When a friend asked me, "where do you find a Hawaii-like vibe with surfers, cute houses and a nice…read morebohemian style," I was stumped. I thought about Grumari in Rio (minus the houses), Trancoso in Bahia (minus the surfers), but it wasn't until my weekend visit to Praia Itamambuca that I really found the answer.
This small community is rustic but very well taken care of. At the entrance, there's a little guard house and just beyond it, you'll find a small array of modest shops and restaurants. More than anything, Itamambuca is a chill surfer's paradise. The houses near the beach are all well-tended to and the general feeling is that those who live here love the small community dearly. It's like conservation of the natural landscape comes before residential development.
Once on the beach, you'll find some of the best surfing Ubatuba has to offer. Surrounded by lush mountains, the view is incredible from the water. Depending on the day, you could be in for a big wave surf (advanced riders often head to this beach) and on calmer days, it's great to paddle out an build confidence on the nice sized, forgiving waves.
After a swim or surf, it's great to head to the river on the right side of the beach to wash off the salt... and nothing beats the cold, refreshing river water. I'll be coming back to this little known paradise.
