Beaches Near Maresias: Distance, Sea Conditions and Who Each One Is For

Short answer: The neighboring beaches are 4 to 26 km from Maresias along the Rio-Santos highway (SP-055): toward downtown São Sebastião, they're small, with clear water and basic facilities; toward Bertioga, they have more facilities. For couples, Santiago, Calhetas and Toque-Toque Grande; for families with young children, Baleia, Camburizinho and Barra do Sahy. For surfing, Camburi and Boiçucanga.

What beaches are near Maresias, and in what order?

Heading toward downtown São Sebastião, the order is Paúba, Santiago, Toque-Toque Pequeno, Calhetas and Toque-Toque Grande. Heading toward Bertioga: Boiçucanga, Camburizinho, Camburi, Baleia, Barra do Sahy and, past Praia Preta, Juquehy. Driving distances are from the center of Maresias; sea conditions and facilities are from the city's official tourism website.

Beach	Distance	Sea	Best for	Facilities
Paúba	4 km	Steeply shelving; gentle swell, barrels on big swell days	Families (shallow freshwater lagoons) and experienced surfers	Kiosks and small restaurants
Santiago	5 km	Steeply shelving; very clear water, very calm on many days	Couples; snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP)	One small kiosk
Toque-Toque Pequeno	6 to 7 km	Steeply shelving; gentle swell on many days	Couples and families	A few bars; restaurants on the side streets
Calhetas	11 km plus a trail on foot	Moderate waves on the main stretch; calmer on the left side	Couples who don't mind a walk	None: no kiosk or restrooms
Toque-Toque Grande	12 km	Steeply shelving, usually with few waves	Couples; swimming, SUP and free diving	Snack carts and beach vendors
Boiçucanga	10 km	Strong waves in the middle and at the right end; left end more sheltered	Surfing	Full, including an emergency room
Camburizinho	12.5 km	Calm, but gets deep quickly	Families	Full; lifeguard station
Camburi	13.5 km	Usually rough	Surfing and beach sports	Full; permanent lifeguard station
Baleia	15.5 km	One calm, shallow stretch and another with waves	Families and surfers	Kiosks renting beach umbrellas; amphibious wheelchair
Barra do Sahy	18 to 20 km	Calm; natural pools at the right end	Families with young children; kayaking and SUP	Fishing village; boats to the islands
Juquehy	24 to 26 km	Usually calm; gentle water at the left end	All ages	Full

Steeply shelving means the bottom drops off suddenly close to the sand: even when the sea is calm, young children should stay at the water's edge, with an adult right beside them. Water quality changes too: in the Oct 1, 2026 bulletin from Cetesb (the state environmental agency), Toque-Toque Pequeno was rated unfit for swimming, and the other monitored beaches in the table were rated fit. Check the weekly bulletin before you go.

What's the best itinerary for a day for two?

Start at Santiago, 5 km away. On many days the sea is very calm, and the rocky shores form natural pools that are great for snorkeling. Bring water and snacks: the beach has just one small kiosk.

Have lunch at Toque-Toque Pequeno, which has restaurants on its side streets, then head to Calhetas. Access is on foot, through a gated community by the highway: a ten- to fifteen-minute trail, uphill on the way back. There's no kiosk, restroom or shop there, and the tip of the peninsula is a natural lookout over the coast.

Get back in time for the sauna and the sunset at the inn's lookout. Our couples page shows what a stay for two is like, and the Deluxe Suite is the inn's largest suite.

What itinerary works with young children?

Head out early: according to the Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics), peak UV radiation runs from 10 am to 4 pm. Choose Baleia, 15.5 km away, which has a stretch of calm, shallow water. Or Camburizinho, 12.5 km away, which has a lifeguard station but gets deep quickly. Both are on the Estrada do Camburi, past Boiçucanga.

Have lunch in Camburi or Camburizinho, where there are restaurants, snack bars and ice cream shops. Then a nap and the pool in the late afternoon. Save Calhetas for another trip: an uphill trail and a beach without restrooms don't mix with young children. Safety, health and what to pack are covered in our Maresias with kids guide, and what the inn offers little ones is on our families page.

What can you do on a cloudy day?

Swap the sea for some history. The historic center of São Sebastião, about 27 km away, has the 17th-century Igreja Matriz (the main parish church) and the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art), housed in the Capela de São Gonçalo. The ferry to Ilhabela leaves from there.

Closer by, Barra do Sahy has a suspension bridge over the river. An alley in the village has become an open-air gallery, with more than 300 m² of work by local artists. After heavy rain, Cetesb advises staying out of the sea for 24 hours. More ideas in things to do in Maresias beyond the beach.

How do you get there, where do you park and when should you go?

• The road: in Maresias, the Rio-Santos is the SP-055, officially Rodovia Doutor Manuel Hipólito Rego. The city lists the turnoffs by kilometer marker: Paúba at km 151, Santiago at km 148, Calhetas at km 144 and Toque-Toque Grande at km 141.
• Santiago: after the highway, there's a short dirt stretch through a residential neighborhood.
• Calhetas: access on foot only, with no official parking at the gatehouse. Park only where it's allowed and follow the highway signs.
• Camburizinho, Camburi and Baleia: access via the Estrada do Camburi. In Camburizinho and Camburi, you park on the residential streets.
• Open access: beaches are public property, and Federal Law 7,661/1988 guarantees free access to them and to the sea.
• Timing: leave in the morning and come back early. On May 23 and 24, 2026, a Saturday and Sunday, the stretch of the Rio-Santos between Bertioga and São Sebastião had heavy traffic in the late afternoon. DER (the state highway department) can be reached at 0800 055 5510.

Can you visit Ilhabela on the same day?

Yes. The ferry leaves from downtown São Sebastião, about 27 km from Maresias. According to Ilhabela's city government, the crossing takes 20 to 30 minutes and runs 24 hours a day.

From 5:30 am to 11:30 pm, departures run every 30 minutes on average, and pedestrians and cyclists ride free. To skip the line, book a time slot on the state government's Hora Marcada system, and check the line cameras on the official website before you leave.

Where should you end the day?

At Villa Blu, the pool is heated all year round, with the water between 27 °C and 29 °C, and it's lit up at night. The sauna is open from 10 am to 10 pm, and from the lookout the sun sets behind the mountains. Your car goes back to the parking space included in your rate, and Maresias beach is a 10-minute walk away (700 m). Take a look inside the inn.