high season.
Prumirim Waterfall
Prumirim Waterfall (Cachoeira do Prumirim) is a waterfall with a natural swimming pool. The water is freezing but refreshing. It’s a great feeling to get right under the falls and let the water flow onto you. There’s even a rope to swing from into the pool. I did it but was a little nervous about slipping and falling onto the rocks below.
Prumirim Beach
Next was Prumirim Beach (Praia do Prumirim). This was a nice stretch of beach with a small island offshore. Gabriel said locals like to take a boat to the island and spend the day there swimming and picnicking on its beach.
Félix Beach
Our final stop on the beach tour was Félix Beach (Praia do Félix). With its white powdery sand, it was easily the most beautiful of the beaches. When I commented on how beautiful the beach is, Gabriel responded, “Nothing is ugly in Ubatuba. Only the face of the women.”
Itamambuca Beach
The next day, I went to Itamambuca Beach (Praia da Itamambuca) with the guys. They surfed while I sat in the sand and watched. They told me this beach always has the best waves for surfing and the conditions are usually constant.
Wasted Day
The last day I spent in Ubatuba was kind of a waste. Not because there wasn’t anything to do, but because I was left completely worthless from our night at Blues on the Rocks. I just went out and took a few photos of the beach outside the hostel, Perequê-Açú Beach (Praia do Perequê-Açú).
