This route strings together three São Paulo coastal towns: Santos, home to Latin America's busiest port; Bertioga, with a quieter mangrove-lined canal; and São Sebastião, facing Ilhabela across a narrow channel. In November 2025, a 4-hour speedboat in Santos or Bertioga runs R$ 799 to R$ 1,200, while small boats in São Sebastião start at R$ 1,400 a day, like neighboring Ilhabela.
Table of Contents
- Where to board: Marina do Canal, Bertioga Pier and Marina de São Sebastião
- Santos: the shipping channel and the crossing to Guarujá
- Bertioga: the canal, Guaecá and the Riviera de São Lourenço
- São Sebastião: Maresias, Barra do Sahy, Juquehy and the crossing to Ilhabela
- What it costs in November 2025
- How to combine all three stops in one route
- Best season to sail
- FAQ
Where to board: Marina do Canal, Bertioga Pier and Marina de São Sebastião
Marina do Canal, in Santos, is the busiest departure point on this stretch, with direct access to the shipping channel and the short crossing to Guarujá. In Bertioga, boats and schooners leave from Bertioga Pier for the local canal and the Riviera de São Lourenço. In São Sebastião, Marina de São Sebastião handles both local coastal routes and the crossing to Ilhabela, the neighboring island separated by a narrow strip of water.
The three towns form one continuous stretch of coastline, roughly an hour to three hours by road from São Paulo city depending on which one you choose, which means you can board at any of the three and simply decide how far to travel by boat that day.
Santos: the shipping channel and the crossing to Guarujá
The Santos Channel separates the city from Guarujá and is the shortest crossing on this coast — a trip of just a few minutes that often opens longer itineraries further along the shore. Trips departing Marina do Canal typically start with this crossing, then continue to beaches along the Baixada Santista before heading back or pushing on toward Bertioga.
Because it is a working port — the largest in Latin America — the Santos Channel carries real shipping traffic, and pleasure boats run defined corridors around it. Part of the experience here is watching that port activity up close before leaving the channel behind for open water.
Bertioga: the canal, Guaecá and the Riviera de São Lourenço
The narrower, mangrove-lined Bertioga Canal offers calmer, more sheltered navigation before opening onto the sea near Praia de Guaecá. This stretch is often folded into routes that continue to the Riviera de São Lourenço, an upscale neighborhood with its own yacht club and Praia de São Lourenço as a stop — worth noting that Bertioga's Praia da Enseada is a different beach from Guarujá's Praia da Enseada, despite sharing the name.
Travelers who have already covered the boat itinerary in Guarujá will recognize much of this geography, since both routes meet at the Riviera de São Lourenço, the hinge point between the southern and northern halves of the Baixada Santista.
São Sebastião: Maresias, Barra do Sahy, Juquehy and the crossing to Ilhabela
São Sebastião holds some of the most sought-after beaches on São Paulo's north coast: Maresias, known for stronger surf and a lively nightlife scene; Barra do Sahy, quieter and more residential; and Juquehy, with a long sandy stretch and generally calmer water. A boat route through the area passes these three beaches before or after crossing to Ilhabela, visible from the mainland across a narrow, fast channel.
That crossing is one of the shortest mainland-to-island runs on the São Paulo coast, which is why combining São Sebastião and Ilhabela in the same day trip is common practice — a pairing covered in more depth in the boat itinerary in Ilhabela, focused on the island side of the channel.
What it costs in November 2025
The ranges below combine the Santos-and-Bertioga market, treated as one region given their proximity, with the São Sebastião reference, which shares boats and operators with neighboring Ilhabela:
| Destination | Trip type | Reference range (Nov 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Santos and Bertioga | Speedboat, up to 4 hours | R$ 799 to R$ 1,200 |
| Santos and Bertioga | Speedboat — typical full day | R$ 2,500 to R$ 6,250 |
| Santos and Bertioga | Flybridge / larger speedboat | R$ 6,000 to R$ 14,400 |
| São Sebastião (Ilhabela-equivalent range) | Small speedboat (up to 26 ft) | from R$ 1,400/day |
| São Sebastião (Ilhabela-equivalent range) | Medium speedboat (27-36 ft) | R$ 1,800 to R$ 3,000 |
| São Sebastião (Ilhabela-equivalent range) | Large speedboat (37+ ft) | R$ 3,500 to R$ 7,000 |
Prices are per vessel, in Brazilian reais. A R$ 2,500 boat in Santos split among 10 people works out to R$ 250 per person; in São Sebastião, a mid-size R$ 2,000 boat for 8 people costs R$ 250 each. A skipper, life jackets and mandatory vessel insurance (DPEM) are standard across all three towns; fuel varies with distance, and the Ilhabela crossing typically adds a little to the final quote.
How to combine all three stops in one route
A full day allows you to leave Santos, cross the Bertioga Canal and reach the São Sebastião beaches before deciding whether the crossing to Ilhabela fits — that call depends on how much time you have and the sea conditions that day. Groups with less time often pick two of the three stops, usually Bertioga and São Sebastião, given the shorter distance between them.
For visitors coming from São Paulo city, São Sebastião is the furthest of the three, about 3 hours by road on the Rio-Santos highway, which makes staying overnight in the area the most practical way to fit more than one stop into a single trip.
Best season to sail
São Paulo's north coast follows the same pattern as the Baixada Santista: the best sailing runs from March through November, with calmer seas throughout, and the December-to-February high season brings a clear jump in demand for boats around Maresias and São Sebastião. November closes out that calmer window, with prices still sitting in the ranges above before the summer rush begins.
Long weekends, such as Brazil's July 9th holiday, also push demand up, but outside those dates the north coast keeps more comfortable availability for last-minute bookings — though booking at least a week ahead is still the safer bet.
FAQ
How much does a boat trip in Santos and Bertioga cost in 2025? A 4-hour speedboat runs R$ 799 to R$ 1,200; a full-day charter costs R$ 2,500 to R$ 6,250, and larger flybridge boats reach R$ 14,400. Prices are per vessel and follow the Nov 2025 reference range for the region. A licensed skipper, life jackets and insurance are included as standard.
How much does it cost to rent a boat in São Sebastião? São Sebastião shares its price bracket with neighboring Ilhabela: small boats up to 26 feet start at R$ 1,400 a day; medium boats, 27 to 36 feet, run R$ 1,800 to R$ 3,000; and larger boats above 37 feet cost R$ 3,500 to R$ 7,000.
Can I take a boat from São Sebastião to Ilhabela? Yes, it is one of the shortest mainland-to-island crossings on the São Paulo coast, through a narrow channel. Most São Sebastião routes include this crossing as part of the trip, combining beaches on both sides of the channel in a single day.
Which São Sebastião beaches are included in a boat route? Maresias, Barra do Sahy and Juquehy are the most visited by boat, each with its own character: Maresias has stronger surf and nightlife, Barra do Sahy is quieter and residential, and Juquehy has a long sandy stretch with generally calm water.
What is the difference between the Santos Channel and the Bertioga Canal? The Santos Channel is wider, carries heavy port traffic, and connects Santos to Guarujá. The Bertioga Canal is narrower, lined with mangroves, and connects downtown Bertioga to Praia de Guaecá, offering more sheltered navigation away from wind and swell. Both channels sit on the same day-trip route linking Santos, Bertioga and São Sebastião.
Do I need a boating license to rent a speedboat here? No. Trips depart with a licensed skipper or captain in Santos, Bertioga and São Sebastião. Self-driving requires a Brazilian Arrais Amador license and is rare in tourist rentals; foreign visitors charter normally with a passport or photo ID. Mandatory vessel insurance and life jackets are included regardless of who is at the helm.
How do I book a route covering all three destinations? Through Voguer's WhatsApp line, sharing your preferred departure point, date, and whether the Ilhabela crossing should be included. The operator adjusts the route based on available time and sea conditions, with the date secured by a 50% deposit. The balance is paid on the day of the trip.
Book your Santos, Bertioga and São Sebastião route with Voguer
Message the Voguer team on WhatsApp to plan the ideal route across Santos, Bertioga and São Sebastião, with or without the crossing to Ilhabela. Within minutes you will receive speedboat options with price ranges and availability, with your date secured by a 50% deposit.
Keep exploring: Boat itinerary in Guarujá and Riviera de São Lourenço · Boat itinerary in Ilhabela · Boat itinerary in Ubatuba · Boat itinerary in Maceió and Barra de São Miguel · Boat rental in Santos · Boat rental in Bertioga · Boat rental in São Sebastião
