Between Praia da Lagoinha and Fortaleza, in the south of Ubatuba, a coastal trail links seven wild beaches — some deserted, others with a single caiçara shack — over about 8 km of ups and downs through the Atlantic Forest with the sea always on your left. It is the walk with the best effort-to-scenery ratio on the São Paulo coast.
The seven (in the classic order)
- Peres — the deserted opening act, strong sea and a wild look.
- Bonete — a caiçara village with canoes and a rustic restaurant: the traditional lunch stop.
- Grande do Bonete — wide and almost always empty.
- Deserta — the name gives it away: a stop for snorkeling.
- Cedro do Sul — rocks and little pools at low tide.
- Fortaleza — the grand finale, with a long strip of sand and kiosks to celebrate.
- (+ surprise little beaches along the way, depending on the tide)
How to do it
The most common direction starts at Lagoinha (paid parking lots) and ends at Fortaleza, returning by bus/app along the road or with a support car. It takes 4-6 hours with swimming stops — the route alternates stretches of forest, rocky shores and sand, with short, frequent climbs. Signposting is patchy: download the route offline or go with a local guide (Ubatuba agencies run it with transport included, around R$ 120-180).
Tips
- Start early (before 9am) to have beach and daylight to spare.
- Sneakers for the trail plus flip-flops in the backpack; 2 liters of water and some fruit.
- Cash for the fish at Bonete — a memorable lunch halfway along.
- Low tide makes the crossings and little pools better — check the tide table.
- Leave no trace: several beaches have no rubbish collection.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: moderate — 8 km with short, repeated climbs; any active person completes it with pleasure. Children: from ages 7-8 with a habit of walking (Bonete as the reward works!). Older travelers and reduced mobility: the full trail demands sure footing on roots and rocks; a reduced version = entering at Fortaleza and seeing only the first neighboring cove, or enjoying Bonete by boat from Lagoinha on a calm sea.