A great hiking route through the Atlantic rainforest that ends at a wild beach.
This trail is located inside Parque Estadual Xixová-Japuí.
Visits must be booked through the park website or registered at the entrance. There are two self-guided trails — Trilha do Curtume and Trilha dos Surfistas — which you can walk on your own for free, as well as several guided routes that require a paid tour.
Trilha do Curtume
We chose the self-guided Trilha do Curtume.
The trail is about 1.5 km one way. It’s not particularly suitable for very small kids or elderly hikers — the path goes over rocks, tree roots, and uneven ground.
About a third of the trail goes uphill, then there’s a relatively flat section through bamboo groves, and finally a descent toward the ocean.
Lev managed just fine, although there were a few falls along the way. A bamboo walking stick turned out to be very useful.
The trail is named after the old tannery Curtume Cardamone, whose remains are located nearby. The factory was built in the early 20th century and was once an important enterprise in the region.
Its leather products were exported around the world, and at one exhibition in Germany their leather was even recognized as the best in the world.
The factory operated for about 60 years. Later, when the slaughterhouse in Santos closed, the tannery began having problems with raw materials. Eventually production stopped, and after the owner passed away the place slowly fell into ruin.
You can see what remains of the factory in the video below. The entrance to the park — and the start of the trail — is just to the right of it.
We absolutely loved the hike. The nature here is incredible — real jungle, remnants of the Atlantic rainforest that once covered much of the Brazilian coast.
There’s even a large rock formation called Pedreira along the way.
You’ll also walk through bamboo groves. For some reason in Brazil the bamboo often has a yellowish color, which looks quite unusual.
Birds sing constantly, huge butterflies fly around, and the whole forest feels alive.
At one point we even found the skeleton of a small animal. It looked very much like it could have been an anteater.
We barely saw any people along the trail — just a couple of hikers. The beach had more visitors, but it still felt quiet and uncrowded.
In fact, there are two beaches.
The trail leads first to the smaller one on the left.
From there another short path continues to a larger beach.
This second beach is called Praia de Itaquitanduva.
Пляж Itaquitanduva
The sand squeaks under your feet, and the waves here are absolutely wild.
Even trying to rinse your hands in the water can be tricky — the waves can easily knock you off balance.
There’s no infrastructure at all, which is exactly what makes the place so special. It’s completely wild.
So make sure to bring water, some snacks, sunscreen off course and insect repellent.
We had a great time there, even though it was technically a winter day.
The sun was strong, but the wind coming from the ocean felt a bit chilly.
Eva is our family’s biggest cold-hater. And she was the only one who kept complaining about the wind. The rest of us were perfectly happy.
Another highlight of the day: crabs.
They’re surprisingly hard to notice because they blend in with the sand, but once you start spotting them you realize there are a lot of them.
Lev spent a long time happily chasing them around the beach.
What’s most surprising is how close this place is to the city. The park entrance is only about 20 minutes by taxi from both Santos and São Vicente.
You drive through busy city streets — and suddenly you’re surrounded by silence and untouched nature.
A few practical tips
- It’s better to book your visit in advance on the park website.
- Entry to the park is allowed from 9:00 to 15:00, and you must leave by 17:00.
- Uber worked perfectly for us both ways.
- The trail is uneven — rocks, clay, tree roots — so wear comfortable shoes.
- Bring insect repellent and sunscreen.
- Pack water and snacks, because the beach is a great place to stay for a while.
If you’re visiting Santos and want something beyond the ciy’s beaches, this hike is absolutely worth it.
Tchau!