Popular party beach town in northeast Brazil. Many nice beaches, shops, restaurants, and party vibe.
Most Brazilian towns tend to lean towards more posh or more chill. Morro de Sao Paulo (or “Morro” for short) gives you a mix of both. It’s also nice that everything all conveniently located next to each other. You can easily choose what vibe you want to have. And if you wish for something more remote, just go a little further out and you’ll easily find your peace.
Where to stay:
- Town center (Praça Aureliano Lima):
- Precisely the main central point that everybody passes every day in Morro…whether walking home, to the beach, to a restaurant, or meeting friends. It’s an easy place to meet up with people, find people, wait for people, or hang around when you got nowhere else to go.
- It’s the most “central” location in that everyone passes by here very often. Most of your time will be spent here or EAST of here by the beaches. (So don’t stay too far WEST of here, if you don’t want to walk too much to the beaches.)
- WEST of town center:
- Again, I don’t recommend to stay too far west of the town center because it’s a longer walk to the beaches. But indeed, this area is not dead whatsoever. There are tons of nice restaurants here where you’ll be eating everyday.
- And I’d bet the places around here are cheaper than by the town center or the beaches.
- Looks like many narrow streets and smaller shops and restaurants in every direction.
- Beaches:
- Staying closer to the beaches might be your goal, so I’ll explain the vibe of different beaches. Luckily, all the beaches are named by number in order of their position to each other (all starting from the lighthouse by the town center). So it’s very easy to know where to go and where to meet up with people.
- 1a Praia – location-wise, this is probably the most central. You can easily pop down to the nicer beaches, or backtrack up to go west of the town center (for the smaller restaurants in there).
- 2a Praia – also super central considering you’re right in the action of the busiest beach of Morro, next to Saudade Island. If you’re able to find nice places at nice prices, sure why not? But I imagine elsewhere would be a much better deal for not that much more walking. Also, you might prefer something less crowded.
- Terceira Praia & Quarta Praia – the beginning of 3rd beach still feels close to the center, and can give you a nice relaxing stay right by the beach for a good price. But further south into 3rd beach and 4th beach, starts to feel very remote and more of the hotel resort and lazy/luxury lounge vibe. It’s nice too…just a matter if you want to relax or party, and what your budget is. But for sure, here feels like a different world.
- 4a, 5th, 5a – yes these are all really beautiful. But it’s not Morro de Sao Paulo anymore, IMO.
Hostels & Hotels:
- Che Largarto – I usually don’t stay at the Che Legarto hostel chain in most places because it has too much of a fratty vibe, but the one here was nice. Highly rated and for good reason. Good location right next to the town center, really close to restaurants, and short 10 min walk to the beaches.
- df
There really are tons of nice places to stay, and at good prices. Every time I turn a corner or visited another friend’s place, I found more that I’d like to try. With that said, I was very happy with Che Legarto because it was nice, good location, and good vibe with meeting other travelers.
Neighborhoods & Walking areas:
- Town center – big square that is good for meeting up with people or checking out the shops nearby. But just about everybody will try to run off to the beaches.
- West of town center – this is the more local area. Lots of smaller streets, guesthouses, cheaper accommodations, street food as well as restaurants, etc.
- 1a Praia (1st beach) – feels like the beach for locals.
- 2a Praia (2nd beach) – big commercial beachfront restaurants, clothing stores, tour shops. Good for big groups, music, party vibe. Has the island nearby.
- 3rd beach and beyond – chill relaxing quiet beach, total lounge vibe. Not many stores or restaurants, outside of a coconut stand. Just narrow quiet beach and hotel resorts.
Activities to do:
- Beaches, bridges, water-points:
- Luckily, all the beaches are named by number in order of their position to each other (all starting from the lighthouse by the town center). So it’s very easy to know where to go and where to meet up with people.
- 1a Praia (1st beach):
- Treated like a chill local beach, local kids and families playing here, pretty to look at and take photos of the rocks and lighthouse. But most people keep walking on to the other beaches.
- At night, this can be a convenient beach to hang out and drinks with friends before going home. Feels like an overlooked beach behind a parking lot.
- 2a Praia (2nd beach):
- The closest “nice beach” that many people will stop to enjoy. Things start to get nicer here. Nicer stores and nice big beach restaurants.
- It’s probably the most crowded because it has a nice view of the Ilha de Saudade island and many beach restaurants here.
- If you’re too lazy to walk any farther but still want a nice beach, this is the one.
- Ilha de Saudade – super beautiful little island to walk out on. Actually has many little spaces for you to decide where to hang out on. The sandy social north end where groups meet and place sports, the southern solitude end where you can sit on tre brances in peace, or the eastern rocky end where you can also sit alone and look at sea-life in the tide pools along the rocks.
- Terceira Praia (3rd beach):
- A nice thin beach with narrow space and fewer people. And since it’s a farther walk away from the other crowded beaches, it’s easily a much quieter and more relaxed vibe. Still very beautiful and worth seeing.
- The first part of this beach has smaller hotels, and IMO also a great area to stay since it’s still close to the more crowded areas of Morro. Yet is well priced and you’re also very very close to the beach. (Can choose 2a for more people, or 3rd beach for more peace.)
- This area starts to have a more raw nature jungle vibe. You can also jump into the big hotel cafes or restaurants for a very relaxing lounge vibe.
- This is a wide beach that gets progressively nicer near the end.
- It’s a 10-15 minute walk from 2a beach but feels like you’re in another world already.
- Quarta Praia (4th beach):
- Feels very remote, especially considering 3rd beach was already getting very quiet and peaceful. 4th beach feels like you’re completely alone with nature. Nobody else. Incredibly beautiful! I didn’t mind the walk at all.
- Piscinas Naturais – the natural pools are here. Nice rocks forming shallow pools. Great for children or the family to play in, enjoying the many schools of fish swimming around.
- This is the probably the best beach to snorkel dive, and see fish and corals in the water. It’s where you’re likely to get the classic tourist photo of tons of fish in the water. Go early in the morning like 6 or 7am. First and 3rd beach are good for diving as well, but probably not as good as this one IMO.
- 10 minute walk from 3rd beach and you’ve DEFINITELY in another world. I thought it was a lot of fun for very little effort.
- 4a Praia:
- Calm, perfect turquoise waters, everything incredible.
- Quinta Praia:
- Super beautiful. I didn’t get this far but I’m sure it is.
- 5a Praia do Encanto:
- I haven’t even been here but heard many legends how this place is so worth the 1hr effort it takes to get here. And I believe it because all the beaches up to Quarta Praia were already so beautiful! Will definitely make the effort next time.
- Deserted area. Mangroves.
- 10km from the first beach. Can get here by bike or carriage. There’s a restaurant here if you want to spend the day.
- Markets, shopping:
- Town center – full range of different shops here, from lowend to highend.
- West of town center – more local area
- 1a beach – cheaper stores IMO, necessities type of places (pharmacy, market, etc).
- 2a beach – many nicer boutiques.
- Viewpoints, landmarks, sunsets:
- Farol do Morro de Sao Paulo – lighthouse on the hill with a few different things to do. I went only to the viewpoint and that was enough for me.
- Mirante do Farol – there’s a hike that goes through the woods and up to an elevated fort on the hill, with a view down at the beach. It’s not fully panoramic since the left side is just water and then trees blocking your view, and then the right side you see the beach coast. Word of advice is not to go too late and in the afternoon that it gets dark and you get lost trying to get back because there’s no one there.
- Tirolesa Farol (zipline) – I didn’t do it.
- Fortaleza do Morro de SP – fort on the hill.
- best sunset – best sunset for me was on the strip of land connecting you to the Ilha de Saudade island. Nice views of both sides of the strip and I even saw a rainbow one evening. Everything was just magical. Beaches, and lighthouse, people playing futbol (soccer) on the sand, people just watching the sun go down.
- Farol do Morro de Sao Paulo – lighthouse on the hill with a few different things to do. I went only to the viewpoint and that was enough for me.
- Tours – I didn’t bother but there are many options, of course. This is a very touristy town.
Restaurants & Cafes:
- West of town center – I find this area better for smaller groups and more intimate setting. Many nice restaurants here. Think like
- 2a beach – this area is best for big groups meeting up eating by the beach, or after the beach. They have big tables and lots of seating. You’ll often find live music here.
- Louca Paixao Restaurante (3rd beach) – amazing food, nice fancy place, lots of open air and space, view of the sea.
- I’ll list more as I remember their names.
You’ll have no shortage of awesome restaurants and cafes to choose from here. You can eat fancy or eat local. And good options can be found throughout all of Morro. The ones listed above are my favorites, but there are plenty others I would have loved to try.
Bars, clubs, and nightlife:
- There many bars everywhere.
- Mama Africa – the best club in Brazil. You’ll have to ask around, and buy tickets from a promoter (usually they visit every hostel). The ticket includes a boat ticket which takes you to the island where the club is. They have 2 floors…Brazilian/latin/afrobeat on one floor and techno/house/EDM on the other. Great times here.
Miscellaneous tips:
- General travel tips for Brazil.
- Many Israelis – tons and tons of Israelis here. Many of them owning tour shops, mobile shops, restaurants, bars, hostels, hotels, and such.
Itinerary:
- First thing is to go out to the beaches, which is east of the town center. Go at least as far as 2a Praia or just to the other side of the Ilha de Saudade.
- Next thing is to eat, I’d recommend west of town center.
- This way…you’ve now seen both areas east and west of town center. From there, you can decide what you want to do next. Naturally, you’ll explore the beaches even further of 2a. And also try out restaurants and shops from all over the place.
Morro de Sao Paulo is to relax and have fun. There’s no need to run around as there isn’t much to do in terms of tourist stuff. But there’s lots to do in terms of enjoying your day.
Nearby towns:
- Boipeba –
Unfiltered notes: