Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SÃO PAULO STATE
S
ão Paulo is famous for its beaches, pristine island resorts,
spectacular surf, and majestic rainforests. Divided into Litoral
Norte and Litoral Sul, the state's coastline is one of the most
incredible in the southern half of Brazil. São Paulo's agricultural
hinterland is the reason it is Brazil's economic powerhouse. It is also
home to a diverse range of immigrant communities.
The colony of Brazil was
officially established in
São Vicente (present-day
Santos) in 1532 by Martim
Afonso de Souza. The handful
of sailors that remained formally
named the beach São Vicente,
and as pioneers, had to fend for
themselves in a new land, coping
with assaults launched by the local
Tamoio Indians. Settlements followed
shortly after in nearby Santos and
in São Sebastião, opposite the island
of Ilhabela, now a beautiful resort.
All towns in the region preserve
interesting sights and legacies dating
from their early colonial days.
Most visitors, however, come to
the São Paulo coast not for history
but for sand, surf, and rainforest.
Ilhabela, Brazil's largest tropical
island, Ubatuba, whose 70 beaches
stretch to the state's far north, and
Guarujá, similar to Copacabana in
Rio City, with similar amounts
of high-rise buildings facing
the ocean, are the most pop-
ular destinations. All three
have beaches that have con-
sistently been rated among the
nation's top ten by the country's
tourist magazines. Puma and ocelot
still hunt in the wild Atlantic moun-
tain forests which lie only a short
distance behind them.
The full majesty of the Atlantic
coastal forest, the Mata Atlântica,
unfolds around Estação Ecológico
Juréia-Itatins, and Cananéia in the
Litoral Sul. Lush ridges, waterfalls,
and abundant plant life are its main
attractions. The forest is also home to
a wide array of animals, birds, and
brilliantly colored butterflies. One of
the loveliest spots is Ilha do Cardoso,
a boat-ride from Cananéia, where
caimans can be seen basking in the
sun on the beaches.
Stream flowing through the lush Mata Atlântica near Ubatuba
White sand beach on São Paulo's coast in the Ubatuba region
