São Paulo · Brazil
Guarujá travel guide
Guarujá is a city in São Paulo, Brazil, home to about 311,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- CGH57 km · Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport
- Currency
- BRLBrazilian real
- Time zone
- America/Sao Paulo
- Language
- Portuguese, Brazilian Sign Language
About
About Guarujá
Guarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of the Baixada Santista.
The municipality of Guarujá corresponds to Ilha de Santo Amaro, a large island that remained almost unexplored during the colonial and imperial times. In the end of the XIX century, an ambitious enterprise turned Guarujá into a beach resort town for wealthy Paulistas, and it became a full municipality in 1947. The beauty of the island gave its nickname "The Pearl of the Atlantic". In the 1970s/1980s, tourism in Guarujá grew enormously, following the growth of São Paulo and the opening of new roads between the two cities.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Guarujá
See
- Enseada
- Pitangueiras
- Astúrias
- Tombo
- Tortugas
- Acqua Mundo Theme Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Guarujá to stay in
Due to the high demand caused by the proximity with São Paulo, accommodation in Guarujá is somewhat overpriced, and cancellation policies are often restrictive.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Guarujá
Guarujá has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; January is the wettest, with about 345 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Guarujá: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport (CGH), about 57 km from the city centre in a straight line; São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU, 66 km) and Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf Airport (SJK, 94 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Arriving the airports in São Paulo (Congonhas / CGH) or (Guarulhos / GRU), packtours can arrange convenient TAXI service to Guaruja, it may take slightly more than one hour to go. Take a taxi or the subway to Jabaquara Bus Station. There you can take a bus directly to Guarujá. Estimated travel time: 1 hour and 20 minutes. More information: 11 50113421. From São Paulo, first it catches the Anchieta Highway (SP-160) until the city of Cubatão. There it has a bifurcation that it allows to follow for the Cônego Domenico Rangoni Highway (old Piaçagüera Highway) until Guarujá.
Getting around
A good way to move around to not-so-close places. They are not very expensive and drivers are mostly friendly, although small cheats are not uncommon. To avoid it, after getting into a taxi, check if the taximeter has been started. If not, ask the taxi driver to do so. Buses are a cheap and nice way to get around by day although by night they are more scarce. The fare is paid on cash to a controller or the driver only inside the bus, by passing through a roulette. There are no tickets. Keep an eye out for pickpockets when the bus is crowded.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CGH · Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport
GRU · São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport
SJK · Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Guarujá
Eat
Not only seafood but many other cuisines can be found in Guarujá. Barbecue restaurants are a nice option after a whole day of walking on the sands (but never before swimming). Italian cuisine is popular in the São Paulo State and is well represented in Guarujá. Japanese and Arabian cuisine will add to the vastness of culinary options. Besides restaurants, vendors are everywhere selling coconut, sweetcorn, sandwiches, ice cream, etc. Kiosks are also easily found on the main beaches where you can try the excellent fresh and clean fried fish, crabs and shrimps.
Stay safe
Guarujá does not have a good reputation for safety. Pedestrian robberies (especially in the sidewalks of Pitangueiras and Enseada beaches) and car robberies are relatively common. Try to avoid walking in the beach sidewalks if there seems to be few people on them, especially (but not only) during the night. Don't bring more than you need to enjoy your day.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Guarujá: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Guarujá?
Guarujá has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; January is the wettest, with about 345 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Guarujá?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport (CGH), about 57 km from the city centre in a straight line; São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU, 66 km) and Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf Airport (SJK, 94 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Guarujá?
Brazilian real (BRL).
Nearby
Destinations near Guarujá
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.