
There’s a whole range of excursions waiting for you among the high mountains, deep forests and sandy beaches of Sao Paulo state. Are adventure sports your thing? Well, how about rafting on the Jacaré Pepira River or hiking in the Mantiqueira Mountains? If you’ve got the kids in tow, you could take them for a daytrip to a theme park or zoo, and if art’s more your bag, there are some top arts and crafts fairs within easy reach of Sao Paulo. Local Paulistanos love to make for the beaches of the east coast, so why not grab your sunnies and join them?
An island paradise with fantastic beaches
จุดเด่น: ถ่ายรูป, ผจญภัย
Ilhabela’s name means ‘beautiful island’, and this gorgeous forested archipelago just off the Brazilian coast lives up to its name. To get there from central Sao Paulo, you’ll need to take a car or bus to São Sebastião (about 3 hours), then a short ferry ride. Ilhabela’s best known for its glorious beaches. The sheltered beaches of the west coast are popular with sailors, swimmers, and other water sports enthusiasts, while the surfers tend to prefer the big swells of the more exposed (and less accessible) south east. Getting to some of the best beaches might mean hiking in, but it’ll probably be worth it.

Ilhabela Island
A famous white-sand beach that’s worth the long drive
จุดเด่น: คู่รัก, ครอบครัว, ถ่ายรูป, ประหยัด
Juquehy has a reputation as one of the most attractive beaches in the Sao Paulo area. Located about 2 and a half hours from central Sao Paulo by bus or car, it’s just outside the coastal city of São Sebastião. Juquehy’s got over 3 km of pristine white-sand beach, and the village around it has plenty of restaurants, plus shopping malls and amusements. For swimmers and families, the sea is calmest round the eastern corner of the beach, while surfers might want to seek out the bigger swells towards the western end.
ที่ตั้ง: Av. Mãe Bernarda, 1001 - Praia de Juqueí, São Sebastião - SP, 11600-000, Brazil

Juquehy Beach
More than 80 beaches near Sao Paulo
จุดเด่น: ครอบครัว, ถ่ายรูป, ประหยัด, ผจญภัย
Set among stunning rainforest, the city of Ubatuba and its surrounding region boasts more than 80 beaches. It’s on Brazil’s Atlantic coast – about half way between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro – and the journey from Sao Paulo takes roughly 3 hours by car. Your biggest decision is going to be which beach to go for. Busy Praia Grande in Ubatuba itself is a top spot to see and be seen, while surfers might want to head for Itamambuca or Vermelha do Norte. If you’re feeling really intrepid, you could try hiking to secluded beaches like Cedro or Brava.

Ubatuba
Browse the weekly art and crafts markets
จุดเด่น: ขาช้อป
The small Brazilian city of Embu das Artes is famous for its vibrant artistic culture, and every weekend a vast art and handicrafts market takes over most of the centre of the city. It’s about an hour’s drive from central Sao Paulo, making it ideal for an excursion. The famous Arts and Crafts Fair (Feira de Arte e Artesanato) has been going since the 1960s, any you’ll find paintings, ceramics, jewellery and sculptures among the goods on offer. When you’re done with the market, you could take in some religious art at the Jesuit Museum, or just settle into one of the local bars.