Caraguatatuba

Caraguatatuba is a beach town in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is often referred to as simply Caraguá.

Understand
The city's name comes from the Tupi language and refers to the abundance of caraguatá, a spiny bromeliad native to the area. Caraguatatuba is the largest city on the São Paulo north shore and is a jetsetter of high society of São Paulo &mdash; in the summer the city becomes one of the biggest hotspots in the country with more than 1.5 million tourists. The urban area and farmlands are within the coastline and valley areas, while the majority of its northern bounds are heavily forested and few roads reach the area.

By bus

 * From São Paulo on Litorânea bus company, departing from Tietê Bus Terminal. R$34.60, 3 hours.
 * From São José dos Campos on Litorânea from the main bus terminal. R$19.30. Hourly departures.
 * From Ubatuba and São Sebastião on Litorãnea or Praiamar bus lines, from the main bus terminal or any bus stop along the way.

By car

 * Tamoios Highway (Rodovia dos Tamoios) - Connects to São José dos Campos to the north.
 * BR-101 passes through town, connecting it to Ubatuba and São Sebastião.

Dr. Candido Motta Square
The Praça Dr. Candido Motta is the site of several historical monuments, big and small, which are protected by municipal law.



Beachfront

 * Calçadão - This quaint brick-paved pedestrian mall in the center of town serves as the local meeting place and makes for a pleasant stroll.

Beaches
From north to south:

Stay safe
Caraguatatuba has a poor reputation as the most violent city of the São Paulo coast. In reality, murders in the city are mostly related to drug trafficking, and for the ordinary tourist, Caraguatatuba is relatively safe, actually safer than the core Baixada Santista cities (Santos, Guarujá and São Vicente).

Yet, the city offers certain risks for the visitor. Avoid walking during the night, including the beach, except in well-lit areas with other people in the streets. For example, during the evening you can visit the crafts fair in the city center, which stays open until late in high season. When renting a summer house, check the security of the area and security devices, as groups of armed criminals are known to assault summer houses (if you have doubt, stay in a hotel). Never venture into lower-class neighborhoods, not even during the day.

Stay healthy
As elsewhere in Brazil, some beaches in Caraguatatuba are not suitable for bathing, and conditions can change from day to day. On the day of your visit, check the map of the latest weekly beach quality bulletin (in Portuguese, boletim de qualidade das praias) of the state's Environment Department (CETESB).

Go next
Hostels and private rooms are offered:

in the south and west:

 * São Sebastião – 30 km. The beaches of São Sebastião are a mixture of rustic paradisiac nature with first class night life. Contains one of the most famous beaches of the São Paulo coast, Maresias.
 * Ilhabela – 35 km. It is an archipelago with various savage beaches and ecotourism options.
 * Camburi and Boicucanga – 70 km. It is considered by Paulistas as one of the best beaches on their coastline. There are also quite a few small restaurants and bars along the road going through Camburi. Camburizinho beach is right next door.
 * Bertioga – 120 km. A laid-back sea-side town with excellent beaches. It's one of the safest towns of the São Paulo coast. From there to Guarujá, Santos or São Paulo.

in the north(-east):

 * Ubatuba – 50km. Beautiful beaches are the main attraction of this place, as well as its well-preserved nature. You can do mountain biking and trekking. One of the best places in Brazil to practice surf, nautical sports, diving and birdwatching.
 * Paraty – 120 km. A fully-conserved 18th-century colonial town by the ocean, hidden by tall jungle-covered mountains which used to be a hideout for pirates after the Portuguese ships; a must-see for people interested in history and culture; also good for rainforest hiking and kayaking.