Guaruja
Introduction
Guarujá is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and part of the Metropolitan Region of the Baixada Santista. Its name comes from the Tupi language and means "narrow path". The municipality is highly urbanized and sits on an island across the river from São Vicente Island, forming a second urban core and beachfront area in the region. The island is essentially coterminous with the municipality, apart from small offshore isles such as Ilha dos Arvoredos.
Before you go
Guarujá occupies Ilha de Santo Amaro, a large island that stayed largely unexplored through colonial and imperial times before an ambitious late-nineteenth-century enterprise remade it as a beach resort for wealthy Paulistas; it became a municipality of its own in 1947 and earned the nickname "The Pearl of the Atlantic". Its rise as the main holiday destination for Paulistanos came as beach pollution worsened in Santos, São Vicente and Praia Grande, helped along by new roads from São Paulo. Plan your days around the island's variety. In the central area, the blue waters of Pitangueiras and Astúrias draw the crowds, while Enseada and Casado rank among the most popular spots. Tombo, on the open sea, is not good for bathing but suits surfers, in contrast to the calm of Guaiúba, Prainha Branca and Iporanga, where fertile vegetation is set off by a waterfall and a freshwater swimming pool. History buffs can seek out the sixteenth-century Barra Grande Fortress, Forte Velho, and the Armação das Baleias, the state's first industrial plant for extracting whale oil. On safety: Guarujá has a poor reputation, with pedestrian robberies relatively common on the sidewalks of Pitangueiras and Enseada and car robberies also a concern. Avoid beach sidewalks when few people are around, especially at night, and carry no more than you need for the day.Getting there
If you fly into São Paulo, you can arrive at either Congonhas (CGH) or Guarulhos (GRU) airport, where tour operators can arrange a taxi service straight to Guarujá; the drive takes a little over an hour.
- By bus: Take a taxi or the subway to Jabaquara Bus Station in São Paulo, where you can catch a bus directly to Guarujá. Allow around one hour and twenty minutes for the journey.
- By car: From São Paulo, take the Anchieta Highway (SP-160) as far as Cubatão, where a junction lets you continue on the Cônego Domenico Rangoni Highway (the old Piaçagüera Highway) to Guarujá. You can also reach that junction from the Highway of the Immigrants (SP-150), though that route takes a little longer.
Getting around
Guarujá has no rail, metro or tram network of its own, so plan on buses, taxis, bicycles or your own two feet. Buses are the main form of public transport and a cheap, pleasant way to get around during the day, though services become scarce at night. Pay your fare in cash on board, either to a controller or the driver, by passing through a roulette; there are no tickets to buy in advance. Bus number 81 goes to all the beaches, which makes it a useful single route if you are beach-hopping. Keep an eye out for pickpockets when the bus is crowded, and check that your seat is dry before you sit, since many passengers board still wet from the sea.
Taxis suit places that are not so close together; they are not very expensive and drivers are mostly friendly, but small cheats are not uncommon, so after getting in, check whether the taximeter has been started and ask the driver to start it if not. Guarujá has an extensive network of cycleways and bicycles are one of the most popular ways for locals to get around, with a cycleway running along most of Enseada beach. There are unfortunately not many places for a tourist to rent a bicycle, so consider buying one for an extended stay, and ask at your hotel, as some offer bicycles for borrowing or renting. Walking works well for the beachfront areas near the centre, where the main beaches and the built-up seasonal districts sit close together, but for the wider spread of the island you will want a bus, taxi or bike.
Where to stay
Accommodation in Guarujá is somewhat overpriced because of high demand from nearby São Paulo, and cancellation policies are often restrictive, so check the terms before you book.
- Guaruja Hostel – Av. Guadalajara 646, Enseada. A clean and new HI hostel with a good social area, nice service and a great buffet breakfast included.
- Pousada Canto do Forte – R. Horácio G. Barreiro 1232, Tombo.
- Pousada das Pitangueiras – Praça Faria Lima 125, Pitangueiras.
- Pousada Praia do Guaiuba – Praça Getúlio Vargas 134. A clean and new guest house with only five suites, offering a wonderful place to relax in front of the beach with great personalised service.
- Sobre as Ondas Hotel – Av. Gen. Rondon 30, Pitangueiras. Good value for money, right on the rocks that split Pitangueiras and Astúrias, with an astonishing view of the open sea and tasty seafood served in the restaurant.
- Guarujá Inn Hotel – Av. da Saudade 170, Enseada.
- The Falls Hotel – Av. Miguel Estéfano 4981, Enseada. Small, clean and comfortable, in the east corner of Enseada beach, with a small but lovely pool area from where you can watch the sunset and bikes available to borrow. You may want to avoid the cheapest room, "Victória", as it is quite small and windowless.
- Hotel Costa Classique – Av. Miguel Stéfano 601, Enseada.
- Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa – Av. Miguel Stéfano 1001, Enseada.
- Ferraretto Guarujá Hotel – Rua Mário Ribeiro 564, Pitangueiras. Just off Pitangueiras beach in the shopping area, with a nice pool and restaurant with complimentary breakfast, and great off-season rates.
- Sofitel Jequitimar – Avenida Marjory da Silva Prado, Vila Jequitimar.
Food & drink
Guarujá's dining scene goes well beyond seafood, though the ocean is never far from your plate. Barbecue restaurants make a satisfying stop after a long day on the sand, and Italian cooking—popular throughout São Paulo State—is well represented here, alongside Japanese and Arabian options. For something quick and casual, vendors sell coconut, sweetcorn, sandwiches and ice cream all over town, while kiosks on the main beaches serve fresh fried fish, crab and shrimp. Budget-minded eaters can call ahead for delivery pizza, or settle in at any of the neighbourhood restaurants scattered around the Centro, Pitangueiras and Vila Maia. Mid-range choices cluster in and around Rua Rio de Janeiro, with beachfront spots in Pitangueiras and Astúrias offering affordable seafood, German cooking and buffet spreads. For a splurge, head to Enseada, where traditional and sophisticated seafood restaurants let you dine while looking out over the water. When evening comes, Pitangueiras and the surrounding neighbourhoods keep things lively. Beachfront bars shift from restaurant service by day to a young, happy crowd at night, with good appetizers to share. You'll find live music around Pitangueiras and Tombo, including jazz on Saturdays, and a videokê bar in Astúrias with English songs if you feel like taking the mic.What to see and do
Guarujá's beaches are its main draw, each with a distinct character. Enseada is the largest and most popular with occasional visitors, lined with kiosks selling coconuts, beer and finger food, and offering lively nightlife that can make traffic chaotic in high season. Pitangueiras is one of the most popular, overcrowded on summer mornings but best appreciated with a barefoot walk on a warm afternoon; surfers and vendors are everywhere, and when the waves are not huge it is suitable for bathing. Astúrias, separated from Pitangueiras by a few rocks, is smaller and less crowded, good for sunbathing and relaxing. Tombo is a surfer's paradise and one of the most beautiful beaches, though not suitable for bathing when the waves are too big; it is usually less crowded than the others and holds a Blue Flag award. Tortugas offers kayak, ski and motor launch tours, boats and diving, with a wide strip of sand for comfortable hikes. Pernambuco is sophisticated and calm, lined with beach houses, and at low tide you can walk across to Ilha do Mar Casado. Perequê is a traditional beach with authentic fisherman's villages, where you can eat just-caught fresh fish and seafood in the many restaurants while watching the villagers come and go; the water is polluted in some areas and not safe for bathing. Away from the sand, visit Acqua Mundo Theme Park on Avenida Miguel Stéfano in Enseada, a large aquarium with a wide range of aquatic species. Barra Grande Fortress was built by the colonizers in 1584 and displays panels by Manabu Mabe; reach it by the Santa Cruz dos Navegantes road or by boat from the Ponte dos Práticos. And do surf: Guarujá's waves are good enough for a great session, and each beach has its own style of wave, so whether you are a newbie or an expert you will find what you are looking for. At Pitangueiras, near the rocks to the southwest, a School of Surf offers classes and board rental.Three days in Guaruja
Day one: Base yourself in Pitangueiras, the central beach neighbourhood, and get your bearings along the seafront. From there you can walk to the beaches of Astúrias and Enseada, both within easy reach of the town centre. If you want a quieter stretch of sand, head to Casado or Tombo, where the surf is stronger and the crowds thinner.
Day two: Take the ferry or road link to São Vicente Island and explore its historic core, one of the oldest settlements in Brazil. Continue to Santos, a short drive away, to see its waterfront and the coffee heritage that shaped the Baixada Santista. In the evening, return to Guarujá and eat at a beachfront kiosk in Enseada or Pitangueiras.
Day three: Head west along the coast to the more remote beaches of Guaiúba, Prainha Branca and Iporanga, where the Atlantic forest meets the sea. Stop at the Barra Grande Fortress and the Forte Velho, reminders of the area's colonial defences. If time allows, take a boat trip to the Ilha dos Arvoredos or simply relax on the sand before your return to São Paulo via Congonhas or Guarulhos.